Understanding the specific fields of cancer care.
Understanding the various types of cancer specialists will help you to be more comfortable with their roles in your care. Cancer is a very complex disease and often, multiple SSM Cancer Care specialists may be involved in your treatment(s). Our specific areas of cancer care expertise include:
- Medical oncologist: The medical oncologist usually is the manager of the care of a cancer patient. A medical oncologist has knowledge of all aspects of the treatment of cancer including chemotherapy, surgery, radiation therapy, and biological therapy. In practice it is the medical oncologist who determines the proper choice of drugs and the dosage and schedule of drugs to be given. Consultation with radiation therapists and surgeons is frequent so that chemotherapy can be combined with these modalities when it can offer the best outcome.
- Radiation oncologist: The radiation oncologist specializes in the use of high-energy rays to damage cancer cells and stop them from growing and dividing. Similar to surgery, radiation oncology is considered to be a local treatment and only affects cancer cells in the treated area. Radiation can come from a machine (external radiation) or come from an implant (a small container of radioactive material) placed directly into or near the tumor – this is known as internal radiation. Some patients may receive both kinds of radiation therapy.
- Hematologists: Specialists who are trained in the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of diseases of the blood and bone marrow, plus immunologic, hemostatic (blood clotting) and vascular systems.
- Breast surgeons: These surgeons are specialists that operate on the breast. Typically, breast surgeons biopsy (remove a section of) a tumor, and if it is found to be malignant, the surgeon will remove the entire tumor. Some breast surgeons, known as breast oncology surgeons or plastic surgeons, also perform reconstructive surgery on the breast after a mastectomy (removal of the breast.
- Thoracic surgeons: These surgeons specialize in operating on organs inside the chest, including the heart and lungs.
- ENT (Ear, Nose & Throat): Otolaryngology is a medical and surgical specialty concerned with the diagnosis, management, and treatment of diseases and disorders of the ear, nose, throat (ENT) and related structures of the head and neck, including the sinuses, larynx (voice box), oral cavity, and upper pharynx (mouth and throat). Otolaryngology is commonly called ENT. It is the oldest medical specialty in the US.
- Gynecologic oncologists: Physicians who specialize in cancers of the female reproductive organs. The training to become a gynecologic oncologist is first that of an obstetrician/gynecologist, followed by two to four years of structured training in all effective forms of treatment of gynecologic cancers (surgery, radiation therapy, chemotherapy and experimental treatments) as well as in the biology and pathology of gynecologic cancers.
- Dermatologists: Physicians who specialize in the diagnosis and treatment of skin disorders. Consult a dermatologist if you find a lesion you suspect could be skin cancer or if you have risk factors that may increase the likelihood that you could develop skin cancer.
- Mohs surgeons: Specialists who perform a type of surgery used for the treatment of skin cancer, especially basal cell or squamous cell carcinoma of the skin. The purpose of Mohs surgery is to remove all of the cancerous tissue and as little of the healthy tissue as possible. It is especially helpful when the doctor is not sure of the shape and depth of the tumor. In addition, this method is used to remove large tumors, those in hard-to-treat places, and cancers that have recurred.
- Urologists: Surgical specialists that deal in the diagnosis and treatment of disorders of the urinary tract and male reproductive system.