| Cancer treatment is mainly administered by | | | | These doctors also monitor and ease any side |
| two methods, chemotherapy and radiation. | | | | effects of the radiation treatment. The |
| Unlike chemotherapy that uses a chemical to | | | | radiation oncologist works closely with all |
| circulate the body and kill cancer cells, | | | | involved in the radiation oncology team such |
| radiation uses concentrated beams on specific | | | | as nurses and radiation therapists. |
| areas of the body to destroy these types of | | | | |
| cells. | | | | A good radiation oncologist will have |
| | | | extensive training and certification like all |
| A radiation oncologist is a doctor | | | | professional MDs. They will have to have |
| specializing in radiation therapy who | | | | four years of college, four years of medical |
| prescribes the application of radiation to | | | | school, a year of general medical training |
| combat cancer cell growth. | | | | with another four years of residency training |
| | | | in radiation oncology. |
| Radiation therapy, which is also referred to | | | | |
| as radiotherapy, x-ray therapy or | | | | In addition to that, the doctor would also |
| irradiation, uses energy called ionizing | | | | need to pass the exam to become certified by |
| radiation to destroy cancer cells with the | | | | the American Board of Radiology. As a |
| intention of shrinking tumors. The idea is to | | | | safeguard, all patients should make sure to |
| damage the cancer cells enough so that they | | | | ask that their doctor is board certified. |
| are unable to pass on their DNA material on | | | | |
| to grow tumor masses. | | | | The Field of Radiation Oncology |
| | | | |
| This will inevitably harm surrounding healthy | | | | Radiation oncology is the field of medical |
| cells, but with the guidance of a good | | | | study that focuses on how radiation therapy |
| radiation oncologist, this is minimized and | | | | is best used and understood to combat and |
| the healthy cells recover while cancer cells | | | | treat cancer. This is a niche field in |
| deplete. It is often used in conjunction with | | | | medicine that has grown in popularity among |
| chemotherapy, surgery and hormone therapy. | | | | medical students seeking a residency. It's a |
| | | | competitive field that yields top-notch |
| Duties of a Radiation Oncologist | | | | radiation oncologists. |
| | | | |
| Radiation oncologists are doctors who oversee | | | | Radiation oncology had its beginning in the |
| patients undergoing radiation treatment for | | | | early 20th century where x-rays were being |
| their cancer. They create the treatment plan | | | | used to treat cancer and other conditions. |
| for their patient and make sure that the | | | | Radium therapy came a few decades afterward, |
| proper tools and proper doses of therapy are | | | | and in the late 60s and early 70s this field |
| given. | | | | became a department of medical study all to |
| | | | itself. |