What is Oncology Cancer?

Oncology Cancer refers to the study and treatment of Cancer. Oncology is the study of cancerous tumors, while an oncologist is a doctor that treats cancer. Though different schools of medicine in different countries might divide oncologists into several different categories and specialties, in America, there are two main types of oncologists. A radiation oncologist is a doctor that specializes in radiation of Oncology Cancer, known as radiation therapy, or more simply, radiotherapy.

In Oncology Cancer, radiation does not include chemotherapy. Chemotherapy is handled by a medical oncologist. A clinical oncologist, in some countries handles both radiation therapy as well as chemotherapy. Surgical oncology deals with the surgical treatment of tumors. Surgical oncologists are split into several specialties that focus on cancers infecting particular areas of the body.

Usually, Oncology Cancer is concerned with:

• The diagnosis of cancer
• Therapy (e.g., surgery, chemotherapy, radiotherapy and other modalities)
• Follow-up of cancer patients after successful treatment
• Palliative care of patients with terminal malignancies
• Ethical questions surrounding cancer care
• Screening efforts: of populations, or of the relatives of patients (in types of cancer that are thought to have a hereditary basis, such as oncology breast cancer).

Specialties in Oncology Cancer

There are several sub-specialties within Oncology Cancer. Moreover, oncologists often develop an interest and expertise in the management of particular types of cancer.

Oncologists of cancer may be divided on the basis of the type of treatment provided:

• Radiation oncology: treatment primarily with radiation, a process called radiotherapy.
• Surgical oncology: surgeons who specialize in tumor removal.
• Medical oncology: treatment primarily with drugs, e.g. chemotherapy
• Gynecologic oncology: focuses on cancers of the female reproductive system.
• Pediatric oncology: concerned with the diagnosis and treatment of cancer in children

In the United Kingdom and several other countries, oncologists of cancer may be either clinical or medical oncologists. The main difference is that clinical oncologists deliver radiotherapy, while medical oncologists do not. (This difference does not apply in North America: the terms, clinical oncologist and medical oncologist are used interchangeably.)

Nowadays, thanks to improving technology in the field of radiation Oncology Cancer, about 70 percent of cases of cancer call for a combination of radiation and chemotherapy treatment.

Choosing a capable Oncologist of Cancer

As can be expected, the more experience a doctor has in Oncology Cancer the higher their success record becomes in successful treatment of their patients. Choosing a oncologist of cancer then becomes a potentially vital part of your treatment. You may be literally putting your life in the hands of the doctor you choose.

In addition to experience in treating patients, training and experience with the latest technologies is also important since newer technologies are capable of providing better treatment of cancer. IMRT, for example, is a relatively new method of therapy that allows for higher doses of radiation to be delivered to a tumor while sparing surrounding healthy tissue.

Some oncologists of cancer don’t even have access to new technologies such as IMRT. In cases where access is available, doctors may have little or no training and little or no experience. To receive the best treatment possible, as a patient it would be beneficial to seek out a oncologist that is both experienced with the latest technologies as well as practices at a facility that has access to these technologies.

Bedside manner is important as well. A person can generally tell whether they’ll get along with within a few minutes of meeting them. You’re under enough stress just from the discovery that you have or may have cancer or in earlier stage of cancer. Having to put up with an oncologist you don’t get along with can be detrimental to your health, especially if your relationship with your doctor is so bad that you loathe going to see him or her.

However, a radiation oncologist’s ability to give you the best treatment possible may trump all else. Choose wisely.

Readers who viewed this page, also viewed:

Related posts:

1. Oncology
2. Surgery Cancer
3. Cancer Radiation
4. Metastatic Cancer
5. Stage IV Cancer

Tags: breast cancer oncologist, cancer and oncology, cancer oncologists, cancer oncology, oncologist cancer, oncology breast cancer, oncology cancer, oncology cancer center, oncology cancer research, radiation oncology cancer

You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.