At the sound of the word cancer, many patients begin to panic. It isn’t just that the disease can take away a person’s quality of life and decrease his or her lifespan. Many are panicked because while there are options to treat cancer, many of the treatments come with their own set of medical concerns. It is so important that patients understand more about their health care options and learn more about the different Oncology Physicians they will be seeing. An informed patient tends to understand how the treatment works and feel confident asking questions. Here are three specific types of physicians that deal with cancer patients.
Medical Oncologist
For most patients, a medical oncologist is the first doctor that begins work on a treatment plan. He or she uses diagnostic tools and tests to find out if a patient has cancer. From there, this doctor puts together a targeted treatment plan as well as information on the potential effects it will have on the cancer. A medical oncologist is the physician that decides what type of chemotherapy will best combat the cancer and how long the treatments will last. This is also the doctor that patients will have regular visits with over the next few years.
Radiation Oncologist
For some patients, chemotherapy needs to be coupled with other treatments in order to be effective. Still others may completely skip chemotherapy and opt for radiation as a more effective method of treatment. If any type of radiation is going to be involved, a patient will see a radiation oncologist. Much like a medical oncologist, patients that have been through radiation treatment will continue to see their radiation oncologist for the next several years to make sure the treatments have been effective and no other problems occur.
Surgical Oncologist
If surgery is necessary to deal with the cancer, a surgical oncologist is called in. He or she may be tasked with biopsying certain parts of the body to establish whether or not cancer is present. Also, tumours or other tissues may need to be removed from the body in order to receive a clean bill of health.
Some patients will spend time in the offices of each one of these Oncology Physicians. Others will just see one in order to focus on a treatment. Contact Business Name for more information. You can follow them on Google+ for more information.