Oncology

Oncology is the study of cancer. It is a medical field that focuses on diagnosing and treating cancer in people. Cancer is when cells in the body grow out of control, forming a tumor. A tumor can be benign (non-cancerous) or malignant (cancerous). Cancer can affect any part of the body, like the brain, lungs, and skin. Oncologists are doctors who specialize in treating cancer. They work with a team of other doctors, nurses and healthcare professionals to help diagnose and treat cancer. They may take tissue samples (biopsy) from the tumor to help determine the type of cancer. They may also suggest treatments such as chemotherapy, radiation, or surgery to remove the tumor. An example of how oncology works would be if someone was diagnosed with breast cancer. An oncologist would work with a team of other healthcare professionals to help the patient. They would look at the biopsy results from the tumor and suggest a treatment plan, such as chemotherapy or radiation, that would help the patient fight the cancer. A fun fact is that chemotherapy has been used to treat cancer since the 1940s. It wasn’t until the 1960s that scientists began to understand how chemotherapy works.