Oncology is the study and treatment of cancer and tumors. An oncologist is a physician who diagnoses and treats cancer patients. The oncologist sometimes uses chemotherapy, and consults with other physicians to coordinate other methods of cancer treatments for a patient. Cancer patients need to take in to account the likelihood of a cure, or of prolonging life when cure is not possible, the effect of treatment on their symptoms, and the side effects of the treatment. People who are candidates for radiation therapy or anti-cancer drugs need to understand the risks involved with treatment. An oncologist can help to counsel a patient on treatment options and what to expect.
Physicians in this specialty treat patients suffering from numerous diseases and illnesses, but some of the most common are breast disease, Hodgkin's disease, colon cancer, Bone Marrow, Melanoma, breast cancer, Spinal Cord Tumors, Skin Cancer, Leukemia, lymphoma, lung cancer, Cervical cancer, Mesothelioma, Pancreatic cancer, Sarcoma, Oral cancer, Renal cell carcinoma, Thyroid cancer, Liver cancer, and bone cancer.
Once properly diagnosed, practitioners can perform numerous procedures on patients including breast surgery, Cryotherapy, Brachytherapy, breast reconstruction, CABG, Colonoscopy, cryosurgery, mastectomy, Chemotherapy, surgery, radiotherapy, adjuvant therapy, Bone marrow transplantation (BMT), immunotherapies, External Beam Radiotherapy, monoclonal antibody treatments, and Hormone manipulation.
To diagnose patients with possible illnesses and diseases, specialists will often perform one of many tests including biopsy, CT scanning, Beta- HCG, MRI scanning, Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI), X-rays, ultrasound, Computed Axial Tomography (CT or CAT Scan), CEA, endoscopy, NSE, Blood tests, CA 125, Tumor markers, Positron emission tomography, Scintigraphy, Beta HCG, PSA, and Alpha fetoprotein.
Doctor density varies by specialty and location. Alabama has 116 practicing oncologists. Broken out by city, oncology doctor density in Alabaster is 2, in Anniston is 2, in Bessemer is 1, in Birmingham is 55, in Cullman is 1, in Decatur is 1, in Dothan is 2, in Florence is 2, in Foley is 1, in Gadsden is 3, in Huntsville is 9, in Mobile is 14, in Montgomery is 8, in Muscle Shoals is 3, in Oneonta is 1, in Prattville is 3, in Spanish Fort is 3, in Sylacauga is 3, in Talladega is 1, in Tuscaloosa is 7, and in Vestavia is 1.
Montgomery is the capital city of this southern state, though Birmingham is its largest city. Population in 2005 was 4,557,808. Alabama is the birthplace of historical figures Hank Aaron, Helen Keller, and George Washington Carver. Take an airboat tour on the Mobile river delta, see the Alabama Civil Rights museum in Mantua, or tour the Jazz Hall of Fame in Birmingham. Visit the Shakespeare Festival Theater Complex in Montgomery, or play a round of golf at one of Alabama’s many acclaimed courses. From the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains in the state’s north to the Gulf coast beaches in the south, Alabama’s scenery includes a varied and diverse landscape.
According to 2005 Census estimates, Alabama has a population of 4,557,808. Of this population, 1,074,627 are under the age of 18 and 600,258 are at or above the age of 65.
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