This close mutual dependency of the main
oncological treatment modalities is crucial for
systematic and individualised high-quality treatment
and will result in more appropriate tailoring of
treatment to the needs of the individual patient
(Widder and Pötter 2006).
This concept is eloquently summarised by Gnant
(2006), who urges those involved in cancer care
to maintain a broader perspective by viewing the
surgical procedure as one aspect of the process,
much as ‘the tumour is only a symptom of the real
disease that is carcinogenesis’.