Surgical assistants prepare an operating room to ensure that surgery runs smoothly. Sterilizing the operating room and gathering the correct surgical equipment needed for a particular surgery begins the work of an assistant. To fully grasp the full spectrum of work students often start by completing an associate’s degree. Education not only teaches students about preparing an operating room but also how to prep patients and work with surgical equipment. Students learn how to function inside an operating room through courses on:

* Anatomy
* Surgical Technology
* Clinical Practice
* Microbiology
* Terminology

Many skills are gained that help students prepare for a career. Understanding how to prepare a room, operate equipment, run diagnostic technology, and pass equipment to a surgeon are all skills learned at the associate’s degree level in surgical assistant schools and colleges.

Checking equipment to make sure it’s functioning properly is extremely important to the success of a surgery. Assistants work with patients to prep them before surgery and transfer patients to a recovery room after. The work conducted during a surgery has assistants holding retractors, cutting sutures, and passing the correct equipment to surgeons. The knowledge required to perform these functions are learned inside a four-year bachelor’s degree. Working through a bachelor’s degree explores advanced concepts within surgical technology and management skills. Curriculum covers more areas of work like grant writing, policy, and epidemiology. Students that have already completed an associate’s degree and have a couple of years of work experience can transfer their credits into a bachelor’s degree. This is a prominent way for students to advance inside the career and increase annual salary. Students that want to become surgeons need to enter medical school after completion of a bachelor’s degree.

Learning how to complete work related tasks has students taking courses that range in function and complexity. A medical terminology course for surgical assisting focuses on the health care environment. Students learn how to identify different surgical equipment by name including understanding the roots, prefixes, and suffixes of medical terms. Surgical courses teach students to prep an operating room according to the surgery that is going to take place. This includes understanding how to sterilize a room and what tools are needed. Other courses may address how to clean wounds, maintain sterile fields, and conduct pre-operative procedures. A surgical procedures course is important because assistants often pass equipment to a surgeon and watch medical operations. A course of this nature may focus on teaching students different procedures related to orthopedic, oncology, and transplant surgery. Education also examines how to operate supplies, technologies, and equipment tools. All of these areas are covered within an associate’s or bachelor’s degree.

Aspiring surgical assistants will find numerous colleges that offer degree programs. Students should assess their career goals in order to decide which accredited undergraduate degree program is the right one. Fully accredited programs are approved by agencies such as the Accrediting Bureau of Health Education Schools (http://www.abhes.org/) to provide a quality educational experience. Whether students enter an associate’s or a bachelor’s degree program in surgical assisting they will be fully capable of working alongside surgeons in the medical field.
g, your Partners in Education and Tuition Assistance Programs.

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Progressive malignancy treatment encompass obtainable state-of-the-art facilities and skillful physicians to satisfy the needful oncologist job market. Oncologist job services include restorative procedures, as well as those that stimulate the immune system. Physicians who have oncolo jobs examine the indicators of tumors and monitor the actions that imminently propose sickness in response to curative measures. This information can be instrumental in the research and development of more aggressive cancer therapy.

The function of the oncology job will be to devise calculated treatments that methodically counter the symptomatology of patients who may be diagnosed with cancer. Hard-hitting modes of treatment include radiation, chemical, and surgical established techniques besides alternative remedies, such as homeopathy or naturopathy. Alternative medicine may not be consistent with mainstream protocol but contains remedial properties known to be effectual.

The oncology job has comprehensive familiarity of the assorted treatments acquirable and their contraindications and outcomes, irrespective whether they may be negative or positive, and to what extreme. Every patient reacts differently to the variable programs of therapeutic medicine. Alas, individualized cancer discussions comprise of trial and error often. The oncologist job monitors their patients meticulously to ensure that the chosen plan of care will have the best outcomes for the patient.

Sometimes, cancer spreads throughout the body from the site it started from by microscopic cells transported by the blood or lymph. Unfortunately the only recourse would be making the patient as comfortable as humanly possible. An oncologist job most often without the therapeutic potential to cure the disease can leastwise alleviate discomfort.

