onkologii

Oncology (Polish: onkologia) is the branch of medicine devoted to the study, diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of cancer. The field seeks to understand the biology of malignant growths, identify cancers early, and apply therapies that improve survival and quality of life. Oncology integrates basic science, clinical research, and multidisciplinary patient care to tailor treatment to individual tumors and patients.

Care within oncology is provided by several subspecialties. Medical oncology administers systemic therapies such as chemotherapy, immunotherapy, targeted therapy, and hormone therapy. Surgical oncology focuses on tumor removal and staging, while radiation oncology uses ionizing radiation to destroy cancer cells. Hematologic oncology deals with cancers of the blood and bone marrow. A multidisciplinary team often includes radiologists, pathologists, palliative care specialists, nurses, and pharmacists to coordinate diagnosis, treatment planning, and follow-up.

Diagnosis typically involves imaging, biopsy, and pathology to determine tumor type, stage, and molecular characteristics. Staging, commonly described by the TNM system, guides treatment decisions and prognosis. Treatments may be curative or palliative and are increasingly combined in multimodal strategies. Emerging approaches include precision medicine, immunotherapy, and targeted therapies, which aim to exploit specific genetic or molecular features of tumors.

Prevention and early detection are integral to oncology and include tobacco control, vaccination against cancer-associated viruses, healthy lifestyle measures, and organized screening programs for breast, colorectal, cervical, and other cancers. Research and professional guidelines influence practice, with major organizations publishing recommendations and coordinating clinical trials to evaluate new therapies and refine standards of care.