A radiation oncologist specializes in treating cancer with radiation. Radiation oncologists consult with other specialists to develop radiation treatment plans and ensure the safety and accuracy of radiation therapy. They are involved in patient care before, during and after radiation therapy for many types of cancer, from bladder cancer to brain tumors.
Radiation oncologists work in hospitals and freestanding radiology clinics. They are key members of cancer care teams that may include oncologists, surgeons, primary care doctors, and other radiologists and specialists. Doctors send their patients to radiation oncologists to receive treatments, including traditional external beam radiation therapy as well as internal radiation therapy and radioactive drugs. Radiation oncologists oversee all aspects of radiation treatment, including prescribing the radiation therapy and ensuring treatments are accurate and minimize damage to healthy tissue nearby.
Radiation oncologists also evaluate a patient’s progress and confer with other oncologists to stage the level of seriousness and spread (metastasis) of cancer. They watch for side effects of radiation therapy, treat side effects, and modify treatments as needed.
A radiation oncologist may also be known by the following names: cancer radiologist, oncology radiologist, radiology oncologist, and cancer doctor.
There are 9679 specialists practicing Radiation Oncology in the United States with an overall average rating of 4.5 stars. There are 2118 hospitals in the United States with affiliated Radiation Oncology specialists, including Dana - Farber Cancer Institute, Boston Children's Hospital and Cleveland Clinic.