An oncology job compels practioners to learn good communication skills and receptivity towards patients and their families providing solace, which delivers emotional and spiritual support. No one wants to receive news about discovering of a tumor especially a malignant kind. A healthful philosophy of the oncolo job embodies the profound appreciation for a patient’s moral and appropriate right to be informed about their course of cancer treatment.

The oncologist job handles continuous problematic situations whereas patients presentation into medical assessments, secession of vigorous care management, and findings that cause distress. An oncologist will need to be genteel in response to addressing their patients worries with reassurance and benevolence.

Occasionally, the oncologist job presents difficulties concerning their patients ability to contend with their emotional and physical condition and prognosis, as a result of the ups and downs, set backs, and disappointments accompanying a cancer diagnosis. Providing solace may be the most critical role of the oncolo job during the management of the overwhelming uncomfortableness of the patient at the end stage of life.

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A board eligible oncologist who has completed fellowship training is an option as well. This means they have completed training, but are required to practice a few years before being allowed to take the final board certification exam. These energetic, recently trained oncologists are usually in practice with more senior physicians so you will often receive team based care in such private or University practices.

If you are under the care of a gynecologic oncologist who does not inspire confidence or does not present some kind of positive outlook, go find another one. This is not to say that they should be painting a rose garden picture. However, it is reasonable to expect your main physician to be objective but encouraging if at all possible. The treatment is hard and the outcome may not always be the best, but you do have a fighting chance and you should feel that your gynecologic oncologist is in your corner, providing personal attention and state-of-the-art information throughout.

Do not let anyone, including friends, family physicians, general gynecologists, surgical oncologists, medical oncologists, or any other doctor convince you that their team is just as good in the absence of a gynecologic oncologist. You absolutely, positively need a gynecologic oncologist as part of your team!! Again, do not let anyone convince you otherwise.

You can find help and a list of gynecologic oncologists in your area at www.sgo.org (Society of Gynecologic Oncologists) or www.wcn.org (Womens Cancer Network). To my knowledge there is no comprehensive and accurate international directory. However, you might try contacting the International Gynecologic Cancer Society at www.igcs.org, who may be able to help you find a gynecologic oncologist in your country.

Your gynecologic oncologist may or may not work closely with a medical oncologist instead of administering chemotherapy his/her-self. A medical oncologist is a doctor who specializes in giving chemotherapy to patients with all different types of cancer, gynecologic or not. Most do not see as many patients with ovarian cancer as a gynecologic oncologist, but can be very important members of a team approach in treating your cancer. In centers or medical groups where treatment is regularly delivered by a multi-disciplinary team, medical oncologists play a critical role in administering the chemotherapy, working in conjunction with a gynecologic oncologist.

Who else do you need? First of all, don’t forget that YOU are a team member! The doctors you work with will give you options, opinion, information, treat you etc., but you must be an active decision-maker because we are talking about YOUR body here. You also have to be aware of what to look for in how your body responds, so that you can relay that information to your doctor(s). They cannot guess what might be going on with you. Make sure that you feel comfortable with your doctors. You should be able to ask questions, and relay fears and concerns.

When you visit your doctor(s), make sure you have all your questions lined up and write them down if you need to in order to stay organized. Some doctors will let you record your visits, others will prefer that you don’t. An alternative is to bring a family member or friend to help you hear everything.

Other members of the team might include:

Primary Care Doctor – Your Primary Care Doctor is hopefully the one you already know and trust for your basic medical care. Usually, this doctor is a Family Practitioner by training, but may be an Internal Medicine doctor or a Gynecologist. They will often stay involved to take care of your health beyond that of cancer care and help in situations where medical management is required around the time of surgery.

Surgical Oncologist – Surgical oncologists are surgeons who spend extra years training to surgically take care of cancer patients. They are not a substitute for a gynecologic oncologist, but may be very helpful when your surgical needs go beyond that of a gynecologic oncologist. For example, while gynecologic oncologists are trained to perform surgery in many areas of the body, a surgical oncologist may be involved when a large part of the liver needs to be removed or chest surgery needs to be done.

