Cancer treatment presents a highly experienced team of professionals, otherwise called oncologists. They diagnose and stage the disease and treat it using different patterns of treatments. These are well-trained medical, surgical, and radiation oncology services. Further special subspecialties include pediatric and gynecologic oncology. The oncologists, after consultation with the patients, design personal treatment plans, which incorporate all types of surgery, radiation therapy, chemotherapy, and immunotherapy. Here we provide an oncology guide, the roles of top oncologists, and some insights into the best cancer doctors India has.
What is an Oncologist?
A doctor of medicine who specializes in the treatment of cancer patients is termed an oncologist. Very few of them know the patient’s history or lifestyle, whereby the diagnosis of their exact condition is not known; their cancer will be diagnosed and treated appropriately. The role of oncologists extends to diagnosis and treatment, including:
Diagnostic Investigation for Cancer: They recommend diagnostic investigations that ascertain the existence of cancer in a patient.
Diagnosis: Oncologists divide the diagnosis by explaining to the patient what type, which stage, and how far it has spread.
Treatment Options: They explain and present the entire scope of treatment options that range from chemotherapy to radiation, surgery, or immunotherapy.
Controlling symptoms: Oncologists make sure that the symptoms as well as side effects from treatments are held at bay as much as possible to keep the patient comfortable and give a good quality of life.
Kinds of Cancer Specialists
At the premier Indian cancer hospitals, various treatment options are available which are multidisciplinary, including medical, surgical, and radiation oncology. That is to say, all these therapies are developed by teams of specialists who have specialized expertise in different areas of cancer treatment, namely:
- Medical Oncologists: Chemotherapy, hormone therapy, and targeted therapy
- Surgical Oncologists: The removal of the tumors and associated tissues by surgery
- Radiation Oncologists: Assist in the destruction of cancerous cells using radiation.
Other specialized branches in oncology include pediatric oncology for children and gynecologic oncology for female reproductive cancer. Most of the best oncologists are found in specialized cancer hospitals, so you can be sure of getting the most modern technology when it comes to treatment.
When to See an Oncologist
It is a must to consult an oncologist in case of any of the above-unexplained signs and symptoms of cancer:
- Unexplained Weight Loss
- Severe Fatigue
- Persistent Pain
- Altered Bowel or Bladder Habits
A person with a family history of cancer also needs an expert’s opinion who would assess his or her risk and will be coming up with suggestions about preventing it.
If it is confirmed that one has cancer, then other tests and treatment should be consulted with the oncologist.
Cancer Screening
Testing is not a luxury in the diagnosis of cancer as various kinds of cancers require various forms of testing. Some of the most common methods through which cancers can be tested include the following:
- Screening Tests: Any form of check-up through mammographies, Pap smears, and colonoscopies are tests by which one can go about diagnosing cancers before any symptoms may appear.
- Biopsy: This is the surgical removal of tissue, usually for microscopic examination, in the search for cancer.
- Blood Tests: Many cancers in the body release specific markers in the blood that can be identified by specific tests.
- Imaging Tests: CT scans, MRIs, X-rays, and PET scans allow for clear images that would define precisely where the cancer is located and what stage it is.
- Genetic Testing: Genetic predispositions refer to the possibility of certain cancerous types. If inherited, it might easily be possible to take an early intervention or preventive measure.
A combination of all these tests as well as a consultation with the best cancer doctors in the world give the right approach towards treatment.
Best Cancer Doctors in India
India’s top oncologists change the face of cancer treatment with superior quality excellence in medical, surgical and also radiation oncology. Mention some of the best cancer doctors in India:
- Dr. Vikesh Shah
- Specialization: Specialist Cancer Immunotherapy
- Expertise: Immunotherapy, Medical Oncology
- Experience: One of the most revered practitioners of cancer immunotherapy is a new concept by which the body’s immune system removes cancer. He makes treatment plans in his capacity as an oncologist strictly individualized according to the profile of each patient, which makes him one of the most noted oncologists in India.
