Oncology
Oncology is the specific branch of medicine that deals with the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of cancer. The word "oncology" comes from the Greek word that means "tumor." A specialist in oncology is known as an oncologist. Oncologists in recent years have identified three major components that improve survival rates against cancer: prevention, early diagnosis, and treatment.
Oncology has also identified four leading risk factors that may directly lead to cancer. First and foremost is the use of tobacco. It remains the leading cause of cancer diagnosis and death.
- Tobacco use has been linked to numerous types of cancer.
- Second is alcohol, which can increase the risk of cancer of the mouth, throat, esophagus, liver, and breast.
- Obesity is the third leading cause of cancer.
- Fourth, advanced age increases the risk of cancer.
As a medical field, there are three major subsets within oncology. A medical oncologist is a doctor who directly treats cancer with chemotherapy or targeted medication therapy. Surgical oncologists remove cancer tumors in an operation. A radiation oncologist employs radiation therapy in order to treat cancer. Oncology often requires a team of specialists in order to successfully treat a patient. Such additional members may include an oncology nurse, pathologists, and a diagnostic radiologist.
A topic for an oncology research paper can start when you pick a question & respond as if you were the nurse practitioner. Responses should have a detailed pathophysiological component and follow the criteria here.
A pediatric oncology nurse practitioner just diagnosed a 2 year with retinoblastoma. The parents have the following questions about retinoblastoma: The parents explain that they have a 15 year old daughter who gets lots of colds and viruses and they want to know what her chances of getting retinoblastoma or other cancers are. As the NP, explain the risk of their sibling contracting retinoblastoma and explain the relationship between viruses and the development of cancer in children.