Medical Oncology
Medical oncology is the branch of medicine that uses medicines such as chemotherapy, immunotherapy, hormone therapy, targeted therapy to treat cancer. The job of a medical oncologist is to treat cancer patients with treatments like chemotherapy, hormone therapy, targeted therapy, and immunotherapy.
A medical oncologist will collaborate with other doctors to develop the best treatment plan for you. They'll go over your cancer diagnosis with you, including the type and stage.
When Are You Going to See a Medical Oncologist?
After being diagnosed with cancer, you will almost certainly see a medical oncologist. This is usually one of the first steps in the journey of a cancer patient.
They can help you understand your cancer diagnosis as well as the treatment timeline. You should also consult a medical oncologist if you have any questions.
Depending on the type of cancer you have and the treatment plan you want, you may also see other oncologists.
There are three major types of oncologists:
A medical oncologist will use chemotherapy, hormone therapy, targeted therapy, or immunotherapy to treat your cancer.
Radiation therapy will be used to treat your cancer by a radiation oncologist.
Tumors are removed surgically by a surgical oncologist. They also perform biopsies, which involve removing a small piece of tissue to be tested.
There are others cancer specialities:
Gynecologic oncologists treat cancers such as cervical, ovarian, and uterine cancer.
Oncologists and haematologists: Myeloma, leukaemia, and lymphoma are all types of blood cancers.
Oncologists for children: Childhood cancer
Treatment used in medical oncology.
Chemotherapy is the use of medications to treat cancer.. These drugs kill cancer cells by completely stopping or slowing their growth. Chemotherapy is typically used to treat recurrent or metastatic cancers (cancer cells that reappear after treatment) (cancer cells that spread to other parts of the body). Chemotherapy drugs are given orally, intravenously, or directly into the fluid surrounding the brain or abdominal cavity.
Chemotherapy is classified into three types.
Neoadjuvant chemotherapy is administered prior to any surgical or radiation procedures. It is recommended when tumours are too large to operate on or when the tumor's location makes surgery difficult. The drugs used in Neoadjuvant chemotherapy shrink the tumour enough to allow surgery.
Adjuvant chemotherapy is administered following surgical or radiation procedures. It is recommended that any remaining cancer cells that are not visible in imaging tests be cleaned up. This treatment helps to reduce the likelihood of cancer recurrence.
To manage cancer symptoms, palliative chemotherapy is recommended
Targeted Therapy
Targeted therapy is a type of advanced cancer treatment in which drugs are used to target specific proteins and genes found in cancer cells and other cells related to cancer growth. The drugs prevent cancer from spreading to other parts of the body.
Targeted therapy is classified into two types.
Small Molecule Drug Therapy - These drugs enter cancer cells, target proteins, and block signals for cell division and growth.
Monoclonal Antibodies - These are antibodies created in a laboratory that are similar to antibodies produced by the immune system. They target and destroy the proteins in cancer cells.