Clinical oncology relates to any type of cancer treatment that is not surgery, including radiotherapy and systemic therapies such as chemotherapy, hormonal therapy or immunotherapy.
Most cancer patients have more than one method of treatment, such as surgery to remove a tumour, followed by radiotherapy and/or systemic therapy. The surgery would be completed by a surgical oncologist and the other treatments would be organized and given by a clinical oncologist and their team.
Clinical Oncologist works closely with other cancer specialists to provide multidisciplinary care to the patients which may include chemotherapy, immunotherapy, or hormone therapy. It is a process where drugs are used to treat the cancer. This is to understand better cancer as a disease, to finding new and innovative ways to treat and lift the burden of cancer on the patients.
Clinical Oncologist also specializes in treating cancer with radiation therapy to shrink or destroy cancer cells or to ease cancer-related symptoms. It is also an essential part of a multidisciplinary approach to cancer treatment. It uses high energy particles or waves to destroy cancer cells. Radiation therapy can take place on its own or combined with chemotherapy as a comprehensive cancer treatment program.
