Medical Oncology: What to Expect at Your First Appointment
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Being referred to a medical oncologist can be overwhelming and stressful, but knowing what to expect at your first oncology appointment can help ease your anxiety and prepare you for the next steps in your cancer treatment journey.
What Does a Medical Oncologist Do?
A medical oncologist is a doctor who specializes in studying, diagnosing, and treating cancer. The medical oncologist usually coordinates cancer care for the patient. They work closely with other members of your care team—including surgical and radiation oncologists, nurses, nutritionists, and social workers—to create a treatment plan tailored to your specific type and stage of cancer.
Who Needs to See an Oncologist?
Many people who see a medical oncologist have received a referral from another physician, like a PCP, who has identified an abnormality, or a surgeon who has already performed surgery on a patient diagnosed with cancer and wants the patient to see a medical oncologist to determine whether they require any further treatment.
What Happens at Your First Oncology Appointment?
Your first oncology consultation is fairly long, because the doctor needs to get a complete picture of your medical background and current health. The content of the visit will depend on where you are in your cancer journey, including whether a diagnosis has been made and whether you have seen other providers or undergone any type of treatment.
The medical oncologist will take a full medical history, including any health concerns, medications, diagnosed conditions, and previous surgeries, and perform a full physical exam.
They will review potential causes of the condition, discuss treatment options, and make recommendations, which can include surgery, radiation, and systemic treatment such as hormone therapy, chemotherapy, immunotherapy, or targeted therapy.
You’ll have the opportunity to ask any questions you have about the treatment, timelines, side effects, expected outcomes, and support resources.
After the Appointment
You may leave with additional appointments scheduled for lab work, imaging, or consultations with other specialists. After the initial oncology visit, your medical oncologist will follow your medical progress closely. In the first year of treatment, you will see them every few months for blood work, a physical exam, and a review of how you are responding to your treatments.
For more information on medical oncology at The Harold Leever Regional Cancer Center, listen to our Leever Cancer Conversations podcast.