Oncology is the branch of medicine that focuses on the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of cancer. An oncologist is a doctor who specializes in this field and provides medical care to those who have been diagnosed with cancer. Oncologists are highly trained to research, diagnose, and treat a variety of cancers in different parts of the body. If you have cancer, an oncologist will create a treatment plan based on your pathology reports.
This plan will depend on the type of cancer you have, how far it has progressed, and how quickly it is likely to spread. The affected areas of the body will also be taken into consideration. Some oncologists specialize in a particular type of cancer treatment.
Oncology
is the specialized branch of medicine dedicated to the field of cancer, which includes diagnosis, treatments, and research.Doctors who treat cancer patients are known as oncologists. Cancer treatment involves several medical procedures and therefore requires a specialized team. An oncologist is a doctor who specializes in diagnosing, treating, and managing cancer. To become an oncologist, one must complete a four-year bachelor's degree and four years of training in an accredited medical school. This usually begins with the oncologist examining blood, urine, and other body fluids for high or low levels of certain substances that could be signs of cancer or blood disorders.
An important part of the job of most pediatric oncologists is to educate families whose children are being treated for cancer. Becoming a radiation oncologist is a five-year process that includes an internship in internal medicine, followed by a residency in radiation oncology. Surgical oncologists must first complete a general surgery residency, followed by a two-year fellowship in surgical oncology. Medical oncologists treat cancer with chemotherapy, hormonal therapies, biological therapies, and other targeted treatments. Surgical oncologists often perform biopsies and remove a small section of tissue so that it can be tested for cancer cells. During the first visit, the oncologist may perform a physical exam and order additional blood tests, imaging tests, or biopsies. Neuro-oncologists are dedicated to the treatment of cancers related to the brain, spine, and peripheral nerves.
People with cancer often work with a team of healthcare providers, including nurses, dietitians, pathologists and oncologists. As physicians, oncologists' study of cancer and blood disorders begins in medical school. A surgical oncologist may be one of the first doctors you go to if your primary care doctor suspects you have cancer. The oncologist's team, including a pathologist, studies the sample to see if it contains cancer cells.
