Knowra Oncology Oncology Oncology is the medical specialty concerned with preventing, diagnosing, and treating cancer. It combines tumor biology, diagnostic methods, and therapies tailored to cancer type and stage.
Cancer : Cancer is a group of diseases in which abnormal cells grow and can invade nearby tissues or spread elsewhere. Oncology centers on detecting and managing this group of diseases.
Surgery : Surgery is a medical procedure that removes, repairs, or alters tissue or organs. Cancer surgery can remove localized tumors or obtain tissue for diagnosis.
Targeted therapy : Targeted therapy uses drugs that act on specific molecules or pathways involved in disease, including cancer growth. Molecular targets can make treatment more selective for particular tumors.
Medical oncology : Medical oncology treats cancer primarily with systemic medicines, including chemotherapy, immunotherapy, and targeted drugs. It is the drug-treatment branch within the broader specialty.
Liquid biopsy : Liquid biopsy analyzes tumor-derived material, such as DNA, in bodily fluids, usually blood. Researchers are testing whether it can monitor tumors and detect cancer without tissue sampling.
Tumor staging : Tumor staging describes the extent of cancer in the body, including tumor size, lymph-node involvement, and distant spread. Stage helps determine prognosis and which treatments are appropriate.
Radiation therapy : Radiation therapy uses ionizing radiation to damage cancer-cell DNA and control or destroy tumors. It treats tumors locally, sometimes alongside surgery or drug therapy.
Hormone therapy : Hormone therapy alters hormone production or action to treat conditions whose growth depends on hormonal signals. It can slow cancers that rely on hormones such as estrogen or testosterone.
Surgical oncology : Surgical oncology focuses on operations used to diagnose, remove, or manage cancer. It applies operative treatment where tumor removal or tissue sampling is appropriate.
Minimal residual disease : Minimal residual disease is the small number of cancer cells that remain after treatment and fall below conventional detection limits. Measuring it may reveal relapse risk and help tailor follow-up therapy.
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