What is medical oncology?
Medical oncology is the discipline that provides cancer drug treatment, such as chemotherapy, hormone therapy, immunotherapy and targeted therapies. Medical oncology also provides support care – i.e. the management of all other cancer-related complications or adverse effects of treatment such as pain; fatigue; nutritional, digestive, respiratory and genitourinary problems; motor nerve problems; dental problems; etc. The field also deals with any resulting social and psychological complications.
The causes and types of cancer are extremely varied, as are the organs affected and, consequently, the impacts on general health.
What does an oncologist do ?
The role of a medical oncologist is to understand the cause(s) of the cancer, to identify the type of cancer (usually in cooperation with the anatomical pathologist), and to determine the cancer’s severity and extent. Once the diagnosis has been made, the oncologist will propose a care strategy. This strategy is discussed with other specialists (surgeons, anatomical pathologists, radiologists, clinical oncologists, etc.) in multidisciplinary team (MDT) meetings to ensure that all possible options are taken into account. Once the treatment has been decided upon, the medical oncologist will:
- Prescribe the selected drugs
- Monitor their administration
- Check their effectiveness
- Monitor any potential side effects.
In this context, the oncologist coordinates the appropriate support care by administering the most suitable treatment and/or by calling on other specialists.
When to see an oncologist
Patients are generally referred to an oncologist by their GP or other specialist when the presence of a tumour is suspected, or as part of regular follow-up care if they have a history of cancer.
