Visit an Oncologist as Quickly as Possible

An oncologist is a correct physician to visit if you have a type of cancer or you find a tumor that may be cancerous. Most patients visit our office after being referred to us by their primary care doctor or a specialist.

Once here, we can conduct any necessary tests to confirm their findings and gather more information about a patient's cancer. These initial tests are important for gathering all of the necessary information. We do not want to begin treatment until a full evaluation is complete and we have a clear picture of what is happening.

We will complete and review the results as quickly as possible because we understand that time is of the essence when starting a cancer treatment.

We may recommend surgery

If we catch signs of cancer early enough, before it has the ability to spread to other areas of the body, we may be able to remove the cancerous tissue using surgery. This is the best case scenario since removing the cancerous cells or tissue from the body can drastically improve one's chances.

After this surgery, we can then follow-up with treatments to ensure there are no cancer cells left. However, if cancer spreads throughout the body, surgery may not be an effective solution.

Chemotherapy and radiation are common

As an oncologist, we focus on killing all the cancerous cells so that a patient can begin to heal. To do so, we regularly use chemotherapy and radiation. These are two of the most popular types of cancer treatments since they are incredibly effective. We will go over both options in great detail during an appointment.

It is important to ask questions and to feel comfortable about the recommended treatment plan. Still, there may be the need to adjust the plan as we go. For example, if we begin with radiation and it is not as effective as we would like, a round of chemotherapy may be necessary. In some situations, we may recommend both. It really depends on the type of cancer and how far it has spread. Our goal is to help our patients reach recovery, regardless of the combination of treatments that are required to do so.

Managing health and well-being

There are two aspects to treating cancer. As an oncologist, we work to remove cancer and to kill any remaining cancer cells. In addition, there is the aspect of health and well-being that we factor into any cancer treatment plan. It is critical for patients to do whatever they can to promote their own personal health.

This includes getting plenty of rest, drinking lots of fluids and eating a diet that is beyond healthy. In other words, there may be superfoods that can be incorporated into the diet to increase a person's amount of antioxidants. These types of nutritional considerations are things we can discuss during an appointment.

Many patients also find that researching complementary natural healing methods can help to improve their sense of well-being while they are recovering from things like chemotherapy.

Time is not on your side

As an oncologist, one of the most important things we want our patients to realize is that time is not on their side. When it comes to treatment, it is critical to begin treating cancer immediately, since the longer a person has cancer in their body, the more likely it is that cancer will spread. When it does, it will be harder to remove and harder to kill.

Therefore, we recommend scheduling an appointment with our office and if we recommend something like surgery, beginning the treatment immediately. We are available to assist you and to answer any questions that you may have. Call and schedule an appointment today.