When it comes to cancer treatment in Singapore, there is no shortage of options. One of the key decisions to be made is what kind of doctor to lead the care team – a surgeon or a medical oncologist? The answer is actually not so straightforward. While many people may intuitively think of a medical oncologist to lead, the decision to have a surgeon lead the care team is also often an appropriate option.
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Medical Oncologist Vs Surgeon
What Are The Differences Between The Two?
Both types of doctors offer treatment for cancer. A surgeon (or surgical oncologist) treats cancer via the removal of tumours and cancerous tissues. They perform procedures like traditional open surgery, laparoscopy (keyhole surgery) and robot-assisted surgery.
Myth: A surgeon’s role involves only surgery. This is not true – when patients see a surgeon with an undiagnosed condition, the surgeon will first perform the necessary tests to confirm the diagnosis, before putting together a care team and a treatment plan for the patient.
Medical oncologists on the other hand, focus on treating cancer with chemotherapy, targeted therapy, and immunotherapy.
Both surgeons and medical oncologists work closely with other specialists to create a comprehensive treatment plan tailored to the patients’ needs.
Understanding The General Options For Cancer Treatment In Singapore
To be in a better position to decide on whether to engage a surgeon or a medical oncologist to lead the care team, let us first get an overview of the options for cancer treatment in Singapore.
- If the cancer is still relatively localised and the patient is able to receive surgery, surgery is often advocated because it is the way that is most likely to achieve cure (i.e. to completely eliminate the disease from the body).
- Treatment options like radiotherapy or chemotherapy tend not to achieve cure by themselves. Instead, they complement surgery to prevent future disease recurrence. It should also be noted that traditional chemotherapy and radiotherapy are not precisely-targeted and may have substantial treatment side effects.
- Radiotherapy or chemotherapy are also often used when the cancer has been spread beyond the organ of concern to distance sites.
See A Medical Oncologist Or A Surgeon
To Choose A Medical Oncologist Or A Surgeon For Cancer Treatment In Singapore?
Whether a patient goes to a medical oncologist or a surgeon depends much on the patient’s medical journey.
Typically, patients tend to present with symptoms that are vague and no specific diagnosis has been secured yet. In such situations, patients can consider consulting a surgeon to first establish the diagnosis. This might involve medical imaging scans, endoscopies, biopsies, or blood tests. The surgeon will Stage the extent of disease by assessing whether it is just localised to the organ of concern, or it has spread. Based on the stage of the disease, the surgeon would choose the right treatment for it.
For localised cancers, patients should consider seeing a surgeon for curative surgery.
For cancer that has spread to other organs, patients can consider seeing a medical oncologist (or the surgeon may refer the patient to one) for treatment that allows the targeting of distant metastasis. Is chemotherapy is to be the main modality of treatment, the patient may consider having the medical oncologist lead the care team.
An exception to the choice would be, for instance, for cancers of the blood, thereby surgery is not one of the treatment options. In such cases, patients can consider having a medical oncologist leading the care team.
The above pointers are summarised below for easier reference.
| Consideration | Medical Oncologist | Surgeon |
|---|---|---|
| Stage of Cancer | Preferred for advanced or metastatic cancer that has spread to other organs. | Preferred for localised cancer where curative surgery is possible. |
| Primary Treatment Modality | Leads when chemotherapy or systemic treatments (e.g., immunotherapy, targeted therapy) are the main form of treatment. | Leads when surgical intervention is the primary or initial form of treatment. |
| Initial Presentation Without Diagnosis | Less commonly the first point of contact in undiagnosed cases. | Often consulted first to establish diagnosis, especially when symptoms are vague and imaging or biopsies are needed. |
| Diagnostic Role | May provide input once diagnosis and staging are completed. | Conducts diagnostic procedures such as scans, endoscopies, biopsies, and staging. |
| Scope of Disease Management | Manages systemic and non-surgical treatments, especially for cancers that have metastasised. | Manages surgical treatment and decision-making when disease is confined to the primary organ. |
| Referral Pathway | May receive referrals from surgeons after diagnosis and staging confirm need for systemic therapy. | Often makes the initial diagnosis and refers to medical oncologist if disease is beyond surgical scope. |
| Cancer Type Exceptions | Leads care in haematological cancers (e.g., leukaemia, lymphoma) where surgery is not applicable. | Usually not involved in cancers like blood cancers that do not require surgery. |
| Overall Care Leadership | Suitable to lead when treatment involves long-term systemic care, or when surgery is not beneficial or feasible. | Suitable to lead when surgery is curative and central to treatment. |
Our Preferred Doctors For Cancer Treatment
Considering our Preferred Doctors may give you a head-start in the search for a specialist for cancer treatment
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Contact Us For A Consultation On Cancer Treatment
If you are looking for a surgeon or a medical oncologist, whether for cancer treatment in Singapore or in other parts of the region, we might be able to help. Contact us for assistance.
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This article is informative only and is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment, and should never be relied upon for specific medical advice.