Nurse Practitioner – Nurse-practitioners are nurses who have gone beyond the basic RN degree and received extra training in healthcare. They may assist your doctors by performing examinations on you and may or may not be authorized to write prescriptions for medications you need. This depends upon the State you live in.

Oncology Nurse – Oncology nurses are RNs who have specialized, and are often specifically certified in, cancer care. Most often you may have oncology nurses helping administer chemotherapy to you; something that they are specially certified to do.

Social Worker – Licensed social workers are your connection to broad range of support networks in your medical facility and surrounding community. Social workers may intervene by providing individual, couple, or family counseling, offering group education or support, and by working with community groups in the development of resources to assist patients in meeting their own needs.

A psychosocial assessment provides the basis for the social worker intervention. This assessment includes evaluation of patient resources, strengths, and support systems, such as:

* past coping behaviors
* family support
* living arrangements
* education level
* employment
* leisure interests
* financial situation

The social worker also addresses the patient’s emotional response and reaction to the illness, the impact of the disease upon the family, the effect on the patient’s relationships and roles, and other personal or social problems. Alternative or Complementary Practitioners – Many centers have integrative medicine programs, or have at least some practitioners who represent alternative and complementary approaches to cancer care. The most proven options are those which help control your symptoms, help support your strength and possibly your immune system. These practitioners may have various degrees including PhD, naturopathy(ND), chiropractic (DC), or may have no degrees but with extensive experience in massage therapy, music therapy or accupuncture/accupressure. Rather than shopping for unknown practitioners with uncertain skills, the best strategy is to ask for a referral from an enlightened mainstream medicine practitioner. There is a lot of misinformation and misguided people out there, whose advice can harm you and cause you to lose your best chance of a cure.

Finally, the following are some general questions you might want to consider in setting up your team and selecting your main physicians.

* Are you fellowship trained and board certified or board eligible?
* Who will be my main doctor in coordinating treatment?
* Do you believe in discussing options with me, including possible research alternatives?
* If I have problems during treatment who do I call and how do I reach them? Is this the same on weekends?
* What costs are covered by my insurance and who do I talk with about this?
* What kind of support services are available to me and where do I find them?
* If you are interested in complementary and natural aids, you may want to ask if your doctor would be willing to consider or discuss complementary and alternative options, or refer to a colleague who can.

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Massage Therapists training varies from state to state, many states have adopted the certification program of The National Certification Board for Therapeutic Massage & Bodywork. The entry-level training at massage schools does not include oncology massage. This training is essential when working with cancer survivors. Why? Chemotherapy, radiation treatment, surgery, and hormonal therapy all have unique long and short-term side effects. Oncology Massage Therapists understand the physical and emotional side effects of treatment and are confident in adapting a massage that fits each survivors’ needs. Cancer treatment necessitates massage changes that include site restrictions (staying away from ports, drains, and surgical incisions), pressure restrictions (no deep pressure), positional adaptations and the proper time to schedule a massage appointment during your chemotherapy schedule, so not to over tax you body during treatment. An Oncology Massage Therapist’s goal is to decrease anxiety with a comfort oriented massage, help with neuropathy (pain in hands and feet) brought on by chemotherapy, and teach relaxation techniques. Recent research has shown that massage helps with the side effects of treatment; situational anxiety, insomnia, and pain. The American Cancer Society, Oncology Nursing Society and National Institute of Health all endorse massage, but emphasize “when done by qualified Massage Therapist.”

Any patient that has a history of regular massages hopes to continue massage during cancer treatment. The confusing, muddle of information that is heard from friends, and even healthcare professions, “massage is good, no massage during treatment,” would confuse anyone. Patients need clear and concise information and this is part of the job of an Oncology Massage Therapist, we recognize short and long term side effects of cancer treatment and regularly adjust a massage for our clients.

