Clinical oncology is an area of medicine (also known as a specialty). Clinical oncologists are doctors who specialise in using drug treatments (such as chemotherapy), radiotherapy and other treatments to care for people with cancer.
The fact that clinical oncologists can use radiotherapy as well as other cancer treatments is the main difference from medical oncologists and haemato-oncologists.
To become a clinical oncologist in England, doctors usually need to:
- Graduate from medical school
- Complete a two-year foundation programme after they graduate
- Complete several years of specialty training in clinical oncology – usually at least seven years
- Pass their exams to become a consultant and be awarded a fellowship of the Royal College of Radiologists
What we do
Our clinical oncologists work with other staff in our hospitals and those in other hospitals to care for people with solid tumours – cancer in any part of the body and when radiotherapy is required for the treatment of cancers of the blood.
Your consultant could be a clinical oncologist, a medical oncologist or a haemato-oncologist. It will depend on what type of cancer you have and what type of treatment you are having.
If your consultant is a clinical oncologist, they will:
- Assess you and decide on a treatment plan (along with other specialists)
- Lead on non-surgical aspects of your cancer care
- Prescribe radiotherapy
- Prescribe treatment such as chemotherapy (or other cancer drugs) and supportive treatment to help with symptoms, side-effects or complications. (Sometimes this care is given by a medical oncologist or haemato-oncologist before referral to a clinical oncologist when radiotherapy is needed)
- Check your treatment plan and make any changes needed
- Assess how you are responding to treatment and make any changes needed
- Monitor your cancer, any related conditions (such as side-effects or complications) and your general health
- Work with other specialists and refer you to them if you need care from them
Our team
Our Clinical Oncology team includes:
- Consultants
- Other senior doctors who have completed specialist training
- Specialty trainees – doctors with several years of experience who are training to specialise in clinical oncology
- Other doctors – including those completing the foundation programme after medical school
- Consultant radiographers who have specialised in delivering radiotherapy and have additional training to prescribe radiotherapy treatments
- Other health professionals such as specialist nurses and pharmacists trained in cancer care and specific treatments