What is Oncology?

The branch of medical science that focuses on the diagnosis and treatment of cancer is referred to as Oncology, and a doctor who has done his specialization in oncology is called an Oncologist. As we know that cancer can occur in any part of the human body, therefore doctors specialize in various branches of it like blood cancer (hematology), bone cancer etc. Oncology helps in identification of the type of cancer, provides its remedy in the form of radiotherapy, surgery, chemotherapy and other therapies.

After providing the patient with the relevant therapy an oncologist follows up with the patient after the treatment. Preventive measures are told to the patient in order to prevent and relieve from any suffering.

Cancers can affect any part of the body and depending upon the body organ to which they affect, they are classified accordingly:

• Bone Cancers
• Brain Tumors
• Breast Cancer
• Endocrine System Cancers including pituitary cancer, thyroid cancer, pancreatic cancer, adrenal cancer, parathyroid cancer.
• Gastrointestinal Cancers including gallbladder cancer, liver cancer, anal cancer, gastric cancer.
• Gynecologic Cancers include ovarian cancer, cervical cancer, vaginal cancer, fallopian tube cancer.
• Head and Neck Cancers include thyroid cancer, laryngeal cancer, parathyroid cancer.
• Leukemia
• Lung Cancers
• Lymphomas which includes AIDS
• Pediatric Cancers
• Prostate Cancer
• Skin Cancers
• Testicular Cancer
• Thyroid Cancer
• Urinary Tract Cancers include urethral cancer, bladder cancer and kidney cancer.

The diagnosis of cancer cannot be done accurately with a single test only. The diagnosis involves a step by step evaluation of the patient which requires detailed background knowledge of the case history and physical examination of the patient. The diagnostic techniques for cancer may include imaging through X-ray, MRI, CT, and Radionuclide scanning and ultra-sonography. Laboratory tests like blood and urine test.Tumour biopsy through surgical biopsy or needle biopsy.Genetic testing or endoscopic examination and surgery.

Now we will focus on some of the techniques that are used by the oncologists to cure this deadly disease:

• Surgery
• Radiation therapy
• Chemotherapy
• Biologic therapy or Immunotherapy
• Hormone therapy or Gene therapy
• Clinical Trials
• Proton therapy
• Complementary medicine technique
• Vaccine Therapies
• Targeted Therapies

In surgery cancerous tissue is removed from the body and this is regarded as a primary cure for most of the cancers.

To destroy cancerous cells, this treatment makes use of high-energy x-rays.In this therapy treatment is given to the limited area only which is affected by cancer.In this technique the radiations not only kill the cancer cells but also shrink the tumors.Some of the advanced techniques used in radiation therapy are IMRT (Intensity Modulated Radiation Therapy), IGRT (Image Guided Radiation Therapy) and TomoTherapy.

Chemotherapy is a technique that uses medicine to destroy cancer cells in the body.These medicines weaken the cancer cells by interfering in the growth of these cancer cells,which ultimately leads to the destruction of these cells.As this therapy affects the whole body of the patient it is also referred as Systemic treatment.

Biologic therapy restores the body's immune system to fight the cancer. Interferon, monoclonal antibodies, interleukin and other colony-stimulating factors are examples of biologic therapy. These substances stimulate functioning of the immune system by producing biological response modifiers in large amount for the treatment of cancer.

This therapy is used for the treatment of several kinds of cancer, which majorly include:

• Ovarian cancer
• Breast cancer
• Prostate cancer
• Uterine cancer

In this therapy a patient either takes drugs to reduce or increase the level of certain hormones like testosterone in men and estrogen in women.

This therapy makes usage of a ray of protons to treat the diseased tissue with radiation and bombardment of protons, in the treatment of cancer.

These techniques are used as alternative cancer treatments. These techniques do not cure the cancer but they help in lessening the pain and side effects. These methods include acupuncture, aromatherapy, hypnosis, meditation, biofeedback, music therapy, exercise, herbal medicines, relaxation techniques, massage therapy, oxygen therapy, nutritional therapy, chiropractic, Tai chi and yoga and change of diet and physical exercise.

Alternative medicine techniques affect the entire body of the patient and not only the diseased area. In a nutshell it offers a holistic way of treating the patient.