Oncology

Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
(Redirected from
Oncologist
)
Not to be confused with Ontology.
For the journal, see
Oncology (journal)
.
"Clinical oncology" redirects here. For the journal, see Clinical Oncology.
Oncology
CT scans, MRI
Oncologist
Occupation
Occupation type
Specialty
Activity sectors
Medicine
Description
Education required
Fields of
employment
Hospitals, Clinics, Clinical research centers

Oncology is a branch of medicine that deals with the study, treatment, diagnosis, and prevention of cancer. A medical professional who practices oncology is an oncologist.[1] The name's etymological origin is the Greek word ὄγκος (ónkos), meaning "tumor", "volume" or "mass".[2] Oncology is concerned with:

  • The diagnosis of any cancer in a person (pathology)
  • Therapy (e.g.
    radiotherapy
    and other modalities)
  • Follow-up of
    cancer patients
    after successful treatment
  • Palliative care of patients with terminal malignancies
  • Ethical questions surrounding cancer care
  • Screening efforts:
    • of populations, or
    • of the relatives of patients (in types of cancer that are thought to have a hereditary basis, such as breast cancer)

Diagnosis

Medical histories remain an important screening tool: the character of the complaints and nonspecific symptoms (such as

paraneoplastic phenomena and other signs) may warrant further investigation for malignancy. Occasionally, a physical examination may find the location of a malignancy
.

Diagnostic methods include:

Apart from diagnoses, these modalities (especially imaging by

CT scanning) are often used to determine operability, i.e. whether it is surgically
possible to remove a tumor in its entirety.

Currently, a tissue diagnosis (from a biopsy) by a pathologist is essential for the proper classification of cancer and to guide the next step of treatment. On extremely rare instances when this is not possible, "empirical therapy" (without an exact diagnosis) may be considered, based on the available evidence (e.g. history, x-rays and scans.)

On very rare occasions, a metastatic lump or pathological lymph node is found (typically in the neck) for which a primary tumor cannot be found. However, immunohistochemical markers often give a strong indication of the primary malignancy. This situation is referred to as "malignancy of unknown primary", and again, treatment is empirically based on past experience of the most likely origin.[7]

Therapy

Depending upon the cancer identified, follow-up and palliative care will be administered at that time. Certain disorders (such as

AML) will require immediate admission and chemotherapy, while others will be followed up with regular physical examination and blood tests
.

Often,

palliative
treatment of some cancers, e.g. to relieve biliary obstruction, or to relieve the problems associated with some cerebral tumors. The risks of surgery must be weighed against the benefits.

radiotherapy are used as a first-line radical therapy in several malignancies. They are also used for adjuvant
therapy, i.e. when the macroscopic tumor has already been completely removed surgically but there is a reasonable statistical risk that it will recur. Chemotherapy and radiotherapy are commonly used for palliation, where disease is clearly incurable: in this situation the aim is to improve the quality of life and to prolong it.

Hormone manipulation is well established, particularly in the treatment of breast and prostate cancer.

There is currently a rapid expansion in the use of monoclonal antibody treatments, notably for lymphoma (Rituximab) and breast cancer (Trastuzumab).

Vaccines and other immunotherapies are the subject of intensive research.

Palliative care

Approximately 50% of all cancer cases in the Western world can be treated to

depression
. Not all issues are strictly physical: personal dignity may be affected. Moral and spiritual issues are also important.

While many of these problems fall within the remit of the oncologist, palliative care has matured into a separate, closely allied specialty to address the problems associated with advanced disease. Palliative care is an essential part of the multidisciplinary cancer care team. Palliative care services may be less hospital-based than oncology, with nurses and doctors who are able to visit the patient at home.

Ethical issues

There are a number of recurring ethical questions and dilemmas in oncological practice. These include:

These issues are closely related to the patient's personality, religion, culture, and family life. Though these issues are complex and emotional, the answers are often achieved by the patient seeking counsel from trusted personal friends and advisors. It requires a degree of sensitivity and very good communication on the part of the oncology team to address these problems properly.

Progress and research

There is a tremendous amount of research being conducted on all frontiers of oncology, ranging from cancer cell biology, and radiation therapy to

whole-genome sequencing
have completely changed the understanding of cancers. Identification of novel genetic/molecular markers will change the methods of diagnosis and treatment, paving the way for personalized medicine.

Therapeutic trials often involve patients from many different hospitals in a particular region. In the UK, patients are often enrolled in large studies coordinated by

National Cancer Research Network
(NCRN).

The most valued companies worldwide whose leading products are in Oncology include

Radiopharmaceuticals.[11]

Specialties

See also

Organizations

References

  1. ^ Maureen McCutcheon. Where Have My Eyebrows Gone?. Cengage Learning, 2001. ISBN 0766839346. Page 5.
  2. ^ Types of Oncologists Archived 2017-07-26 at the Wayback Machine, American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO).
  3. ^ Alfred E. Chang & authors. Oncology: An Evidence-Based Approach. Springer Science & Business Media, 2007. ISBN 0387310568. Page 1488.
  4. ^ Alice Villalobos, Laurie Kaplan. Canine and Feline Geriatric Oncology: Honoring the Human-Animal Bond. John Wiley & Sons, 2008. ISBN 0470344075. Page 77.
  5. ^ "How biopsy procedures are used to diagnose cancer". Mayo Clinic. Archived from the original on 2023-06-13. Retrieved 2023-06-13.
  6. ^ "Endoscopy". British Medical Association Complete Family Health Encyclopedia. Dorling Kindersley Limited. 1990.
  7. National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence. Clinical guideline 104: Metastatic malignant disease of unknown primary origin: Diagnosis and management of metastatic malignant disease of unknown primary origin
    . London, 2010.
  8. ^ "Cancer Research UK". Cancer Research UK. 10 May 2021. Archived from the original on 2022-12-30. Retrieved 2022-12-30.
  9. ^ "Home - Medical Research Council". Archived from the original on 2017-09-12. Retrieved 2004-03-29.
  10. ^ "European Organisation For Research And Treatment Of Cancer". EORTC. January 17, 2017. Archived from the original on October 28, 2022. Retrieved March 2, 2020.
  11. ^ "Top Global Pharmaceutical Company Report" (PDF). The Pharma 1000. November 2021. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2022-03-15. Retrieved 29 December 2022.
  12. PMID 9394841
    .
  13. ^ a b "Types of Oncologists". Cancer.Net : American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO). 2011-05-09. Archived from the original on 2013-06-01. Retrieved 25 May 2013.
  14. ^ "What is clinical oncology? | the Royal College of Radiologists". Archived from the original on 2021-08-11. Retrieved 2021-08-11.
  15. PMID 25827536
    .
  16. S2CID 20700214
    .
  17. PMID 26015931
    .
  18. PMID 21556128
    .
  19. PMID 12672857
    .
  20. PMID 22649760
    .
  21. PMID 15053057
    .
  22. PMID 1863546
    .
  23. S2CID 27695404
    .
  24. S2CID 582313
    .
  25. PMID 22988358
    .
  26. PMID 22628415
    .
  27. PMC 1275628
    .
  28. PMID 19732729
    .
  29. PMID 28067553
    .

Further reading

External links

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