An oncologist is one who examines, analyses and treats patients affected by cancer. The job of an oncologist is to identify the cancerous cells present in a tumor and remove the cancerous part using latest technologies. He is conversant with all the practices, procedures and concepts in the oncology field. Some of the diseases an oncologist treats are bone cancer, stomach tumors, bone tumor, lymphomas, bowel tumors, and prostate cancer and breast cancer. He works in clinics, hospitals, research centers and non-profit organizations. The most important role of an oncologist is counseling the patient and their family members about the dangerous disease and their side effects.
An oncologist job is very interesting and challenging. First and foremost job of a physician is to identify if the tumor is malignant or benign. He inspects this very carefully through a series of tests like X-ray, scan, blood tests and biopsy. If the tumor is found to be malignant, he checks whether the cancer has spread to other body parts. Later he decides on the best treatment, which will cure the disease completely. The most common treatments are surgery and radiotherapy.
The physician will discuss the condition of the patient with other specialties and discusses the about the treatment and their side effects with the patients.
The oncologist work with 4 to 8 specialized doctors, nurses and assistants. He prepares the case sheet and result plan for present and future use. There are many specializations in oncology for example pediatric oncologist and gynecological oncologist. A pediatric oncologist is one who specializes in treating children who are affected by cancer and a gynecological oncologist is one who specializes in the treatment of cancer in female reproductive organs. In addition to treating patients, an oncologist attends meetings and conferences to update themselves of the latest technologies.
