Oncologist

Oncologists are specialists who deal with cancer and tumors. More than just medical experts, oncologists typically try to deal with the “whole” patient and the patient’s family, offering follow-up care after cancer treatment and screening family members when the cancer appears hereditary. An oncologist is the leader of the team of experts a cancer patient will encounter, which may also include the family doctor, a surgeon, a physiotherapist and a psychiatrist.

5 Things You Need to Know

  1. Oncologists use several methods to diagnose cancer, including biopsy, endoscopy, X-rays and scans, and blood tests.
  2. Oncologists are trained to treat cancer with a variety of methods, including chemotherapy or other medicinal treatments and surgery. The oncologist first has to determine whether or not the cancer is operable.
  3. Follow-up treatment for cancer may be a lifelong process, depending on the patient’s chances of recurrence, which are based on the type of cancer, at what stage it was diagnosed and how it was treated.
  4. When a cancer is untreatable, an oncologist may be involved in the palliative care of terminal patients; however, most often this is left to doctors and nurses.
  5. Many oncologists are heavily involved in researching different methods of diagnosis, treatment and pain relief for cancer sufferers.

3 Questions You Need to Ask Your Oncologist

  1. How involved are you in clinical trials? Oncology is an ever-changing field, and the best specialists are up to date on recent discoveries and research.
  2. Are you comfortable with the personal aspects of cancer treatment? Cancer can change a person’s life, and aspects such as religion, spirituality and personal choice are part of the treatment that an oncologist needs to be able to deal with.
  3. What other resources can you make available to me? Your cancer treatment will not be completed by an oncologist alone, so you need to know who else will be involved (e.g., other doctors, nurses, mental health professionals) and if you have a choice as to which doctors you will see.

Also Known As: Cancer doctor

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