Cancer Treatment Team AudioHealth Library Topic 1104 Cancer Treatment Team Cancer treatment is complex and requires a number of specialists who form a health care team. Each specialist can help a patient with specific problems related to the cancer and its treatment. With the help of each member of the health care team, the patient is able to get total care. A medical oncologist is a doctor who has received special training in the treatment of cancer. He or she only sees patients after they have been diagnosed with cancer and often takes the role of team leader monitoring all treatments and therapies and making referrals to other specialists as necessary.
Radiation oncologists are doctors who have additional training in the use of radiation therapy.
When radiation therapy is required, the radiation oncologist determines the dosage and scheduling of treatments, manages side effects, and all other aspects of radiation therapy. The radiation therapy itself is delivered by a radiation technologist. Radiation therapy is the use of high-energy rays that cause tumors to shrink or be destroyed. Surgeons are doctors who perform surgery to remove as much cancerous tissue as they can. Some surgeons specialize in operating on different areas of the body.