Surgery at CancerCare Manitoba

Surgeons see patients at CancerCare Manitoba (CCMB) by referral from any physician either internal or external to CCMB. All referrals are sent to the CCMB Central Referral Office and can be addressed to individual surgeons or specialty groups.

Surgeons will see patients for diagnosis or treatment purposes. The following surgical specialty groups see patients in clinics at CCMB:

  • General Surgery: Colon and rectal cancer, breast cancer, melanoma, soft tissue cancers, head and neck cancers, other rare cancers, gastrointestinal endoscopy and central line placement.
  • Otolaryngology: Head and neck cancers.
  • Plastic Surgery: Reconstruction at the time of or following cancer surgery.
  • Urology: Prostate cancer (seen in Prostate Centre in CCMB).
  • Gynecology: All gynecologic cancers.

CCMB also works closely with a large diverse group of surgical specialists that cover all other types of cancer. Many of these surgical specialists practice at Health Sciences Centre (HSC) or other Winnipeg Regional Health Authority (WRHA) hospitals. There are also CCMB Surgical Leads in the other Regional Health Authorities (RHAs).

CCMB's McDermot Site has a surgical procedure room in which biopsies under local anesthesia can be provided. All other operations including endoscopy are provided in hospitals.
Major operations will therefore require a separate hospital registration and pre-anesthesia visit to the hospital in which the surgery will occur. The surgeon will make all arrangements when seeing patients at CCMB. Lengths of stay, complications, etc. are all very operation specific and will vary according to the magnitude and type of surgery. Follow-up will also be at CCMB unless otherwise specified.

CCMB Central Referral Office

Phone: 204-787-2176
Fax: 204-786-0621

What can you expect?

When meeting with your surgeon, it's important to ask the following questions:

  1. Why am I having the operation?
  2. What is the probability is of a curative operation?
  3. How long will I be in hospital?
  4. What are the risks or possible complications of the surgery?
  5. How do I get home care assistance following the operation?
  6. How long will the total recovery be before I can return to work or resume normal activity?
  7. What are the follow-up plans going to be?

If patients have any concerns about their proposed surgery or an outcome of surgery they should contact the Patient Representative at CCMB.

Patient Representative

Phone: 204-787-2065
Toll-Free: 1-866-561-1026
Pager: 204-931-2579
Email: patient_representative@cancercare.mb.ca