Introduction
Oncology is a branch of medicine that deals with cancer. A medical professional who practices oncology is an oncologist.
Oncology is concerned with:
The diagnosis of any cancer in a person;
Therapy (e.g. surgery, chemotherapy, 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:
Specialties
There are several sub-specialties within oncology. Moreover, oncologists often develop an interest and expertise in the management of particular types of cancer.
Oncologists may be divided on the basis of the type of treatment provided or whether their role is primarily diagnostic.
Radiation oncology: treatment primarily with radiation, a process called radiotherapy.
Surgical oncology: surgeons who specialize in tumor removal.
Medical oncology: treatment primarily with drugs (e.g., chemotherapy).
Interventional oncology: interventional radiologists who specialize in minimally invasive image guided tumor therapies.
Gynecologic oncology: focuses on cancers of the female reproductive system.
Pediatric oncology: concerned with the diagnosis and treatment of cancer in children
Anatomical pathology: concerned with the definitive diagnosis of cancers of all types, for which treatment can be rendered by oncologists.
Degree Awarded
Students are required to complete the curriculum and course, fulfill the designated number of credits.Successful candidates will receive a graduation certificate along with the Doctoral's degree, in accordance to the regulation of the Degree Awarding Committee.
Career
Following completion of entry-level training, newly graduated medical practitioners are often required to undertake a period of supervised practice before the licensure, or registration, is granted, typically one or two years. This period may be referred to as "internship", "conditional registration", or "foundation programme". Then, doctors may finally follow specialty training in internal medicine if they wish, typically being selected to training programs through competition.
