Youth cancer medical team

This is the group of doctors and nurses who will work with you to make decisions and give you treatment.

You’ll find that you are regularly in contact with some of them, in particular your oncologist right after diagnosis and the nurses when you are in hospital getting treatment. You may not meet everyone in this team - you'll be introduced to these people if you need them.

Members of the cancer medical team you might meet

Medical Oncologist

A doctor specialising in diagnosing and treating people with cancer. This doctor will usually be the person who takes overall responsibility to treat your cancer and to coordinate with all the other people involved in your care.

Radiation Oncologist

A doctor specialising in radiation to treat cancer.

Surgical Oncologist

A surgeon who specialises in removing cancers via an operation.

Haematologist

A specially trained doctor who diagnoses and treats conditions and diseases related to blood and bone marrow. They specialise in the treatment of blood cancers, such as leukaemia. They work in a range of ways such as clinicians and pathologists 

Radiologist

A specialist doctor who interprets X-rays, MRI scans and CAT scans to get pictures of the body.

Registered Nurse

A nurse who provides regular care in the hospital or outpatient clinic.

Haematology or Oncology Nurse Specialist

Is a registered nurse with additional education and training in cancer

Registrar

A doctor completing their specialist training who will normally see you every day while in hospital. They see you more often than the specialists and help manage patients on the ward and in clinics.

Resident/Intern

A junior doctor who normally works with a registrar and is involved in looking after patients on the ward.

The Multidisciplinary Team (MDT)

Basically, the multidisciplinary team complements the work of the medical team. You may not come into contact with them for a little while after diagnosis and treatment, but they have a wide range of skills that can help you on the road to recovery.

You may not meet everyone in this team - you'll be introduced to these people if you need them.

Members of the multidisciplinary team you might meet:

Cancer Care Coordinator

A specialist cancer nurse you can help you to understand how the healthcare system works. They help coordinate all the other people in the Multidisciplinary team. They can also help out with your healthcare needs at school, work, or play.

Social Worker

A trained professional who helps patients and their families adjust to life with cancer and treatments.

Dietitian

A professional who provides information to patients and their families about nutritional needs related to their cancer and treatment.

Clinical Psychologist

A professionally-trained therapist who helps with emotional and intellectual wellbeing during cancer diagnosis and treatment.

Pharmacist 

A professional who is knowledgeable about medications that may form part of your cancer treatment.

Exercise Physiologist

A professional who works with people to help keep them fit, or get fitter, so that they can cope better with the stresses of being treated for cancer. They can help you with exercise for either fitness or rehabilitation. Exercise physiologists may work in private practice, in gyms, in medical centres or in hospitals. 

Physiotherapist 

A professional who deals with recovering physical movement and may help with your recovery after surgery.

Art Therapist

A professional who uses art materials as a way to help you express yourself.

Music Therapist

A professional who uses music in cancer treatment to help reduce pain, anxiety, and nausea caused by chemotherapy and other treatments. Or just to help you relax and distract you from being in and out of hospital a lot.