What is oncology?

Oncology is the branch of medicine that researches, identifies and treats cancer. A
physician who works in the field of oncology is an oncologist.

Oncologists must first diagnose a cancer, which is usually carried out via biopsy,
endoscopy, X-ray, CT scanning, MRI, PET scanning, ultrasound or other radiological
methods. Nuclear medicine can also be used to diagnose cancer, as can blood tests or
tumor markers. Oncology is often linked with hematology, which is the branch of
medicine that deals with blood and blood-related disorders.

Treatment

Once a diagnosis is made, the oncologist discusses disease stage with the patient.
Staging will dictate treatment of the cancer. Chemotherapy — which is defined as the
destruction of cancer cells — may be used, as well as radiation therapy. Surgery is used
to remove tumors. Hormone therapy is used to treat certain types of cancers, and
monoclonal antibody treatments are gaining popularity. Research into cancer vaccines
and immunotherapies is ongoing. Palliative care in oncology treats pain and other
symptoms of cancer.

Treatment team

Cancer is often treated in a team effort, with at least two or three types of oncologists,
including medical, surgical or radiation. The oncology treatment team may also include
a pathologist, a diagnostic radiologist or an oncology nurse. In the event of a new or a
difficult-to-treat case of cancer, the oncology care team may consult a tumor board,
made up of various medical experts from all relevant disciplines. The tumor board
reviews the case and recommends the best course of cancer treatment for the patient.

Oncology nurse

The oncology nurse has many roles, from helping with cancer screening, detection and
prevention, to the intensive care focus of bone marrow transplantation. Work settings for
oncology nurses also vary and include acute care hospitals, ambulatory care clinics,
private offices, radiation therapy facilities and home care agencies. Oncology nurses
work with adult and pediatric patients with cancer.
Pediatric Oncology

Pediatric oncology is the medical specialty that focuses on cancer care for children.

The National Cancer Institute estimates that 10,270 new cases of cancer will be
diagnosed in children in 2017. Of these, 1,190 children will die from the disease.

Pediatric oncology is an important medical field that treats all pediatric cancer types,
including acute lymphocytic leukemia, neuroblastoma, brain and other central nervous
system tumors. Treatment often differs from adult oncology. Pediatric oncology
treatment may include surgery, chemotherapy, radiation therapy, immunotherapy and/or
stem cell transplant.

Additional information can be found by searching the following websites:

www.abim.org/specialty/medical-oncology.aspx

www.acponline.org/patients_families/about_internal_medicine/subspecialties/oncology/

www.asco.org/

www.cancer.gov/types/childhood-cancers

www.cancer.org/

www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK13570/

www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/