The Medical Oncologist. The Specialist In Charge Of Chemotherapy

When a person faces a cancer diagnosis, a series of questions, doubts and fears usually come to mind. Each specialist involved in the process of diagnosis and treatment of cancer, aims to inform the patient as well as possible, so that they understand each stage of their process, know their options and can, together with their doctors, choose the best path to follow.

Although cancer is one of the leading causes of death in the world, survival rates have increased around the world, thanks to advances in screening tests, more effective and targeted treatments. And of course, the campaigns and prevention methods now available, such as the HPV vaccine.

Currently there are multiple treatments to treat this group of diseases. Each treatment will depend on the type of cancer, its location, stage and the patient's health condition and ability to cope with the various treatments.

What is cancer?

Cancer is a disease that occurs when some cells in our body multiply in an uncontrolled manner, and have the capacity to infiltrate and damage tissues; they even have the capacity to move to other parts of the body. There are different types of cancer depending on the place where this disorderly growth originates: lung cancer, breast cancer, prostate cancer, colon cancer, etc. Each of these diseases has a different prognosis and treatment.

What is chemotherapy and what is its objective?

Thus, once a patient is faced with a cancer diagnosis, chemotherapy is likely to be part of the treatment proposed by the medical team. Chemotherapy is a type of treatment that uses drugs to destroy cancer cells. Its function is to stop or slow down the growth of these cells and in some very particular cases even disappear the tumor cells, since they grow and divide very quickly.

This type of treatment is often used to cure the cancer, to reduce the chances of recurrence, to stop it, or to slow its growth. In some cases, it may be used to shrink tumors that cause pain and other problems for the patient.

Both the frequency and duration of chemotherapy will depend on the type of cancer, the objective of this type of treatment and, of course, the drugs to be used. Throughout the process, the specialist must measure the patient's body's response.

The use of these treatments in a personalized way is becoming more and more frequent, where Medical Oncology plays a fundamental role in the evolution of the patient, since nowadays a multidisciplinary approach is usually carried out, which allows establishing the best treatment for the cancer to be treated.

Who is in charge of administering chemotherapy?

Within the medical care team for cancer patients, there is an oncology specialist in charge of providing, among multiple treatments, chemotherapy.

This specialist is the Medical Oncologist, who has a broad knowledge of the handling and administration of drugs (especially antineoplastic drugs, used in chemotherapy treatments).

One of the objectives of the Medical Oncology Department of Panama Cancer Clinic is to develop with a multidisciplinary work team, together with the various advances in oncology, a comprehensive and personalized care for each patient who must receive chemotherapy.

Have you been diagnosed with cancer? It is possible that you may need to receive chemotherapy as part of your treatment. You can request an appointment with one of our specialists. At Panama Cancer Clinic, we are committed to your health.