Oncology
This page is reference information compiled from the cited sources. It is not medical advice. For any decision about health, diagnosis or care, consult a qualified professional.
What it is
Oncology is a branch of medicine that deals with the study, treatment, diagnosis, and prevention of cancer. It involves a variety of specialties and modalities, including surgery, radiation, chemotherapy, and immunotherapy. Oncologists focus on diagnosing cancer, treating it through various therapies, monitoring patients post-treatment, providing palliative care for advanced cancers, and conducting clinical research to improve cancer treatments.
Key facts
Oncology has a long history, with the first known description of cancer found in the Edwin Smith papyrus from ancient Egypt, dating back to 3000 BCE. The word "oncology" is derived from the Greek word "onkos," meaning tumor. Oncology encompasses a wide range of diagnostic methods, including biopsies, imaging techniques, and blood tests, to identify and manage cancer. Treatment options include surgery, chemotherapy, radiotherapy, hormone manipulation, and monoclonal antibody treatments. Palliative care is an essential part of oncology, focusing on symptom management for patients with advanced cancer. Oncology research is rapidly advancing, with next-generation sequencing and whole-genome sequencing changing the understanding of cancers and paving the way for personalized medicine.
When to seek professional help
When experiencing nonspecific symptoms such as fatigue, weight loss, unexplained anemia, fever of unknown origin, or paraneoplastic phenomena, it is advisable to seek professional help. If there are signs of malignancy, such as a bulging tumor, or if diagnostic methods like mammograms, X-rays, CT scans, MRI, or ultrasounds indicate the presence of cancer, medical attention should be sought. Additionally, if there are ongoing issues with symptom control associated with progressive cancer, or if there are concerns about the treatment of the disease, professional help is recommended.
Source: Oncology (CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikipedia)), retrieved 2026-08-27.