What is an oncologist?
An oncologist is a doctor who specializes in diagnosing and treating cancer patients.
If you have cancer, the oncologist will design a treatment plan based on the detailed pathology report, which indicates which type of cancer you have, how much cancer has developed, how quickly it may spread, and which parts of your body.
What types of oncologists can you see?
Medical oncologist
Medical oncologists use chemotherapy, hormone therapy, biological therapy and other targeted therapies to treat cancer. People usually think of medical oncologists as their main cancer doctors.
Radiation Oncologist
Radiation oncologists use high-energy photon beams to target and destroy cancer cells. About half of all cancer patients will receive radiation therapy as part of their cancer care.
Surgical oncologist
If your primary care doctor suspects you have cancer, a surgical oncologist may be one of the first doctors you will find. Surgical oncologists often perform biopsies to remove a small portion of tissue in order to examine cancer cells.
Pediatric Oncologist
Pediatric oncologists diagnose and treat children with cancer. Around 175,000 children under the age of 15 are diagnosed with cancer worldwide every year. In the United States, approximately 80% of children diagnosed with cancer and treated can survive.
How to prepare for your first oncology appointment
What to expect
Your first oncology appointment may last two to three hours. That's because your oncologist will take some time to gather information about your health. You should also expect:
An oncologist is a doctor who specializes in diagnosing and treating cancer patients.
If you have cancer, the oncologist will design a treatment plan based on the detailed pathology report, which indicates which type of cancer you have, how much cancer has developed, how quickly it may spread, and which parts of your body.
What types of oncologists can you see?
Medical oncologist
Medical oncologists use chemotherapy, hormone therapy, biological therapy and other targeted therapies to treat cancer. People usually think of medical oncologists as their main cancer doctors.
Radiation Oncologist
Radiation oncologists use high-energy photon beams to target and destroy cancer cells. About half of all cancer patients will receive radiation therapy as part of their cancer care.
Surgical oncologist
If your primary care doctor suspects you have cancer, a surgical oncologist may be one of the first doctors you will find. Surgical oncologists often perform biopsies to remove a small portion of tissue in order to examine cancer cells.
Pediatric Oncologist
Pediatric oncologists diagnose and treat children with cancer. Around 175,000 children under the age of 15 are diagnosed with cancer worldwide every year. In the United States, approximately 80% of children diagnosed with cancer and treated can survive.
How to prepare for your first oncology appointment
What to expect
Your first oncology appointment may last two to three hours. That's because your oncologist will take some time to gather information about your health. You should also expect:
- Emotions, or a strange lack. When you find yourself suffering from cancer, anxiety, anger and sadness are common reactions. At first, you may feel numb.
- Body checkup. Even if you have received a physical examination by a primary care doctor, your oncologist may perform a physical examination.
- Some other tests. You may need to perform other blood tests or imaging tests.
- Meeting with other cancer care team members. You may meet other health care professionals or people who can help you understand insurance procedures and treatment costs.
- Early prognosis. Oncologists can give you basic predictions and tell you how long it will take to recover.
what to ask
Until the moment you face the doctor, there are many problems that are not uncommon. Then -po! -They disappeared. The pressure from cancer diagnosis may even temporarily “freeze” someone who is usually very good at getting the answers needed to make the right decision.
What tests do oncologists do?
Your oncologist may perform a physical examination to find abnormalities that may indicate cancer. They may also perform blood and urine tests or imaging scans, such as MRI, ultrasound and CT scans. They may perform one or more biopsies to check for cancer cells in the tissue.
What kind of training do oncologists receive?
Oncology is a major in internal medicine. After graduating from medical school and becoming a licensed doctor, the doctor must complete the three-year residency of a medical resident.
After residency, the oncologist must complete another two to three years in the oncology scholarship. A surgical oncologist must first complete the status of a general surgical resident and then a two-year surgical oncology scholarship.
How do you find a good oncologist?
A good starting point is to advise your primary care doctor. You may want to obtain several names so that you can verify which names belong to your insurance network.
Another option is to find a hospital you trust and then find an oncologist related to that hospital. The American Cancer Society has a hospital checklist that can help you determine which nearby hospitals will be the best option for cancer care.
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