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Oncology is a branch of medicine that deals with the
diagnosis, treatment and prevention of various types of cancers or tumours. A
vast medical speciality, the experts in this area are broadly classified into –
Medical Oncologists, Surgical Oncologists or Oncosurgeons and Radiation
Oncologists.
Medical Oncologists:
A medical oncologist diagnoses the type of cancer, its stage after running tests
and decides upon the course of treatment like chemotherapy, radiation, targeted
therapy, immunotherapy etc.
Surgical Oncologists:
Oncosurgeons remove malignant tumours through invasive or minimally invasive
procedures. They also conduct biopsies, by extracting the tissue sample for
ascertaining the type of cancer through lab tests.
Radiation Oncologist:
In certain cases, cancer cells are attacked with radiation and it forms a
crucial part of treatment. A radiation oncologist draws a treatment plan as per
the dosage, cycles for a faster recovery.
Among these experts, few specialists deal exclusively with only certain type of
cancers like:
Cancers of Reproductive Organs:
Gynecologic Oncologists and Surgical Oncologists treat cancers related to
reproductive organs like ovaries, cervical and uterine.
Blood Cancers:
Hematologists for treating various types of blood cancers.
Pediatric Oncologist:
These specialists diagnose and treat children and teenagers with different types
of cancers like leukaemia, osteosarcoma etc.
When To Consult An Oncosurgeon?
Consultation with a medical oncologist is always the first step in cancer
treatment, where the diagnosis is done by running certain imaging tests like CT,
MRI, PET-CT and blood works. Subsequently, the patients may have to a undergo a
small surgery for excising the sample tissue for biopsy, by a surgical
oncologist.
Surgical oncologists are extensively trained medical professionals for
performing various open invasive or minimally invasive procedures, for excising
complex tumours. In many cases, the surgical intervention aids in relieving the
pain, pressure, discomfort and improves the quality of life.
What Does A Surgical Oncologist Do?
Extract sample tissue for biopsy from the site of tumour.
Locate the tumour, understand if it had spread to other parts and is interfering
with the functioning of organs.
Remove the tumour completely or a part of it.
Ascertain the condition of tissues and remove it to prevent cancer cells from
spreading.
Installing an infusion port in case of supportive surgeries
Reconstructive surgery of the body part, if needed.
Do All Cancers Need Surgery?
Cancer surgeries are of many types and the expert doctor would decide if the
patient needed to go under the knife. Just like different types of cancers, the
surgical options are also many types. Thanks to medical advancements, these
procedures can be either be open surgery or minimally invasive.
Types of Cancer Surgeries:
- Diagnostic Surgery
- Preventive Surgery
- Curative Surgery
- Staging Surgery
- Debulking Surgery
- Restorative Surgery
- Palliative Surgery
The experts take various factors into consideration like the following before
deciding if surgery is an option in treating the cancer.
- Type of tumour or cancer
- Location of cancer
- Growth rate of the cells
- Metastasis of the cancer cells
The doctor may rule out surgery as an option, depending again on the type of
cancer cells and other factors like - if it would compromise the quality of life
and considering long-term side effects.
How Long Would It Take To Recover Post Surgery?
The recovery time post-surgery is completely dependent upon the type of cancer
and surgical procedure. Patients who were operated through minimally invasive
surgery, would be back on their feet within couple of days. However, if the
doctor recommends an open surgery, the recovery time may get extended for a week
to ten days.
For more information on cancer care, visit The Department of Oncology at Hiranandani Fortis Hospital, Vashi, Navi Mumbai. The Department of Oncology is a hub of expert oncologists and surgical oncologists, offering accurate diagnosis and advanced treatments for all types of cancers including surgery, chemotherapy, radiotherapy and other procedures. The renowned specialists here offer their services in treating Head and neck cancer, Lung cancer, Breast cancer, Stomach and intestinal cancer, Cancer of cervix, uterus, ovaries, Lymphomas and related blood cancers and Sarcoma Extremity/ Non- Extremity.
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