“I didn’t know a simple massage was so involved,” the new patient says. “What about lymph edema, I am so afraid of getting that, more than the treatment itself. I have heard so many horror stories and I warned about anyone touching my arm.”

Education is vital to reduce the risks of lymphedema. Nurses routinely educate their patients about avoiding blood pressure or needle stick on the arm that had nodes removed to prevent lymph edema. Lymph edema is a lifetime risk. Massage Therapist can also help their clients understand the risk and prevention of lymphedema and how massage done incorrectly can cause lymph edema.

When looking for a Massage Therapist during or after cancer treatment always remember to ask:

1. I have had nodes removed; do you know how to safely massage my arm?

2. I am in cancer treatment; do you have special training in oncology massage?

3. I have lymph edema; do you know how to give me a safe massage?

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Choosing the right department of surgery can be an important one. So here are some factors to consider in making the right choice.

Does the Department of Surgery Have the Best Doctors?

This I’m sure is extremely important to you. Everybody wants the best care and the best chance of success and recovery. Although being the best can be subjective, you need to look for your prospective doctors experience and success rate with the specific surgery that he or she is going to perform on you.

Look for his or her board certifications and even look deeper into any malpractice claims against the doctor. I’m sure if the department of surgery is top notch, your doctor will be well qualified. But, with your health and maybe life on the line, it’s never too much to know as much as possible.

The Department of Surgery Clinical and Academic Environment

A highly respected and superior clinical and academic environment is a great indicator of the quality of care you’ll receive. When doctors are engaged in teaching and training as well as research, your prospective surgeon has to stay on the cutting edge of advances in technology and surgical procedures. This atmosphere can’t help but benefit you as a patient in receiving the highest quality care.

World Class Hospital Facilities and Care

A department of surgery that has a clinical and academic component is usually affiliated with a university. Looking across the nation, these hospitals are usually the very highest caliber, offering the very best in pre and post surgical care.

Department of Surgery Divisions

The different division offered in a superior setting are the following:

• General
• Vascular
• Breast
• Colorectal
• Pediatrics
• Minimally Invasive Surgery
• Plastic and Reconstruction
• Thoracic
• Surgical Oncology
• Transplant
• Trauma and Critical Care

Department of Surgery Respect and Track Record

This can’t be underestimated. What do others say about the hospital and surgical care. If it’s superior, you’ll know by what patients say as well as the community and media. Find out what people are saying.

Most surgeons that are highly skilled and respected also have published research. This also is an indicator that he or she is keeping up with the very best procedures, technology and care, thus directly benefiting you.

Compassion and Sensitivity

Every department of surgery can be quite complex and large. Like a big university, it could be easy to get shuffled around and treated like your just a number and not a person.

Look for a department of surgery that has a strong philosophy of treating each patient with sensitivity and compassion. You count and a high quality program recognizes this. It’s just as much as an important factor as any other area of care. Don’t settle for less.

In conclusion, find the department of surgery that can give you the very best care by following these tips.

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What exactly is cancer? Biologically speaking it is a disease of uncontrolled division of cells. In our body cells divide continuously to replace worn out or damaged cells. But sometimes control mechanism may go haywire courtesy stimuli from various factors. This otherwise controlled and organized process becomes uncontrolled and unorganized resulting in a plethora of cells good for nothing. It is this mass of rapidly growing cells that forms tumor or cancer.

Cancer can affect any part of the body-brain, intestines, lungs, pancreas, liver, ovaries, skin and what not. Cancers are of two types-Benign and malignant or metastatic. Benign cancer does not spread. It is the malignant or metastatic cancer which is more dangerous as it starts spreading to other parts of the body.

Advances in technology have changed the way cancer is perceived, understood and treated. Scientific understanding about the disease says that it is a disease encrypted in our genes. These potential cancer causing genes are called Oncogenes. Oncogenes are present in our genome but become active only under specific conditions or stimuli called co-factors or cancer triggers.

