In many cases, surgical removal of your cats tumor is the first step in treating his disease. This is particularly useful for 
tumors that are easy to get to eg skin, nose or leg. It’s much more challenging for tumors of the internal organs, and impossible for cancers of the blood.
The correct preparation for surgery is important to make sure your cat recovers as well as possible. Pre-anesthetic blood tests will make sure his liver and kidneys are working well, and the has no other medical conditions. He’ll be on an intravenous drip during the surgery to maintain his body functions.
It can take up to several hours to remove your cats tumor, depending on how extensive it is, and how easy it is to close the skin when it has been cut out. Larger tumors can leave a bigger defect in the skin, and may need plastic surgery techniques to close the skin. Smaller lumps are obviously quicker to remove ,it’s easier to suture the skin after removal, and your cat will recover quicker from the procedure.
Your vet will strongly recommend that you have your cats tumor examined under a microscope by a specialist pathologist. This will identify exactly what type of tumor it is, and whether or not it’s likely to recur or spread. One very important part of this examination is to check the edges of the lump, to make sure no tumor cells have been left behind.
After your cats tumor has been removed, he may then need follow up treatment with chemotherapy or radiation to give him the best chance of a cure.
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