Oncology
Oncology is the specialized branch of medicine devoted to the field of cancer including diagnosis, treatments, and research. Doctors who treat cancer patients are known as oncologists.A specialised team is necessary for the various medical procedures involved in cancer treatment.
There are various types of cancer :
Medical Oncology : Medical oncologists specialize in the use of medications or drugs as a form of cancer treatment. They use immunotherapy, biological therapy, hormonal therapy, chemotherapy (including oral, subcutaneous, and intravenous drugs), and targeted treatments to fight whichever form of cancer is affecting their patient.
Surgical oncology : Surgical oncology deals with operating on cancerous growths to remove cancer from the body. They don’t work on blood cancers since they only treat cancer that results in solid tissue growth.It involves highly technical surgeries like biopsies, endoscopic surgeries, laparoscopic surgeries, and reconstructive surgeries.
Radiation oncology : Radiation oncology specializes in using radiation therapy to cure cancer or reduce the symptoms. Radiation therapy, also called radiotherapy or radiosurgery, is a treatment that involves using intense and highly targeted photon beams to destroy cancer cells or placing small amounts of irradiated material into the tissue affected by cancer.
Gynaecologic Oncology : Gynaecologic oncologyfocuses on diagnosing and treating cancers that affect women’s reproductive organs. It also treats noncancerous conditions such as endometriosis and fibroid tumours.They treat their patients with a combination of surgery, radiotherapy, and chemotherapy.
The most common cancers in women are:
a) Breast Cancer
b) Cervical Cancer
c) Ovarian Cancer
d) Uterine Cancer
Paediatric oncology : Paediatric oncology is a specialized branch that deals in diagnosing and treating cancers that affect babies, children, teenagers and young adults. Within this patient group, they may focus on specific cancers or research clinical trials with emerging treatments.
Hematologic oncology : Hematologic oncology covers the treatment of blood, bone marrow, vascular and haemostatic disorders and cancers like leukaemia, myeloma and Hodgkin’s and non-Hodgkin’s lymphomas. They also treat general, noncancerous blood disorders like sickle cell anaemia and haemophilia. The treatment options for blood cancer are different from those for solid tumours because it is not as common as other types of cancer.
7 Signs and Symptoms of Cancer :
1) Change in bowel or bladder habits
2) A sore that does not heal
3) Unusual bleeding or discharge
4) Thickening or lump in breast or elsewhere
5) Indigestion or difficulty in swallowing
6) Obvious change in wart or mole
7) Nagging cough or hoarseness
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