The fight against cancer depends upon early detection of the disease. Rapid advances in technology have made early detection of the cancer, a reality. New imaging techniques like X rays, CT scans, MRI scan, PET scan and ultrasound scan are regular diagnostic tools. Advances in surgical oncology along with new imaging devices have made hither to inaccessible areas like base of the skull under the category of curable cancers. Similarly advances in Radiation Oncology like development of Cyberknife, targeted chemotherapy and organ preservation in minimum invasive surgery to prevent damage to the healthy cells, reducing trauma of the patient.

Oncology today has entered in to an era of personalized cancer treatment. Biotechnology and Bioinformatics are helping us to design tailor made drugs for the treatment of cancer based on the unique genetic makeup of the patient or tumor. Clinical trials are underway to determine the efficacy of such drugs. Bevacizumab is one such molecule approved by USFAD to treat deadly Glioblastoma. However, these molecules are prohibitively costly.

With exciting new therapeutics in the pipe line, can cancer finally be conquered?

I belong to the community of teachers and I teach Life Sciences. Life Science is something what I consider ‘Mother of all Sciences’. It is the way of human life. Life science encompasses practically all branches of knowledge, as life itself is dependent on all the physical and chemical parameters with in our knowledge. I write regularly write at http://myinferencesonlife.blogspot.com

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Here are few areas, where we have thoroughly failed in management, like hepato-cellular carcinomas, pancreatic tumors, etc. I think these are the areas where the thrust should be given to all the incoming branches of medicines. In central part of Kerala, hepato-cellular carcinoma, pancreatic tumor etc are very common. The allopathic medicine cannot offer them much relief so they send them to palliative clinics. These are the areas where, other systems of medicines should be able to come up and try to do some thing. But all the experiments should be on scientific basics.

I am starting with some examples (case reports). A girl with acute lymphoblastic leukemia was treated in 1991-92, after treatment; she got married & is now well settled in Dubai. Unlike many other chronic diseases cancer patients can go back to their normal life after treatment. Another case, a lady with acute myeloid leukemia after treatment returned back to the normal life. There is another story of a mother, who had an acute lymphoblastic leukemia, when she was pregnant. The patient was not willing for an abortion and to take the medicines. The pregnancy continued & only chemotherapy was done. The child was born in the oncology ward of RCC & was named as ‘Medimon’ (because the child was born in the medical oncology ward). The mother & child are now doing well. This is the example of the advancement of oncology where we can select the drugs, which are less toxic.

You should know what cancer is or what actually happens in the body?

Basically in cancer the cells are reasonably immortal. If the cells of the body become immortal, the state of cancer occurs in two ways

1. Uncontrolled multiplication of cells or
2. The cells once attained maturity, but not getting killed.

The natural mechanism of programmed cell death is called Apoptosis. If Apoptosis does not happen, the cells go on multiplying with out any interruption. There will be uncontrolled multiplication of cells, which is the basic problem in a malignancy.

Basics

Let us consider the skin as a model. If injury occurs, there will be a recovery phenomenon. After the repair of the injury, there will be a negative feed back & there is no more repair work that has to be done in a well-balanced state. In malignancy, the cells migrate and they go for an uncontrollable proliferation.

Increased numbers of cells are called hyperplasia, not malignant. But when there is a small change in the nature, (cells doesn’t look alike or the arrangement is different), then they are called dysplastic cells. Again, they are not malignant but can progress to a malignancy; but hyperplasia will never progress to a malignancy.

Next we can consider about carcinoma in situ. The cells are showing the features of malignancy, they are still maintained within the basement membrane. When the cells are out of the basement membrane, and shed out, then they are invasive cancer, carcinoma invasive.
Dysplasia can reverse to a normal state also. Once they progress in to carcinoma in situ, they can never reverse. They go for a invasive carcinoma.

Problem is not in the local site alone. The cells remain the state for some times is then multiplies and starts then to migration.

Ways of migration:

1. Invasion of the blood vessels or lymphatic – migration
2. Spread by other routes like CSF, implantation and trans coelomic spread.

