Clinical oncology typically refers to the non-surgical aspect of cancer diagnosis and treatment. It covers both the therapeutic administration of ionizing radiation (radiation oncology, often called radiotherapy, especially in the UK and Europe) and cytotoxic chemotherapy (often referred to as medical oncology). Medical and radiation oncologists are major participants in any multi-disciplinary patient care team, which would meet regularly to discuss site specific cases of tumors. Other team members are pathologists, hematologists, radiologists, site specific surgeons, and palliative care specialists, as well as nursing staff. Oncologists are increasingly site specialized and are based in a cancer center often visiting peripheral cancer units. Clinical oncology is very patient-oriented. This specialty gives the opportunity of developing clinical and scientific skills with great potential for academic and clinical research. Furthermore, there are increasing opportunities to take part in national and international research trials, as oncology represents the largest single area of product research and development investment for pharmaceutical companies right now.
nl
en