- Identification: He has been identified at the national level, including an endorsement by Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam, in doing his best for Indians, which led to a revolution in cancer care.
- Dr. D. S. Manohar: Sr. Medical Oncologist
- Medical Specialty: Medical Oncology
- Experience: With almost 35 years of experience, VS Hospitals, Chennai, boasts a senior consultant, Dr. D.S. Manohar, who provides a wide spectrum coverage with a personal touch for cancer.
- Dr. K. Chandralekha: Sr. Specialist in Medical and Radiation Oncology
- Specialization: Medical and Radiation Oncology
- Experience: Inter-specialty care that treats every patient differently, the city of Chennai is home to Dr. Chandralekha in VS Hospitals.
- Dr. Vijay G.: Hemato-Oncology and Pediatric Oncology Specialist
- Specialization: Hemato-Oncology and Pediatric Oncology
- Experience: Graduates from AIIMS, Dr. Vijay G. sees both adults and children, thus his experience is stupendous.
- Dr. S. Jagadesh Chandra Bose: Senior Surgical Oncologist
- Specialization: Surgical Oncology
- Dr. Bose is a senior consultant in surgical oncology at VS Hospitals with more than 30 years of experience and has successfully done several challenging surgeries on patients with complex cancers at high success rates.
Types of Cancers Treated by India’s Best Cancer Doctors
India’s best oncologists adopt all the treatment modes available for each variety of cancer, which include:
- Breast Cancer: It involves the cancer of tissues forming the breast, and most conditions are treated by surgery, chemotherapy, radiation therapy, and hormone therapy.
- Lung Cancer: It relates to smoking, with most treatments involving chemotherapy and surgery, including targeted therapies.
- Colorectal Cancer: It is the cancer within the colon or the rectum, as a rule, it is usually treated by application of surgery, followed by radiation and chemotherapy.
- Brain Tumors: This also encompasses a wide range of cancers that affect the central nervous system or the brain, and also with its treatment utilizing various surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy.
Cancer Treatment Side Effects Management
For instance, as oncologists have gone through various adverse effects associated with cancer therapies, some of the more common adverse effects include:
- Fatigue. Cancer and its treatments are commonly the cause of this side effect.
- Nausea and Vomiting. Both nausea and vomiting are more common when receiving chemotherapy which impacts fast-replicating cells in the body.
- Hair Loss: Chemotherapy causes hair loss because it hurts fast-replicating cells too.
- Suppression of the Immune System: The disease is an increased susceptibility to the danger of infections. Thus, close monitoring is a part of this.
The oncologist always comes with the management of such side effects, the treatment changing with a bid to make the patients comfortable and improve the quality of life during treatment.
When to See an Oncologist
If you have chronic fatigue or unexplained weight loss, persistent pain, or changes in bowel or bladder habits, consult an oncologist. People having any kind of risk factor for cancer in the family seek early advice to assess their risk factors and review the measures taken to prevent the disease.
Best Oncologist in India: How to Choose an Oncologist
It is very important to select the best oncologist. For choosing the best oncologist, the following factors can be considered:
- Specialization: Check up with doctors who specialize in the cancer from which you are suffering.
- Experience: See how many years of experience and the number of years of experience they have with the latest generation treatments.
- Hospital Association: The best oncologists work in good hospitals where all the modern facilities and equipment are there.
- Patient Reviews: How people feel about the treatment can be judged well from reviews and testimonials.
- Tailor-made care: Ensure that the doctor treating you has no complaints while formulating the treatment plans for your needs.
In India, by having experts such as Dr. Vikesh Shah, set the framework through the use of high technology to deliver class cancer treatment. The years are advancing, advanced immunotherapy practice and tender considerations make Dr. Shah and his contemporaries treat patients belonging to every step of the journey that a cancer patient must experience for complete treatment. Any expert in oncology care looking for can reach out to confident and compassionate Dr. Vikesh Shah the Best cancer doctor in india.