What is Oncology?

Oncology is the medical field that is concerned with the study, prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and surgery of cancers. A doctor, who practices oncology is referred to as an ONCOLOGIST.

TYPES OF ONCOLOGY:

Based on the nature of the treatment, oncology is divided into three categories. These are:

Medical Oncology: 

In Medical Oncology, cancers are treated with medicines and various types of therapies. These can include chemotherapies, targeted therapies, immunotherapies, etc.

Radiation Oncology:

As the name suggests, this branch of oncology treats cancer with the help of radiation. The specific treatment is called Radiation Therapy. High energy X-Rays and some other agents are used to destroy the cancer cells present in the body.

Surgical Oncology: 

The treatment of cancers using operations and surgeries fall in the category of Surgical Oncology. In this branch of oncology, the affected tissues/tumors and the nearby areas are removed to prevent the further spread of the cancer cells. 

BRANCHES OF ONCOLOGY:

Oncology is a huge scientific field that has various branches. Some of the most common branches of Oncology are:

• Haematologist Oncology: This branch is specifically concerned with the diagnosis and treatment of blood cancers. Like Leukaemia, Myeloma, etc.
  
  
• Neuro-Oncology: It deals with cancers related to the brain and the nervous system.
  
  
• Geriatric Oncology: Geriatric Oncology is the specialized field that treats cancer patients of age 65 and above. Geriatric Oncologists go through specific training to treat and cure cancers in older people.
  
  
• Thoracic Oncology: This field of Oncology specializes in treating cancers of the chest, lungs, and other pulmonary organs.
  
  
• Urologic Oncology: Urologic Oncology deals with cancers in the kidneys, bladder, prostate gland, and the rest of the genitourinary system.

WHAT DO ONCOLOGISTS DO?

Oncologists, as medical practitioners, have several duties. These are:

• Recommending tests, x-rays, and other medical examinations to see if the patient has cancer or not.
• Diagnosing and explaining the diagnosis to the patient.
• Giving relevant information like the stage of cancer, possible treatments, etc.
• Providing the best and most relevant treatment.
• Helping with side effects of treatments.

CAN ONE ONCOLOGIST CURE ALL CANCERS?

A very common misconception amongst most people is that any oncologist can treat any cancer. This is not true. 

Just like any other medical field, Oncology also has doctors who specialize in a particular type of cancer. There are Lung Cancer Specialists, Breast Cancer Specialists, Tumour Specialists, Skin Cancer Specialists, and so on.

So, according to the diagnosis, one should refer to a specialist for that particular cancer.