Terminology:

Cancer is not a single disease. With lot of etiologies and characters cancer exists. That’s the problem in identifying the plan of action of cancers. Cancers can occur in anywhere on the body including hair follicles. No area, sex, age, is excluded. Depending of the type of tumors terminology varies. (Lymphoma on the lymph nodes, sarcoma on the connective tissues etc.) The epithelial tumors are called carcinoma; connective tissue tumors are called sarcoma.

Cancers detection & diagnosis:

No patient should be seen or treated as cancers only with a histopathological diagnosis.
Basic diagnosis criteria, including fine needle aspiration, biopsy, operative specimen on which we are doing histopathological study etc should be there. But the pathologists should give in black & white, and say that this is a malignancy before you enter into treatment. This should be done in all cases, except in brain tumor, where tumor is in a very vulnerable site. In there cases, you are justified in treating with out a biopsy, but we should have evidence on radiology to say that there is a tumor which is malignant. There are many non-malignant tumors which may mimic malignancy has to be excluded before you treat them as a malignancy.

Features of malignancy.

Normal cells, if any variation in size and shape, you can describe them in two ways.

1. The benign tumors are described as the ‘Convert girl appearance’ and white or blue & white- Well disciplined going of cells.
2. 2nd type – malignant cells (‘College girl appearance’ No uniformity) Totally disordered arrangement.

Pathology – Description

1. Morphology- the pattern of cells, low they look like etc.
2. Peoulioe marks- characteristics of certain cells. E.g.:- leukemia, where the cytoplasm on the nucleus can be stained using some special stains. Thus they can be easily diagnosed.
3. Immunized chemistry. The cells do expulse antigens, which can be identified with the use of immunized chemistry. Once the cells are identified, we can label them.
4. Cytogenetics:- There are certain cytogenetic abnormalities, which are specific to some tumors. Thus we can identify the type of tumors.

Combination of these tests helps a clinician to arrive at a correct diagnosis.
The pathology, after diagnosing the type of tumors, should predict about the chances of progress of the tumors. The doctor should understand the chances of survival.
The chances of survival depends on

1. General condition of the patient
2. Site of tumors.
3. Grade of tumors (Grade 1 tumors – cells have the features almost like normal cells

Grade 2 tumors – in between the G1 and G2xG3.

Grade 3 and 4 tumors – very poorly differentiated.

They don’t have the feature of the primary cells).

As a broad statement, poorly differentiated tumors or fast growing tumors have high chance of metastasis and will respond to the chemotherapy and radiotherapy well. But relapse also will be there. Where as the well differentiated & slowly growing tumors have low chance of metastasis. Their response to chemotherapy & radiotherapy is not much effective.

Tumors.

You should do investigations to understand whether metastasis has happened or not. If metastasis occurred, the prognosis is bad. Before doing all the investigations, you should take the natural history of the diseases & then decide the staging. Natural history is the basic study of the oncology. Tumors have got an affinity to certain areas. In each tumor, there is a specific federacy of metastasis to a specific area. The doctors should know that.

Stage I, Stage II, Stage III, Stage IV ® Stages
Stage I – well localized
Stage II – regional lymph nodes are involved
Stage III – Much more lymph nods are involved
Stage IV – Distort metastasis

TNM classification is the fundamental classification. Idea of cancer detection is to identify the cancer in the 1st stage itself.

Blood tests to diagnose malignancy: -
Tumor markers are certain biochemical products available in the blood, which is secreted by the tumors which when identified, helps in diagnosis.. There is some specificity e.g. if there is prostate cancers the PSA (Prostate specific antigen) will be high in blood. That doesn’t mean that, all patients with PSA will have prostate cancers. But there is one tumor marker, by which we can be sure about the diagnosis in the serum. Beta SEG is detected in the clinical set up in gestational trophoblastic tumors. You can go for treatment without doing the histological test.
What causes cancer: -

Unknown Postulations

1. Heredity
2. Radiations to a certain extend
3. Chemicals
4. Infections

Concept: – cancers do not develop over night; it is a slowly advancing process, which can be reverted at different stages of progression, by intervention. But it can progress if not intervened. Each part has to contribute in the cancer formation.
Molecular aspects: -

Normal cell Gene regulates the cell growth.

