Updated January 07, 2015.

Definition: Oncologist

An oncologist is a medical doctor who specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of cancer. Some oncologists treat patients with all forms of cancer, and others specialize in only one type of cancer.

There are 3 primary types of oncologists.

• Medical oncologists - These physicians treat cancer with medications including chemotherapy, and coordinate other types of treatment.
   
• Radiation oncologists - Are physicians who treat cancer with radiation therapy.
   

• Surgical oncologists - Are surgeons who treat cancer with surgical procedures. With lung cancer, these are usually thoracic surgeons who perform lung cancer surgery.

 

Examples: After Jan's doctor suspected she may have cancer, he referred her to an oncologist.