Oncologist

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An oncologist is a physician specializing in the diagnosis and treatment of cancer. They diagnose and treat all types of cancer and also participate in supporting and caring for patients throughout the course of their illness. Oncologists use various treatments, such as chemotherapy, immunotherapy, surgery, radiotherapy, and targeted therapies, to treat cancer. Oncologists also work with other medical professionals, such as pathologists, radiologists, and other specialists, to provide comprehensive and individualized care to their patients. Oncologists often provide psychological and emotional support to cancer patients and their families, in addition to providing information about treatments and prognosis. Oncologists stay up to date on the latest research and advances in the field of cancer treatment and strive to offer the best possible patient care.

What is an oncologist?

An oncologist is a doctor or surgeon specialized in evaluating and treating people who suffer from cancer. The three main types of oncologists are medical, surgical and radiation oncologists. These different types of oncologists often work together to manage care and treat a person diagnosed with cancer. As key members of a medical team, they also work alongside other doctors, nurses, laboratory technicians and nursing staff who treat patients.

What does an oncologist do?

Cancer is a term for a disease in which abnormal cells divide uncontrollably and can invade nearby tissues. Cancer cells can spread to other parts of the body through the blood systems.

An oncologist is responsible for a patient's care from the moment of diagnosis throughout the course of the disease, they will talk to their patient about symptoms, examine them for signs of disease, order and analyze test results, discuss treatment options and monitor the patient's progress. Good communication skills, patience and a sense of compassion are key when dealing with patients.

The oncologist's role includes the following:

  • Explain the diagnosis and stage of the cancer (which describes where the cancer is located, where it has spread and whether it is affecting other parts of the body) to the patient.
  • Discuss all treatment options and recommend the best course of treatment.
  • Offer high-quality and compassionate care.
  • Help maintain the patient's quality of life by managing cancer-related pain and other symptoms or side effects of treatment, such as constipation, nausea and vomiting and fatigue.

What is an oncologist's workplace like?

Most oncologists start their career in hospitals and clinics, eventually moving into private practice. They usually work long hours and are sometimes on call. The work can be emotionally draining as a lot of time is spent dealing with patients who have a serious illness.

Oncologist: what do they do?
Prescribe radionuclides and doses to be administered to individual patients. 96%
Verify and approve the quality of diagnostic images before patients are discharged. 95%
Prepare complete interpretive reports of the findings. 95%
Interpret imaging data and consult with other medical specialists to formulate diagnoses. 93%
Determine appropriate tests or protocols based on patients' needs or conditions. 93%
Compare nuclear medicine procedures with other types of procedures such as computed tomography, ultrasonography, nuclear magnetic resonance imaging, and angiography. 92%
Consult with patients after radiation treatments to provide information and evaluate results or to recommend additional consultations or treatments as appropriate. 89%
Review procedure requests and patients' medical histories to determine the applicability of the procedures and the radioisotopes to be used. 88%
Direct nuclear medicine technologists or technicians regarding desired doses, techniques, positions, and projections. 87%
Establish and enforce radiation protection standards for patients and staff. 85%