Contents:
- Medical Video: Cancer Treatment: What to Expect | UCLA Radiation Oncology
- Types of oncology specialists
- How is cancer diagnosed?
- Tips for choosing the right and good oncologist
- 1. Find a lot of information about the doctor you will choose
- 2. Adjust to your character and satisfaction
- 3. Bring your views with the doctor
- 4. Ease and comfort when consulting
Medical Video: Cancer Treatment: What to Expect | UCLA Radiation Oncology
Oncology is a branch of medical science that specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of cancer. Onco means mass or tumor, temporarily logy means science. Doctors who study oncology are called oncologists. There are some oncologists who treat all forms of cancer, but some specialize in only one type of cancer.
An oncologist is responsible for diagnosing cancer, determining the right treatment plan, regulating and overseeing the course of treatment, as well as preventive measures of cancer recurrence itself.
Check out the complete information about cancer specialists below.
Types of oncology specialists
Clinically, cancer specialists are divided into several categories which include:
- Medical oncology. A medical oncologist is in charge of treating cancer with chemotherapy, target therapy, immunotherapy, and various other treatments. For many people, medical oncologists act as the main doctors during cancer treatment.
- Radiation oncology. Radiation oncologists are responsible for dealing with cancer by the radiation method. An expert in this field is responsible for determining therapeutic doses with the patient's needs and "mapping" which body parts will get radiation exposure.
- Surgical oncology. The doctor of the surgical oncologist is in charge of treating cancer through a surgical procedure. This includes removal of tumor tissue and biopsy.
- Gynecology oncology. Gynecological oncologists dealing with cancer associated with female reproductive system which includes the uterus, vagina, and ovary.
- Pediatric oncology. This categoryspecializes in the treatment of cancer in children, from newborns to 18 years of age.
- Hematology oncology. Hematology oncologists specialize in the treatment of blood-related cancers, such as leukemia, lymphoma, and myeloma.
How is cancer diagnosed?
Before someone is diagnosed with cancer, there is a series of checks that must be carried out. In the initial stage, a patient will first undergo an examination at a general practitioner. If at this stage the general practitioner discovers some symptoms that lead to cancer, the new doctor will refer the patient to a cancer specialist or an oncologist.
Later, the cancer specialist will conduct further examinations to establish the initial diagnosis made by the general practitioner. To ensure a diagnosis, cancer specialists can do physical examinations and laboratory tests, such as blood cells and cancer markers, CT scans, MRI, ultrasound, X-rays, or endoscopy. If needed, the doctor may also conduct other investigations.
From the various examinations, cancer specialists will see how far the development of cancer cells, cancer malignancy rates, and appropriate treatment according to the patient's condition.
Tips for choosing the right and good oncologist
Many people are confused and wondering how to choose the right cancer specialist when they have just been diagnosed with cancer. Basically, there are many factors that you need to consider in making this choice.
Here are tips for choosing a cancer specialist that you need to know:
1. Find a lot of information about the doctor you will choose
If you have found the right candidate for a cancer specialist, now is the time for you to find out and gather as much information as possible from previous patients. You can start by searching for information on website where the doctor works, reads patient testimonials from forums on the internet or even digs up information from the nurse or employee at the hospital where the doctor practices.
Not only that, you can also ask your family, relatives, friends, who may have been or are consulting a cancer specialist. Usually, advice and support for the selection of doctors by word of mouth is better than the guesswork.
No less important, do not forget to look at the track record of cases handled by your chosen cancer specialist. Choose a doctor by considering the patient's assessment, education taken, and cases or medical errors that may have been done.
2. Adjust to your character and satisfaction
Choosing a cancer specialist is not much different from choosing a mate. You must be able to adjust your personality in search of answers. Likewise with the choice of doctor characters available.
For example, if you like being dissatisfied with a short, precise and solid answer, choose a doctor who can respond and explain the length of the questions you are asking. Well, on the contrary, if you tend not to need long-winded answers, choose a doctor who is firm and doesn't have much explanation. In essence, choose according to your needs and don't forget to match with your person.
3. Bring your views with the doctor
Cancer treatment requires a long time and high patience. Therefore, make sure you choose an oncologist who has the same views as you. Tell your doctor about your hopes for cancer treatment, and what procedures you want or don't want to do. Remember, if your point of view and the doctor are different from the start, it will be difficult to undergo consultation or action at a later stage.
If you look back at the points in the previous two tips, this is the reason why you need to excavate and review before deciding which doctor to choose. That way you can choose which cancer specialist is right and exactly related to your purpose of consulting.
4. Ease and comfort when consulting
It is important to look for or choose a cancer specialist who is famous for its success in handling certain cancer cases. However, don't forget, you should be able to see whether or not the doctor is easy to contact or to just get a response. Choose a doctor who is willing to be contacted through personal contact, just in case an emergency happens to you.
In addition to ease of response, also choose the sex of the doctor that makes you comfortable. Usually, gynecologist oncologists, there are men and women. Measure the comfort of yourself, is it convenient to open or check intimate parts with men who incidentally are other people or even feel uncomfortable if checked and checked by fellow women. All of that returns to your individual needs and comfort. So, think carefully.
