The term oncology literally means a branch of science that deals with tumours and cancers. The word “onco” means bulk, mass, or tumor while “-logy” means study.

What is cancer?

Each of the cells of the body have a tightly regulated system that controls their growth, maturity, reproduction and eventual death. Cancer begins when cells in a part of the body start to grow out of control. There are many kinds of cancer, but they all start because of out-of-control growth of abnormal cells.

How long has cancer existed for?

Some of the earliest evidence of cancer is found among fossilized bone tumors, human mummies in ancient Egypt, and ancient manuscripts. Abnormalities suggestive of the bone cancer called osteosarcoma have been seen in mummies.

Among manuscripts the first known description of cancer is seen in the Edwin Smith Papyrus and is a copy of part of an ancient Egyptian textbook on trauma surgery. It describes 8 cases of tumors or ulcers of the breast that were treated by cauterization with a tool called the fire drill. It dates back to about 3000 BC. The papyrus describes the condition as “incurable”.

Oncology diagnostic tools

The most important diagnostic tool remains the clinical history of the patient. Common symptoms that point towards cancer include fatigue, weight loss, unexplained anemia, fever of unknown origin etc. Oncology depends on diagnostic tools like biopsy or removal of bits of the tumour tissue and examining it under the microscope. Other diagnostic tools include endoscopy for the gastrointestinal tract, imaging studies like X-rays, CT scanning, MRI scanning, ultrasound and other radiological techniques, Scintigraphy, Single Photon Emission Computed Tomography, Positron emission tomography and nuclear medicine techniques etc.

Role of an oncologist

Medical professionals who practice oncology are called Cancer specialists or oncologists. These oncologists have several specific roles. They help in diagnosis of the cancer, help in staging the cancer and grading the aggressive nature of the cancer.

An oncologist is a doctor who specializes in treating people with cancer. The three main types of oncologists are medical, surgical, and radiation oncologists. These different types of oncologists often work together to treat a person with cancer.

A medical oncologist specializes in treating cancer with chemotherapy (the use of drugs to kill cancer cells, usually by stopping the cancer cells’ ability to grow and divide) or other medications, such as targeted therapy and oral (in pill form) chemotherapy.

A surgical oncologist specializes in the removal of the tumor and surrounding tissue during an operation. A surgical oncologist also performs biopsies (the removal of a small amount of tissue for examination under a microscope).

A radiation oncologist specializes in treating cancer with radiation therapy (the use of high-energy x-rays or other particles to kill cancer cells).

A radiation oncologist specializes in treating cancer with radiation therapy (the use of high-energy x-rays or other particles to kill cancer cells).

A gynecologic oncologist focuses on the care and treatment of women with gynecologic cancers, such as uterine cancer and cervical cancer.

A pediatric oncologist specializes in the treatment of children with cancer. This specialty includes all three primary oncology disciplines listed above. (Some types of cancer occur most often in children and teenagers, such as certain brain tumors, leukemia, osteosarcoma, and Ewing’s sarcoma. However, they occasionally occur in adults. In these instances, an adult may decide to be treated by a pediatric oncologist.

A hematologist-oncologist specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of cancers of the blood, such as leukemias, lymphomas, and myelomas.

We treat en extensive range of cancers, including

• Biliary tract
• Bladder
• Bowel
• Brain
• Breast
• Gynecological
• Hematological
• Head and Neck
• Kidney
• Lung
• Neuroendocrine
• Oesophagus and stomach
• Paediatric
• Pancreas
• Primary liver
• Prostate
• Sarcoma
• Skin

Chemotherapy is a general term used to describe a wide range of anti-cancer drug treatments.

Traditionally, chemotherapy describes drugs which are given directly into a vein. Nowadays, your treatment can be given in a variety of different ways including as a tablet, an injection under the skin, an injection into a vein or into the spinal area.

We offer a wide variety of drug treatments. These include:

• Cytotoxic Chemotherapy
• Immunotherapy
• Molecular Targeted Agents
• Monoclonal antibodies
• Hormone Therapy

The longer standing treatments of this kind are called cytotoxic chemotherapy. “Cyto” means cell, and “toxic” means poisonous. The aim of these drugs is to poison and destroy the cancerous cells in your body. They may also affect non-cancerous cells, causing unpleasant side effects.

As well as the longstanding chemotherapy treatments, we also use newer drugs. These work in a more targeted way to kill cancer cells, while reducing the impact on non-cancer cells in the body. These newer drugs are sometimes referred to as monoclonal antibodies, immunotherapy and biological agents.

Each type of chemotherapy drug can be given alone but commonly cancer is treated with a combination of different drugs. Combining treatments enables more cancer cells to be killed and increases the chance of a good outcome of your treatment.

What kind of cancer treatment we prescribe for you will depend on a number of factors. These include:

• What kind of cancer you have
• The extent to which the cancer has progressed
• Other factors revealed in laboratory tests

We tailor your treatment, taking all these factors into account. Before you start chemotherapy, your treatment team will discuss your treatment plan with you face to face, explaining exactly what will be done. This will also give you the opportunity to ask any questions you may have.

As your treatment progresses, you will always be able to ask your team whatever you need to know.

The majority of chemotherapy is given as a day treatment. This means that you come in for your treatment and can go home on the same day. We also have clinics in some GP surgeries enabling you to have treatment closer to home.

In some cases, eg where a longer treatment is required or because of the nature of a particular cancer, patients need to be admitted to hospital as an impatient for chemotherapy. Ranjit Hospital in Amritsar is renowned for its exceptional cancer treatment, led by the best cancer specialist in the region. With cutting-edge technology and a dedicated team of experts, they offer comprehensive care and support to cancer patients. The hospital's top priority is to provide effective treatments while ensuring patient comfort and well-being. If you or a loved one is facing a cancer diagnosis, Ranjit Hospital is the place to turn for the highest quality of care and the expertise of the best cancer specialist in Amritsar.