Doctors Involved In Patient Cancer Care Teams
Individuals diagnosed with cancer will have a team of various types of doctors that work collaboratively to help manage and treat their disease. Cancer not only affects an individual physically, but it also takes a toll on them mentally and emotionally. Medically, different methods of treatment for and management of cancer are so complex that several doctors will specialize in each aspect. Even cancers physically localized in a patient are considered systemic diseases because they affect multiple organ systems in the body and several aspects of the patient's life. Due to the nature and severity of cancer, the doctors who are part of the patient cancer care team will specialize in a variety of areas.
Get to know the kinds of doctors and other medical professionals cancer patients will have on their care team now.
Lead Oncologist
The lead oncologist on a patient's cancer care team is the doctor who specializes in the diagnosis of cancer and its treatment. The lead oncologist leads the cancer care team from the time of diagnosis throughout the patient's disease. As the team leader, the lead oncologist helps explain the details and specifics of a patient's cancer diagnosis to the rest of the team and the individual's caregivers. Additionally, the lead oncologist explains and educates the team on the stage of a patient's cancer.
The lead oncologist discusses the options for the treatment of cancer, and they provide professional medical recommendations for the disease treatment course. The lead oncologist is also responsible for assisting the patient with the management of adverse effects of their various treatments and help alleviate other symptoms related to cancer. Usually, a patient's lead oncologist is specialized in the specific organ system, organ, type of tissue, or region of their body affected by cancer.
Read about the next professional on a patient's cancer care team now.
Oncology Nurse
The oncology nurse is responsible for administering physical examinations throughout a patient's cancer journey. The oncology nurse also administers chemotherapy drugs and other medications during the phases of cancer treatment. Oncology nurses work hard to determine the patient's needs and communicate them to the other oncology team members. The oncology nurse is helpful when it comes to the education and counseling of the patient and their family members. The nurse is there to answer any questions and ease patient concerns. The oncology nurse also recommends laboratory and diagnostic testing when needed, and educates the patient and their families on the test results. The oncology nurse helps with the management of the adverse side effects a patient may have as the result of their various cancer treatments.
Learn about more players on a patient cancer care team now.