When the genes are mutated (in a cancers cell), over activity of the genes (oncogenes) occur. These genes affect the cell growth. The growth is accelerated. Over acceleration of the oncogenes is one cause.

Certain genes can prevent the cancers (Anti oncogenes). Balance between the oncogenes and anti oncogenes maintains the correct growth of the cells. Failure of the working of the anti oncogenes leads to over growth of the cells.

What happens at the cellular level: -

You have got receptors in the cells. The growth factor goes and attach to the receptors. Signal, called transudation signals message to the molecules. Getting the genes activated, out put counting from the genes maintain the cycle. The cell multiplies as a result and uncontrolled proliferation occurs.

Doubling process:-

Time taken for a cell to get doubled is the doubling time. Doubling time will be short for rapidly multiplying tumors. If doubling time remains normal, the curve (combustion growth curve) will be linear. But this doesn’t happen. The initial part, multiplication will be slow process; but at the end part the multiplication will be fast process. Till a point, i.e. 109 no of cells are available in the body; it is sub clinical & is not able to detect the cancers grown with any available investigations. By the time, 109 to 1010 no of cell multiplication happen, the patient will be no more.

Importance of early detection in malignancy.

Cancer prevention:-

1. Early displacing cells can have a chance of revision back to normal and we can try to prevent the multiplication process.
2. National cancers convert program (NCKP) In which the thrust be on the tobacco, which is a well established, well-identified cancer causing agent. Even a passive smoker of tobacco has got a 15% higher incidence in developing lung cancers. Smoking in public places should be totally banned.
3. Diet Breast cancers Diet (linked with diet) High fat, high diet- fatty females are the candidates who are more prone to develop breast cancer.

Control measure – Avoid high fatty diets, burn the fat by doing exercises. Vegetables (preferably green leafy vegetables) have anti oxidant property that can reverse the malignant property of the cells. Lot of vegetables should be taken as a part of diet.

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Radiation oncology does not include chemotherapy. Chemotherapy is handled by a medical oncologist.

In some countries, a clinical oncologist handles both radiation therapy as well as chemotherapy. Surgical oncology deals with the surgical treatment of tumors. Surgical oncologists are split into several specialties that focus on cancers infecting particular areas of the body.

Today, thanks to improving technology in the field of radiation oncology, about 70 percent of all cancer treatment plans include radiation therapy. Some of these involve strictly radiation treatment while some, more severe cases of cancer call for a combination of radiation and chemotherapy treatment.

Choosing a oncologist

As can be expected, the more experience a doctor has in oncology the higher their success record becomes in successful treatment of their patients. Choosing a oncologist then becomes a potentially vital part of your treatment. You may be literally putting your life in the hands of the doctor you choose.

In addition to experience in treating patients, training and experience with the latest technologies is also important since newer technologies are capable of providing better treatment of cancer. IMRT, for example, is a relatively new method of therapy that allows for higher doses of radiation to be delivered to a tumor while sparing surrounding healthy tissue.

Some oncologists don’t even have access to new technologies such as IMRT. In cases where access is available, doctors may have little or no training and little or no experience.

To receive the best treatment possible, as a patient it would be beneficial to seek out a oncologist that is both experienced with the latest technologies as well as practices at a facility that has access to these technologies.

Bedside manner is important as well. A person can generally tell whether they’ll get along with within a few minutes of meeting them. You’re under enough stress just from the discovery that you have or may have cancer. Having to put up with an oncologist you don’t get along with can be detrimental to your health, especially if your relationship with your doctor is so bad that you loathe going to see him or her.

However, a radiation oncologist’s ability to give you the best treatment possible may trump all else. Choose wisely.

