Medical oncology is the specialty of internal medicine that deals
with the diagnosis and, more specifically, the management of the
treatment of cancer.
A medical oncologist is an internist who has completed a one year
internship followed by a three year residency in oncology and
internal medicine. He or she has knowledge of all aspects of the
treatment of cancer including chemotherapy, surgery, radiation therapy,
and biological therapy. In practice it is the medical oncologist who
determines the proper choice of drugs and the dosage and schedule of
drugs to be given. Consultation with radiation therapists and surgeons
is frequent so that chemotherapy can be combined with these modalities
when it can offer the best outcome.
The medical oncologist usually is the manager of the care of a cancer
patient. Expertise in pain management, treatment of chemotherapy side
effects, psychological care, and social needs all are considered by the
medical oncologist. A medical oncologist may have a special interest in
certain types of cancer or certain therapies such as biological therapy.
But, the medical oncologist has the training, experience, and skills for
finding out the latest information on all forms of cancer and all types
of therapy.
