Muskan

· 08 Feb 2022

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What is Oncology?

Oncology is a branch of medicine that deals with research, prevention, and finding cancer treatment. A person who practices in the field of Oncology is known as an Oncologist. Oncologists are the specialized medical professional who diagnose and treat cancer patients. Let us understand in detail what is oncology and how this field works?

Oncology diagnosis
Different types of lab tests as well as imaging tests are recommended to an individual in case doctor suspects presence of tumor or cancer. Some of the common tests are biopsy, endoscopy, X-ray, CT scan, MRI, PET scan, ultrasound, or another radiological method to confirm. Other methods like blood tests, tumor markers, and nuclear medicine are also performed to diagnose cancer.

Oncology Treatment
After the diagnosis, if the cancer is confirmed, the Oncologist discusses the disease stage in detail with the patient. They tell the patient if the cancer is in the starting stage or not and how much treatment is required at that stage. In most of the cases a combination of chemotherapy and radiation therapy are performed for the most effective treatment. In some cases, Surgery is also used as a part of the treatment to remove the tumors. For certain types of Cancers, they use Hormone therapy. Monoclonal antibody treatments are gaining more popularity in Cancer treatment. Researchers are still into finding vaccines and immunotherapies. Cancer patients are treated in Palliative care in oncology and even for other symptoms.

Oncology Team
With two or three types of Oncologists, Cancer can be treated with team effort including medical, surgical, and radiation. The team may even include a pathologist, a diagnostic radiologist, or an oncology nurse. In cases when it is difficult to treat in a situation, they consult the tumor board first which consists of various medical experts. They review the case and give the best recommendation for cancer treatment for the patient.

Oncology for Children
Pediatric Oncology deals with diagnosis and treatment of children suffering from cancer. In 2017, the National Cancer Institute reported that around 10,270 kids were diagnosed with cancer. But 1190 children couldn't be saved because they reached the final stage where the treatment was not possible.
Pediatric Oncology treats children with cancer types like acute lymphocytic leukemia, neuroblastoma, brain, and other central nervous system tumors. Treatment for children is much different than the treatment given to adults. Pediatric Oncology treatment includes surgery, radiation therapy, immunotherapy ,chemotherapy, and stem cell transplant.

Types of Oncologists
Oncologists are specially trained to diagnose and treat cancer patients. Some Oncologists specialize in a particular type of Oncology.
Different types of Oncologists are discussed below:

•    Medical Oncologist: Medical Oncologist is the one who treats cancer by chemotherapy or other medications like hormone therapy and immunotherapy. They helps patient to manage the side-effects and their well-being.
•    Surgical Oncologist: A surgical oncologist is a medical professional who performs biopsies for diagnosis purpose as well perform surgeries to remove the tumor or cancerous tissue.
•    Radiation Oncologist: A radiation oncologist are specialized to treat cancer using radiation therapy.


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