Oncology is a branch of medicine that deals with tumors. A medical professional who practices oncology is an oncologist. The name's etymological origin is the greek word onkos (όγκος), meaning "tumor", "volume" or "mass". Oncology is concerned with: The diagnosis of any cancer in a person (pathology) Therapy (e.g. surgery, chemotherapy, radiotherapy and other modalities) Follow-up of cancer patients after successful treatment Palliative care of patients with terminal malignancies Ethical questions surrounding cancer care Screening efforts: of populations, or of the relatives of patients (in types of cancer that are thought to have a hereditary basis, such as breast cancer)
