Just one additional note to this; each case is so different vis a vis stage at diagnosis, where the tumor(s) are located, etc.
the cancer is often silent for a long time and is systemic in nature so if one is staged beyond 2 the likelihood is that there are cells hiding somewhere. Initial systemic therapy to attack those and shrink tumor makes sense to try. Surgery can be curative but “wack a mole” is not a game for the faint of heart and may prove to fail ultimately without adjuvant therapy/radiation. My initial pancreatic tumor is gone-it was necrotic when removed. My metastasis in liver were necrotic too-except one small spot. Liver margins were clear. Yet-I have a small reoccurrence. As much as I would like to just cut it out-I know I need to play the long game and try to clear my system.