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