The Make-Up of an Oncologist

Being informed that you or a loved one has beenhereditary. As such, a doctor treating cancer
diagnosed with cancer is never an easy thing toneeds to have the tact and discretion to broach
accept. Thanks to the advances in modernthe subject to family members who may, in time,
medicine now though, the diagnosis of cancerbe afflicted with the same condition. A sensitive
appears to be less of a death sentence than itapproach is also indispensable when a doctor has
was, say, 30 years ago.to inform a patient that he or she may have
Treatment is considerably more effective if thelimited options when it comes to cancer survival.
disease is detected at an early enough stage. InAs valuable as it may be, tact is of limited use to
general, cancer is treated by chemotherapy oran oncologist who does not keep abreast of the
radiotherapy. In some cases, surgery is alsomost up-to-date developments in the field of
suggested in order to remove especially large orcancer treatment. The field of cancer research is
malignant tumors. A good oncologist is able tosuch that there is virtually a new breakthrough in
suggest the treatment that is most efficaciousterms of treatment and patient care every year.
for the patient. Obviously, a doctor whoAs such, while there is probably no single cure for
specializes in cancer treatment must be able tocancer, a well-informed doctor should be able to
relate this information to patients in such a wayadvise his patients on the options best suited to
that they feel reassured and comforted.them.
The field of oncology is not confined to treatmentThe field of oncology is a fascinating area of
of patients alone either. Some cancers, such asstudy, even to the layman. Researchers and
breast and ovarian cancers, may have a geneticoncologists will be kept busy in the years to come
basis for their development, i.e. they can beas long as human bodies continue to malfunction.