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Medical Oncology guides
24 plain-English, evidence-linked guides in Medical Oncology, with clinical review status shown on each page.
Bladder and kidney cancer treatment (Treatment of urological cancers of the bladder and kidney (and related upper urinary tract))The treatments used for bladder and kidney cancers — including treatments placed into the bladder, surgery, chemotherapy, immunotherapy and targeted drugs — planned by a specialist team according to the type and stage.Bowel (colorectal) cancer treatment (Multidisciplinary treatment of colorectal cancer)The overall plan to treat bowel (colorectal) cancer, which may combine surgery, chemotherapy, radiotherapy and targeted drugs depending on whether it is colon or rectal cancer and on the stage.Breast cancer treatment (Multidisciplinary treatment of breast cancer)The overall plan to treat breast cancer, which may combine surgery, radiotherapy, chemotherapy, hormone (endocrine) therapy and targeted drugs depending on the type and stage.Cancer follow-up and monitoring (Cancer surveillance and follow-up)The appointments, tests and scans used after cancer treatment to check how you are, watch for any signs the cancer has come back, and support your recovery.Cancer of unknown primary assessment (Assessment of metastatic malignant disease of unknown primary origin (cancer of unknown primary, CUP))The set of tests and specialist reviews used to find out where a cancer started when it has already been found to have spread, and to plan treatment based on the most likely source even if the exact starting point cannot be confirmed.Cancer staging tests (Cancer staging investigations)The scans, tests and pathology used to work out the size of a cancer and whether it has spread, so the right treatment can be planned.Cancer treatment tablets (oral anticancer therapy) (Oral anticancer therapy (oral systemic anti-cancer treatment))Cancer medicines taken by mouth at home as tablets or capsules, which are powerful drugs that must be taken exactly as prescribed and monitored carefully.Genetic cancer risk assessment (Cancer genetic counselling and predictive/diagnostic germline testing)A counselling-led assessment of whether your personal and family history suggests an inherited cancer risk, sometimes followed by a blood or saliva test to look for a faulty gene.Getting a second opinion about cancer (Second opinion in cancer diagnosis and treatment)A consultation where a different cancer specialist reviews your diagnosis and treatment plan, so you can feel more confident about your options.Head and neck cancer treatment (Treatment of head and neck cancers (mouth, throat, voice box, salivary glands and related sites))The treatments used for cancers of the mouth, throat, voice box and related areas — usually surgery, radiotherapy and chemotherapy, often in combination — planned by a specialist team according to the site, type and stage.Hormone therapy for cancer (Hormone (endocrine) therapy for cancer)Cancer treatment that lowers or blocks hormones for cancers that use hormones to grow, most often breast and prostate cancer.Immunotherapy for cancer (Cancer immunotherapy (including immune checkpoint inhibitors))A type of cancer treatment that uses medicines to help your own immune system find and attack cancer cells.Intravenous infusion treatment (a drip into a vein) (Intravenous (IV) infusion therapy in medical oncology)Giving cancer medicine straight into a vein through a drip, so it can travel in the bloodstream to reach cancer cells around the body.Joining a cancer clinical trial (Access to cancer clinical trials and experimental treatment)How people with cancer can find out about, and possibly join, a research study testing a new treatment, test or way of caring for people.Lung cancer treatment (Multidisciplinary treatment of lung cancer)The overall plan to treat lung cancer, which may combine surgery, radiotherapy, chemotherapy, immunotherapy and targeted drugs depending on the type and stage.Managing chemotherapy side effects (Chemotherapy side-effect management)How the unwanted effects of chemotherapy are prevented, monitored and treated, so you stay as safe and comfortable as possible during treatment.Melanoma and skin cancer treatment (Treatment of melanoma and non-melanoma skin cancer (basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma))The treatments used for skin cancers — usually surgery for early disease, and for melanoma that has spread, drugs such as immunotherapy or targeted therapy — planned by a specialist team according to the type and stage.Ovarian and gynaecological cancer treatment (Treatment of gynaecological cancers (ovarian, fallopian tube, peritoneal, womb, cervical and vulval cancer))The combination of surgery, chemotherapy, targeted drugs and sometimes radiotherapy used to treat cancers of the ovaries, fallopian tubes, womb, cervix or vulva, planned by a specialist team based on the type and stage of the cancer.Pancreatic and upper GI cancer treatment (Treatment of pancreatic and upper gastrointestinal cancers (pancreas, stomach, oesophagus, bile duct, gallbladder and liver))The combination of chemotherapy, surgery, radiotherapy and supportive care used to treat cancers of the pancreas, stomach, oesophagus, bile ducts, gallbladder or liver, planned by a specialist team according to the type and stage of the cancer.Prostate cancer treatment (Multidisciplinary treatment of prostate cancer)The overall plan for prostate cancer, which may be careful monitoring, surgery, radiotherapy, hormone therapy, chemotherapy or a combination, depending on the risk and stage.Seeing a medical oncologist (Medical oncology consultation)An appointment with a medical oncologist to discuss cancer drug treatments such as chemotherapy, immunotherapy, targeted therapy or hormone therapy, and to plan care.Supportive and palliative cancer care (Supportive (cancer) care)Care that manages symptoms and supports wellbeing alongside cancer treatment, to help you feel as well as possible; it is not the same as giving up.Targeted (biological) cancer therapy (Targeted cancer therapy (biological therapy))Cancer medicines that target specific features of cancer cells, given as tablets or infusions, often after testing the cancer to see if a target is present.Tumour genetic / molecular testing (Somatic tumour genomic (molecular) profiling and biomarker testing)Laboratory tests on a sample of the cancer (or sometimes blood) to look for genetic and molecular changes that help confirm the diagnosis and guide which treatments are most likely to help.
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