Diagnosing and treating cancer is complex. People often need the experience and skills of several different medical and health professionals to treat cancer. These professionals involved in a patient's cancer care make up the oncology team.

Cancer is often treated in a team effort, with at least two or three types of oncologists, including medical, surgical or radiation. The oncology treatment team may also include a pathologist, a diagnostic radiologist or an oncology nurse.

Once a diagnosis is made, the oncologist discusses disease stage with the patient. Staging will dictate treatment of the cancer.

Chemotherapy — which is defined as the destruction of cancer cells — may be used, as well as radiation therapy. Surgery is used to remove tumors. Hormone therapy is used to treat certain types of cancers, and monoclonal antibody treatments are gaining popularity.