Medical Oncology

Medical Oncology is the branch of medicine focused on the non-surgical treatment of cancer, primarily through chemotherapy, targeted therapy, immunotherapy, and hormone therapy. It covers the diagnosis, staging, and ongoing management of cancer in adults, often working alongside surgical and radiation oncology depending on the type of cancer involved.

Certain cancers are linked to viral infections, such as cervical and some head and neck cancers associated with HPV, or liver cancer linked to chronic hepatitis B or C infection. Because of this, the branch’s role can extend beyond active treatment to include monitoring patients at higher risk due to a known viral infection.

Treatment plans in this branch are typically built around the cancer’s type, stage, and specific characteristics, which is why two patients with the same diagnosis may receive different treatment approaches. Ongoing monitoring through imaging and blood tests plays an important role both during treatment and in the years afterward, to track response and watch for recurrence.