You can't make an informed comparison without understanding the details between all of your potential choices. For the specific surgery you mentioned, it seems

You can't make an informed comparison without understanding the details between all of your potential choices. For the specific surgery you mentioned, it seems like the choice is a 6% 5-year survival rate without the surgery, versus 25% with the surgery. Now, of course, 25 is more than 6, but that doesn't tell the whole story as the risks of the procedure, the financial aspect to it, as well as the overall quality of life should also be judged.