Oncology is a sub-specialty of medicine dedicated to the investigation, diagnosis and treatment of people with cancer or suspected cancer. It includes:
◉ Preventative medicine
◉ Medical oncology (chemotherapy, immunotherapy, hormone therapy and other drugs to treat cancer)
◉ Radiation oncology (radiation therapy to treat cancer)
◉ Surgical oncology (surgery to treat cancer), and
◉ Palliative medicine.
An oncologist is a doctor with special training in the diagnosis and treatment of cancer. Some oncologists specialise in a particular type of cancer treatment.
Part of a multidisciplinary team, the oncologist also supports the patient through collaboration and coordination of other specialists.
Oncologists are not only involved in clinical care, but also contribute to cancer research (including therapeutics, biology, epidemiology and clinical outcomes research), health education, clinical teaching and ethics.
⯐ Medical oncologist
A medical oncologist treats cancer using chemotherapy or other medications, such as hormone therapy and immunotherapy.
⯐ Surgical oncologist
A surgical oncologist removes the tumor or cancerous tissue during an operation. They may also perform biopsies (see below).
⯐ Radiation oncologist
A radiation oncologist specializes in treating cancer using radiation therapy (radiotherapy).
If a person is diagnosed with cancer, or is suspected to have cancer, a GP may provide a referral to an oncologist. A biopsy (tissue sample) will be taken and examined by a pathologist. If it is found to be cancerous, a series of diagnostic tests and scans may be done to determine the size of the cancer and to find out whether it has spread.
Oncologists work as a team to recommend a course of treatment for individual patients.
Patients can seek a second opinion from other doctors or medical teams at any time. A GP or specialist can refer patients to other specialists, and patients can request their medical history to be sent to the doctor providing the second opinion.
English
Arabic