Oncology

The word "oncology" refers to the scientific study of cancer. It originates from "onco," which means tumor, combined with "-logy," meaning study. This medical branch involves various aspects, such as researching cancer, screening and diagnosing patients, treating the disease, preventing it, and caring for cancer survivors.

Understanding the Oncologist's Role

Oncologists are medical experts dedicated to caring for individuals affected by cancer. Their responsibilities encompass diagnosing cancer, developing treatment plans, overseeing therapies, and tracking the patient's progress throughout treatment and afterwards. Additionally, they engage in research related to oncology.

Those in oncology typically focus on specific types of cancer treatments. There are surgical oncologists, who operate on tumors; medical oncologists, who utilize therapies like chemotherapy, targeted treatments, and immunotherapy; and radiation oncologists, who apply radiation to kill cancer cells.

Oncologists can also be categorized by their specialization, such as experts in breast cancer or gynecological cancers. They may also be grouped by the age of their patients, including pediatric oncologists for children and geriatric oncologists for older adults.

Diagnosing Cancer in Oncology

Some typical symptoms of cancer can include tiredness, unexpected weight loss, unexplained anemia, and persistent fever.

To diagnose cancer, doctors might recommend various tests, including lab work, imaging studies, or biopsies, where small samples of tumor tissue are taken for analysis. Endoscopy is a helpful procedure that allows doctors to see inside body cavities and can assist in taking tissue samples from areas like the gastrointestinal or urinary tracts.

For imaging, doctors might use standard X-rays or contrast X-rays, CT scans, MRIs, and ultrasounds. Moreover, techniques such as scintigraphy, SPECT scans, PET scans, and other nuclear medicine methods are also vital in identifying cancer.