Who makes a cancer diagnosis ?

[medigeek]

I was wondering about this before. I know the different types of oncologists, but I never understood who actually makes the diagnosis... for example for colon cancer or prostate cancer... is it the family doc? then refers to radiation oncologist or medical oncologist for treatment ?

[Lactic Folly]

A colonic adenocarcinoma could be seen on colonoscopy or imaging (which may be ordered by the family physician), or even picked up on physical exam if a low-lying rectal cancer by the FP, and called very suspicious for cancer by the gastroenterologist / general surgeon / radiologist.. but the final diagnosis would come from the pathologist's reading of the biopsy. At our cancer centre, a tissue diagnosis is required for referral. Once referred, an interdisciplinary team sees the patient (including rad onc and med onc).

[NLengr]

Prostate is usually the urologist gets referee something suspicious by the family doc, he/she evaluates the data and patient, decides to biopsy. Biopsy goes to pathology who reports cancer.

 

I guess technically from a medical POV it's the pathologist. From a patients point of view it's the urologist.

 

As for treatment, it usually goes to the surgeon (if applicable), the to med. Onc. (if chemo) and/or rad. Onc. (if rads). Its pretty cancer and patient dependent.

[Guest copacetic]

pathologist

[thebouque]

Pathologists make cancer diagnoses

[rmorelan]

The pathologist is the final word(and oftentimes first word) on cancer diagnosis. That's their primary function. I think they should change their specialty's name to "Diagnostic oncology"

 

ha, they really should have diagnostic somewhere in their name

[thebouque]

ha, they really should have diagnostic somewhere in their name

 

The name is fine as it is