What is the role of an oncologist?

What are the types of oncologists?

The medical oncologist

A medical oncologist is a cancer specialist who participates in diagnosing cancer, treats the patient with therapies based on the use of chemotherapy or other medications, but does not perform surgical operations. A specialist in medical oncology, they can work as part of a team with a surgeon specializing in cancer treatment or a specialist in radiation cancer treatments, but also with personnel specializing in general oncology, pediatric oncology.

Their tasks include explaining the diagnosis and stage of tumor development to the patient, presenting the different therapeutic options, providing care, and helping them have the best possible quality of life.

The radiation oncologist

A radiation oncologist is a physician who professionally dedicates themselves to the treatment of cancer, specializing in the therapeutic use of ionizing radiation. During their career, the radiation oncologist receives training in both the biology and clinic of cancer as well as in radiation physics. The radiation oncologist assesses the clinical situation of patients, participates in defining the overall therapeutic strategy for each patient in collaboration with specialists from other disciplines (surgical oncologist, medical oncologist, etc.), indicates the opportunity for radiotherapy, more or less associated with medication, by establishing the execution modalities. They actively participate in the treatment preparation phase by identifying the volumes to be treated using the planning scanner and the imaging necessary for the best morphological and functional definition of the volumes, the organs at risk and by evaluating, with the medical physicist, the treatment plan by radiotherapy.

In addition, periodic examinations are carried out to evaluate the effectiveness of the treatment, the appearance of side effects and any necessary supportive treatment.

What is the difference between a cancer specialist and an oncologist?

Many questions arise about the medical specialties that treat cancer, especially because treatment is not concentrated on a single professional.

It is important to remember that the terms "cancerology" and "oncology", as well as "cancer specialist" and "oncologist" have the same meaning. The patient must pay attention to whether this oncology professional is a clinician or a surgeon, as the differences are significant.

Treatment involves all these professionals because it must be individualized according to the location of the disease, its degree of aggressiveness, whether it hinders certain functions such as speech or eating, and also whether a tumor lesion has already migrated to another organ - metastasis.

The clinical oncologist or medical oncologist's role is to assess the need for additional therapies, such as chemotherapy, during or after surgical and radiotherapy treatment, and in most cases, they are responsible for patient follow-up, with consultations and periodic examinations. Generally, the first visit to an oncologist is with this professional. The medical oncologist also plays a fundamental role when the cancer metastasizes, because in these cases, chemotherapy or immunotherapy are the most indicated. As for the role of the surgeon in oncology, this is essentially in the operating room, when the tumor or cancer requires a surgical therapeutic approach. In all cases, the treatments in question are all carried out within the oncology department of a specialized structure. It should also be known that oncologists and cancer specialists generally have sub-specialties to ensure specific management that meets each different case. In this sense, for the youngest, the referring physician will be a specialist in pediatric oncology and for tumors of the digestive system a specialist in general oncology for example.

In addition to cancer specialists involved in the direct treatment of the disease, when the patient can benefit from other healthcare professionals, treatment and healing are easier. For example, dentists can help the patient during radiotherapy treatment to maintain the health of their mouth and teeth. But also speech therapists can help the patient regain their voice and swallowing, nutritionists help the patient maintain their weight in cases where eating is compromised by the disease or treatment. The intervention of the psychologist should not be neglected either, supporting the patient at the difficult time of diagnosis, and at each stage, we all depend on a good nursing team to coordinate all the processes.

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Would you like more information?

First appointment with the oncologist: questions to ask

This list of questions to ask the oncologist during your cancer examination can be a good starting point to help you gather information about your cancer.

• What type of cancer do I have?
• What stage is my cancer?
• Where did my cancer originate? Where is it located? Has it spread? Where has it spread?
• Is my tumor invasive?
• Has my tumor metastasized?
• What is the size of my tumor?
• What is the grade of my tumor?
• How fast is the tumor growing?
• What is the risk of my cancer recurring?
• What are the most recent studies on my type of cancer that I can consult to learn more?
• How can I obtain a copy of my report and test information?
• What kind of therapy does my cancer require? How does it work?
• What consequences can cancer treatment have on my daily life?
• What are the chances of cure with this therapy?
• What are the possible side effects and how to treat them?
• What are the differences between the available therapies?
• Are there experimental therapies for my tumor?
• Am I a candidate for these experimental therapies?
• Will I have to change my diet?
• Is it advisable to engage in physical activity? If so, what kind?
• Could I still have children? What will my sex life be like with cancer?
• Can I continue taking my usual medications?

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