Do I Need a Medical Oncologist in Addition to My Gyn/Onc?

anicca
anicca Member Posts: 334 Member
I really hadn't even thought about this, until I saw references in various posts about medical oncologists. The only doctor I've seen about my cancer is my gyn/onc at NYU Cancer Center. Do I also need a medical oncologist? What differences could I expect from a med/onc?

Comments

  • kikz
    kikz Member Posts: 1,345 Member
    Med onc
    I have my surgeon who is a gyn/onc and then I have my oncologist who was in charge of the chemo and my care while I was under treatment. Now I will see the surgeon once a year and the oncologist every six months. A CA 125 will be done every three months. Is this what you are talking about?

    Karen
  • anicca
    anicca Member Posts: 334 Member
    kikz said:

    Med onc
    I have my surgeon who is a gyn/onc and then I have my oncologist who was in charge of the chemo and my care while I was under treatment. Now I will see the surgeon once a year and the oncologist every six months. A CA 125 will be done every three months. Is this what you are talking about?

    Karen

    My surgeon, also a gyn/onc,
    My surgeon, also a gyn/onc, was in charge of my chemo and care while in treatment. All of my calls are answered by the NP who works with him, and I always see her first, the the surgeon. I'm at NYC Cancer Center and everything is in one building. My surgeon outlined my follow up plans for 5 years, and there was no mention of any other doctor. Maybe this is how it is done at NYU. I can ask when I see him tomorrow for my 6 month.
  • kikz
    kikz Member Posts: 1,345 Member
    anicca said:

    My surgeon, also a gyn/onc,
    My surgeon, also a gyn/onc, was in charge of my chemo and care while in treatment. All of my calls are answered by the NP who works with him, and I always see her first, the the surgeon. I'm at NYC Cancer Center and everything is in one building. My surgeon outlined my follow up plans for 5 years, and there was no mention of any other doctor. Maybe this is how it is done at NYU. I can ask when I see him tomorrow for my 6 month.

    I go to Kaiser.
    I guess it depends on where you go for treatment. This was my experience but I don't know which is more common.

    Karen
  • anicca
    anicca Member Posts: 334 Member
    kikz said:

    I go to Kaiser.
    I guess it depends on where you go for treatment. This was my experience but I don't know which is more common.

    Karen

    Thank you for the info.

    Thank you for the info.
  • poopergirl14052
    poopergirl14052 Member Posts: 1,183 Member
    anicca said:

    Thank you for the info.

    Thank you for the info.

    Nope
    you have the best care you can get.
  • upsofloating
    upsofloating Member Posts: 466 Member
    anicca said:

    My surgeon, also a gyn/onc,
    My surgeon, also a gyn/onc, was in charge of my chemo and care while in treatment. All of my calls are answered by the NP who works with him, and I always see her first, the the surgeon. I'm at NYC Cancer Center and everything is in one building. My surgeon outlined my follow up plans for 5 years, and there was no mention of any other doctor. Maybe this is how it is done at NYU. I can ask when I see him tomorrow for my 6 month.

    Different centers do handle
    Different centers do handle this area differently. I was initially managed by a medical center that did not have a gyn-onc on staff and was sent 'outside' for the surgery side but med onc handled chemo after. Later i changed to same clinic where gyn-onc was (a university medical center) and gyn-oncs handle both sides, surgery and chemo. As it is a teaching ctr, I usually also see an oncology fellow getting gyn-onc type of training if they will be practicing where there is not a gyn-onc readily available for the chemo end of treatment. It all depends on the center where you are treated.
    Annie
  • djinco
    djinco Member Posts: 87
    GYN/ONC-All in one Doctor
    A Gyn/Onc is the only Dr. I trust with my complete treatment. He was my surgeon, chemotherapy overseer and is my follow-up physician. He is the perfect Dr. for ovarian cancer treatment.
  • leesag
    leesag Member Posts: 621 Member
    I have both
    I elected to have chemo at the hospital only five minutes from my house. Since first line chemo treatments (carbo/taxol) seem fairly typical, I didn't have any concerns about this. My gyn/onc sees me every six months and my medical oncologist sees me every three months. If I have a recurrence, I may change my plan of action. Right now I am (trying to) enjoy being cancer free since July!

    Hugs!

    Leesa
  • childofthestars
    childofthestars Member Posts: 251 Member
    Gyn/Onc
    Hi Anicca
    I originally saw and was operated on by a gyn/onc and then passed over to a medical oncologist for treatment and my 5 year follow up plan. I did ask my gyn/onc if i need to see him again but he said that it's not necessary unless I want to.
    Michelle x
  • anicca
    anicca Member Posts: 334 Member

    Gyn/Onc
    Hi Anicca
    I originally saw and was operated on by a gyn/onc and then passed over to a medical oncologist for treatment and my 5 year follow up plan. I did ask my gyn/onc if i need to see him again but he said that it's not necessary unless I want to.
    Michelle x

    Like djinco, my gyn/onc does
    Like djinco, my gyn/onc does it all, and after seeing him today, I am very, very happy with the service he is providing. I'm also at a teaching hospital, but only see the one doctor plus his NP. Thanks again for all the answers.
  • srwruns
    srwruns Member Posts: 343
    anicca said:

    Like djinco, my gyn/onc does
    Like djinco, my gyn/onc does it all, and after seeing him today, I am very, very happy with the service he is providing. I'm also at a teaching hospital, but only see the one doctor plus his NP. Thanks again for all the answers.

    My gyn onc oversees
    My gyn onc oversees everything. I'm at a large teaching hospital so of course residents and fellows are often in the appointments with the dr. If I had chosen to have chemo at my local hospital I would have had the two drs. My home is only about 35 miles from the teaching hospital so I figured it was reasonable to do everything there.
  • vj1
    vj1 Member Posts: 150
    srwruns said:

    My gyn onc oversees
    My gyn onc oversees everything. I'm at a large teaching hospital so of course residents and fellows are often in the appointments with the dr. If I had chosen to have chemo at my local hospital I would have had the two drs. My home is only about 35 miles from the teaching hospital so I figured it was reasonable to do everything there.

    Anicca
    I have a gyn/onc who is wonderful and when I am in Fl he has arranged for me to see his college associate so it saves me a trip back to Pa for my 3 month "inspections" I have been very well satisfied mainly because they deal only with gyn. I suppose as things progress (hopefully not) another onc may have to be on the scene. Interesting question though, really never gave it research.

    Verna