Oncology in Los Angeles
Are you looking for an oncologist surgeon for you or a loved one in the Los Angeles area? It can be difficult to find the best surgical oncologist in Los Angeles. Below is more information about oncology and oncologists
What is Oncology?
Oncology is the section of medicine that treats, identifies, and researches cancer. A surgical oncologist is a doctor that specializes in managing patients with cancer.
Steps of Oncology
There are many factors to oncology. There is the treatment, a treatment team, oncology nurse, and pediatric oncology for children with cancer.
A diagnosis must first be made before a treatment plan is presented to the patient. Several specialists will be on the team to make sure the treatment is a successful one. This will include an oncology nurse. This nurse works alongside the other team members to help support them and the patient throughout treatment.
Pediatric oncology treats cancer in children. This cancer includes neuroblastoma, acute lymphocytic leukemia, brain and other central nervous system tumors. Pediatric oncology treatment is usually different from cancer treatment for adults. Chemotherapy, stem cell transplant, surgery, and immunotherapy are treatments.
Types of Cancer Oncologists Oversee
An oncologist specializes in several types of cancer. These include colon cancer, hepatobiliary malignancies, liver cancer, pancreatic cancer, and stomach cancer.
The doctor may recommend chemotherapy, radiation, and/or surgery for colon cancer patients. They may be highly qualified to perform advanced laparoscopic and robotic surgery, if needed. If the cancer is advanced, he or she may recommend targeted drug therapy along with the chemotherapy.
Hepatobiliary malignancies are cancers in the gall bladder. The oncologist may recommend surgery and other less invasive ways to get rid of the gall bladder cancer.
There are several treatment options for patients diagnosed with liver cancer. These options include surgery, chemotherapy, liver transplant, percutaneous ethanol injections, ablation, and embolization.
The oncologist will lay out a treatment plan for patients with pancreatic cancer based on the type of cancer, age, health, and medical history, patient preference, extent of disease, patient expectations, and tolerance of treatment. The doctor and their team will lay out a plan for the best outcome possible.
He or she will perform tests to determine the extent of stomach cancer for patients diagnosed with this type of cancer. They will mention minimally invasive surgery, radiation, targeted therapy, chemotherapy, radiation therapy, and/or IP therapy as options for stomach cancer treatment.
The Best Surgical Oncologist in Los Angeles
If you or a loved one have been diagnosed with any of the above types of cancer, there is still hope. The best surgical oncologist in Los Angeles is just one phone call away.