Oncology is a medical specialty dedicated to the diagnosis, follow-up and treatment of cancer patients. There are several sub-specialties:
- Medical Oncology (nursing coordination and use of chemotherapeutic drugs);
- Oncology Radiation Therapy (or Radiation Oncology);
- hemato-oncology, particularly blood cancer.
Medical Carcinology with Chemotherapy Carcinology Tunisia: role of the specialist
The role of the Tunisian oncologist is to supervise and coordinate the overall care of cancer patients. He is also in charge of evaluating drug tolerance and adjusting the dose of chemotherapy, as well as monitoring the progression of the cancer.
It is good to know that in elderly patients, oncologists are also involved in palliative care.
If cancer is suspected or a tumour is diagnosed by medical imaging, the patient is usually referred to an oncologist.
Depending on the course of the disease and treatment, the oncologist may offer imaging tests (for example, CT scan or MRI) and perform a biopsy (to remove the suspected lesion for biological analysis).
The oncologist treats cancers :
- Prostate cancer (ranked first among male cancers);
- Breast cancer (ranked first among female cancers);
- Colon cancer (colorectal cancer);
- Lung cancer.
Chemotherapy is a drug treatment that uses powerful chemicals to kill your body's fast-growing cells.
Chemotherapy is most often used to treat cancer because cancer cells grow and multiply much faster than most cells in the body.
Many different chemotherapeutic agents are available. Chemotherapeutic agents can be used alone or in combination with other drugs to treat a wide variety of cancers.
Although chemotherapy is an effective way to treat many types of cancer, chemotherapy also carries a risk of side effects. Some side effects of chemotherapy are mild and treatable, while others can lead to serious complications.
Cancers of the blood, cancer, digestive system (stomach, esophagus, tongue, etc.), brain, skin and even bones (leukemia, lymphoma, myeloma, etc.).
Although cancer can affect anyone at any age, including children, there are still recognized risk factors for cancer.
- Genetic factors, especially for breast or colon cancer;
- Tobacco use;
- Long-term exposure to radiation (ultraviolet rays, X-rays, etc.) or certain substances (asbestos, chemicals, pesticides, etc.);
- Aging (over 60 years of age);
- Certain viruses (cervical cancer, stomach cancer, liver cancer, etc.).
