- Institute
- Cancer & Oncology
Cancer & Oncology
Millions of patients worldwide have overcome cancer because of accurate diagnosis, early detection, a well-advanced treatment plan, and the help of individual patients' positive attitude and personal strength.
The Department of Oncology at Sprint Medical is dedicated to ensuring the best possible treatment for patients with oncological diseases. With Sprint Medical technology and its Super Speciality Doctor, you are assured of having the very best possible support on your side.
Profile of Oncology Doctors:
Oncology doctors specialize in treating malignant tumors and cancers. An oncology specialist also called a cancer specialist, is an Internal Medicine MD or a general surgeon specializing in diagnosing and treating cancer patients. As we know, cancer refers to abnormal cell growth in anybody that can also spread in other organs if not taken care of quickly.
The role of an oncology doctor includes:
Helping and educating the patient and their family with palliative care
Providing accurate diagnosis of the patient by performing appropriate tests
Helping the patient and their families to manage the cancer symptoms and cancer treatment side-effects
Explaining overall diagnostic procedure and stage of cancer to the patient and their family
Explaining the various cancer treatment options
There are 3 main types of Oncologists or Cancer Doctors, based on the treatment they provide.
Medical oncologists: A medical cancer care specialist treats cancer using chemotherapy, immunotherapy, hormonal therapy, and other targeted therapies.
Surgical oncologists: A surgical oncology doctor. There specialized in removing the cancer cells by surgically removing them form patients body.
Radiation oncologist: Radiation Oncologist/ Radiation cancer doctor treats cancer using radiation therapy.
Other types of cancer doctors include:
Pediatric-oncologist: A cancer care specialist who effectively diagnoses and treats cancer in children.
Gynecologic-oncologist: A cancer specialist who treats gynecologic-related cancer, such as breast, uterine, and cervical cancers.
Hematologist-oncologist: An oncology doctor specializing in treating blood cancers, such as leukemia, myeloma, and lymphoma.
What does an oncologist do?
Oncology Doctors refer to the medical field that extensively studies cancer. The oncology doctors provide prognosis advice to the patient and their family, diagnosis, cancer treatment, medical care, and most common cancer signs aren't particular to cancer only. When you are concern about a malignant tumor, Please consult a general physician first to identify the cause behind your signs and symptoms. If these symptoms persist for longer or have worsened, consult a cancer specialist to receive an appropriate diagnosis.
General signs and symptoms of cancer include:
Unexplained indigestion
Excessive fatigue
Difficulty swallowing
Severe weight changes
Abnormal skin changes, such as rashes, itching, redness, or changes to moles
Hard lump under the skin
Shortness of breath
Persistent fevers
Persistent muscle pain and joint pain
However, do keep in mind that these can also be signs of some other disease. If you are still concerned about cancer risk, then consult an oncology doctor who can recommend some screening tests for you.
Generally, cancer doctors work with a team of specialist doctors to provide the right kind of diagnosis and cancer treatment for each patient. A patient may require a few combinations of treatments, such as surgery, radiation therapy, and chemotherapy. Thus, cancer care specialists work with a multidisciplinary doctors team to ensure their patients receive the standard medical services they deserve to get well. Cancer specialists may work with the following medical professionals while treating Cancer Patients:
A pathologist doctor who analyzes laboratory tests to develop medical reports regularly.
A doctor specializing in the relevant area where cancer is diagnosed. For example, if a patient is diagnosed with colon cancer, a gastroenterologist will be involved in the cancer treatment process.
A diagnostic radiologist doctor performs several imaging tests like CT scans, x-rays, MRI scans, and ultrasound tests to identify the type and stage of cancer correctly.
An oncology nurse specialist to assist the cancer care specialist and patient during the treatment.
How do oncologists treat cancer?
Cancer care specialists use different types of treatment options to cure cancer patients.
Surgery: Surgeons manually remove the tumor and the tissues.
Chemotherapy: Usage of drugs to cure Cancer.
Radiation therapy: Usage of high-powered gamma radiation to cure cancer.
Biological therapy/ Immunotherapy: A type of cancer treatment that increases your immune system to fight against cancer naturally.
Targeted therapy: This type of cancer therapy or treatment uses drugs to target certain proteins that allow the growth of cancer cells
Hormone therapy: Removing the hormones or blocking their effects that cause cancer. This type of therapy or treatment is effective in treating prostate cancer or breast cancer.
Cancer patients are monitored by cancer specialists regularly through palliative care to keep an eye on their patients to improve their health. Palliative care treatment is a type of cancer treatment that involves side-effects of cancer treatment and reduces cancer symptoms. This process involves regular blood tests, health check-ups, mental health counseling, nutrition counseling, and other appropriate lab tests.
Frequently asked questions
Oncology is a specialized branch of medical science that diagnoses, treats, and prevents the onset of cancer. A doctor that deals with cancer is called an oncologist.
No, being referred to an oncologist does not necessarily mean that you have cancer. Many patients who are referred to an oncologist actually do not have cancer. But consulting a specialized doctor is necessary to know your disease well and start the treatment at the earliest.
Yes, an oncologist does the specialization in both the cancer types and also on the various forms of treatment that particular cancer requires. Oncology has three major areas: surgical, medical, and radiation. A surgical oncologist removes the tumor growth and other nearby tissues with the help of surgery. A surgical oncologist also performs biopsies to help diagnose the type and complexity of cancer. A medical oncologist cures cancer by using medications or chemotherapy while a radiation oncologist helps in curing cancer by using radiation therapy. Other types of oncologists include pediatric oncologists (treat cancer in children), gynecologic oncologists (treats uterine, cervical, or ovarian cancer), and hematologists-oncologist (treat blood cancer).
In chemotherapy, certain specialized drugs or a combination of drugs are given to the patient to treat cancer. Generally, chemotherapy can be given in all the stages of most of the cancer types. As per the instructions of the oncologist, just the quantity of the drug may increase or decrease according to the stage of cancer.
The oncologist decides whether your treatment should include chemotherapy as a part of the treatment procedure or not. The decision is made based on the type of cancer, its size and whether it has spread or not. The goal at the second stage of cancer is to kill the cancer cells that may have remained after the primary treatment at the first stage of cancer. Usually, chemotherapy is preferred in this stage along with other treatment options such as radiation therapy and hormone therapy.
At the first stage of cancer, the most common treatment for nearly all types of cancer is surgery as the cancerous cells have not spread out in this stage, so removing them completely is the best option. But the oncologist may suggest other treatment options (such as chemotherapy) by analyzing your condition and type of cancer.
In the second stage of cancer, the cancerous cells have formed large tumors and spread more deeply in the adjoining tissues. They may also have been spread to lymph nodes but not other parts of the body. Stage two cancer is a complex disease but with proper care and a comprehensive treatment plan, it can be managed and cured.
The movement of cancerous cells from their site of origin to other body parts is called metastasis. The cancerous cells divide rapidly, break away from their original point and travel to all the other body parts through the bloodstream or lymphatic system. Cancer can spread to any part of the body but mostly it forms new tumors in bones, lungs, or liver.