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Because of the nature of cancer, this one choosing this career should understand the necessity of constantly being aware of discoveries in your field. Stay on top of recent research trends and be willing to attend educational seminars from time to time. Another thing important in the life of an oncologist is following up with patients to determine what treatments are working and their success rates.

In addition to medical training it is recommended that oncologists also have some psychological training. They will have to deal with sensitive topics and issues with families on a very personal level. They must be able to demonstrate compassion and sensitivity when dealing with others. Communicating orally is very important to someone considering an oncology profession.

Oncology has four different specializations that the prospective candidate can choose to become part of. The first is medical oncology which handles treating cancer with medicine and sometimes chemotherapy. The second is surgical oncology. Surgical oncology handles the surgical procedures related to cancer diagnoses, such as biopsies and removing the cancerous tumors. The third specialization is radiation, which deals with the radiation therapy and treatment of cancer. The last segment is pediatric oncology. This would be a difficult area but can also be very rewarding. This area of oncology diagnoses, treats, and follows up with children who may have cancer.

In addition to the four main branches of oncology, there are several smaller specializations. You may want to choose to study breast, throat, or stomach cancer. There are many types of cancers and you can individualize and specialize in just one area or diversify and treat a variety of cancers. There is also an area known as secondary cancers, cancers that have been caused or spread while cancer in one area was being treated.
There are many different options available in oncology for a workplace. What each individual chooses may reflect their own personal tastes or decisions when they made the choice to study this branch of medicine. Any of these make a good starting point when the oncologist is entering the work force as well.

You may choose to work in a hospital environment, university, research lab, institute, or even a private clinic. There are many doors available to the future oncologist. The choice is in the hands of the future oncologist. This is a career field that is very stable in almost any economical climate. However, this isn’t the choice for everyone. There are going to be tough days, hard cases, and emotional moments in a career such as this one.

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Surgery is indicated when in the early stages of the disease as the tumor is confined to a relatively small area and has not spread t other parts of the body. The removal of the tumor is known as a “resection” or you may hear the tumor as being “resectable”. In later stages of the disease, surgery is not usually as beneficial as chemotherapy or radiation treatment in tackling the disease, though “palliative surgery” may be advisable to provide relief for end-stage (Stage IV) lung cancer.

Surgery is not likely to be beneficial in treating the disease when it has spread to the lungs from another part of the body (referred to as “metastasized”), unless the cancer is non-aggressive and the tumor is not large.

Where surgery may be beneficial in curing the disease there are two types of surgical intervention which may take place:

Minimally invasive surgery; and

Traditional open surgery

Minimally Invasive Surgery

This involves the surgeon making two small incisions between the ribs. Each of the incisions are typically an inch or so, but this provides enough room for a skilled surgeon to operate without the need for rib spreading.

In the upper incision, a camera is inserted which relays a high-definition television picture which is used to guide the surgeon as they operate through the second lower incision. This type of surgery is also sometimes referred to as Video Assisted Thoracic Surgery or VATS.

VATS has several advantages for patients whose lung cancer is susceptible to treatment using this technique. There are fewer complications that can arise, while the recovery time and stay in hospital are significantly reduced and the patient experiences much less pain due to the ribs not being spread. Minimally invasive surgery allows patients with early stage lung cancer to return to enjoying a high quality standard of life. Where chemotherapy is required after the operation, the length of treatment is reduced and stands a greater chance of success because it may be initiated much sooner than the alternatives.

Typically, a patient is able to stand up and walk around within two hours of surgery and is usually released from hospital within a day or two.

Traditional Open Chest Surgery

Patients may not be a suitable candidate for minimally invasive surgery, usually associated with anatomical reasons or location of the tumor and stage of the disease. Traditional open surgery involves an incision in the patient’s side and the spreading of the ribs to provide the surgeon with access to the tumor.

Palliative Surgery

Palliative surgery is used to make a patient more comfortable during the end-stages of the disease when the condition has become incurable. For instance, the tumor may need to be removed because it is causing an obstruction of the airway.

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