Medical Oncology

Cancer is one of the diseases that are common in our age and the rate of incidence in humans is increasing rapidly. Cancer has started to become an important problem not only in our country but also in the world.

Cancer, which is seriously life-threatening, is also frequently seen in our country. Common cancers in men are: bowel, prostate, bladder, stomach and lung cancers. In women, cancer types with the highest incidence are uterine, thyroid, bowel, lung and breast cancer.

Cancer should be diagnosed and treated by bringing together more than one specialty. Medical Oncology is one of those branches at this point. In the Department of Medical Oncology of Maltepe University Faculty of Medicine Hospitals, which deals with the application of chemotherapy in which cancer is treated with drugs, biological therapies, chemotherapies, smart drugs and molecules, immunotherapies and hormonal therapy are used.

Although smart drugs are different from other chemotherapy methods, they are performed according to the disease status of the person. Chemotherapy is used to shrink the tumor or it is applied to protect the health of the person after the surgical operation. In addition to being a method that can be applied before or after radiotherapy, chemotherapy is also a treatment method that can be applied at every stage depending on the situation.

Since the drug doses to be administered in chemotherapy may cause side effects in the patient, it is important to control these side effects and require expertise.

Which treatment methods are included in the Medical Oncology department?

Chemotherapy

Chemotherapy is a drug treatment method and means that the tumor in the patient is treated with drugs. Chemotherapy, which is an important component of tumor treatment, is an important part of radiation therapy and surgical treatment. With the method applied with one or more drugs, depending on the patient's condition, it is aimed to grow tumor cells more and to kill them.

Why Is Chemotherapy Applied?

There are many reasons for the application of chemotherapy. Variables such as the structure and type of the tumor are the reasons for the application of Chemotherapy.

Some of the reasons for the application of chemotherapy, which includes more than one reason, are as follows:

• To eliminate the signs of tumor,
• To prevent it from spreading to more areas,
• To ensure that the patient has a healthy life by purifying the body from tumors,
• To shrink the tumor or prevent it from growing.

In chemotherapy treatment, the tumor may not always be completely eliminated. However, thanks to the shrinkage of the tumor and minimizing its symptoms, it allows the patient to lead a more comfortable life. In some cases, chemotherapy can be applied at the same time as other treatment methods, and sometimes it can be the only treatment method for the patient. Chemotherapy method, which is used before and after the surgery to shrink the tumor, can be applied after the surgery to protect the health of the person.

How often is the chemotherapy method applied and how long does it take?

There are many variables in determining the chemotherapy treatment process and the frequency of its administration. Depending on the results of the treatment, the frequency of application may increase or decrease. First of all, the condition of the patient and the disease, the treatment process determined according to that situation, the frequency and duration of the chemotherapy method are the determining factors.

Although there is an important point in determining the frequency rate, this point is to determine the frequency of treatment and to perform it regularly without ignoring the side effects of the treatment.

The common duration of treatment is applications lasting 3 to 4 weeks. From time to time, additional treatment applications such as once every two weeks can be added to this 3-4 week period.

In any case, the most important rule is that the treatment is carried out at sufficient intervals and on time. Long breaks can cause the tumor to gain resistance. In order for the treatment to be successful and to prevent the spread of the tumor, the treatment should be performed with sufficient intervals. This will increase the success rate of the treatment.
Get approval and help from your doctor in processes such as compulsory treatment discontinuation. Be careful not to go beyond your doctor's recommendations.

Where and by whom should chemotherapy be administered?

Chemotherapy treatment is an important issue and should definitely be applied by professionals in health centers. The process should be continued under the control of a doctor who is completely expert in the field, and its application by people who are not experts in the field of chemotherapy should be avoided.

Chemotherapy should be administered by doctors called Medical Oncologists (Medical Oncologists) and working in the field of Medical or Medical Oncology.

Medical Oncologist means a doctor who specializes in tumor treatment. A competent team is required for the correct application of tumor treatment because this treatment method is a treatment method that will be performed as a team, not individually, and successful results will be obtained.

Radiation oncologist for radiation therapy (radiotherapy), medical oncologist for chemotherapy and supportive treatment to the patient, and a specialist surgeon for tumor surgery are required.