Clinical Oncology

Clinical oncology, or chemotherapy, is one of the three main methods of treating malignant tumors. It is a systemic therapy that affects the entire patient's body. Chemotherapy uses various types of anticancer drugs, including cytostatics, monoclonal antibodies, targeted therapies, and immunotherapy.

Systemic treatment involves the administration of these drugs, which have different mechanisms of action on cancer cells. They can inhibit cell division, destroy cells completely, or make them more susceptible to the immune system. Anticancer drugs can be administered in various forms, such as tablets, capsules, liquids, intramuscular or intravenous injections, and intravenous infusions (drips).

Patients can receive chemotherapy either as inpatient treatment in a clinical oncology ward or on an outpatient basis in a day ward, meaning they do not require extended hospital stays. Nowadays, thanks to the availability of new-generation drugs, outpatient chemotherapy is increasingly common.

Systemic treatment affects the entire patient's body, meaning it has a broad spectrum of action, targeting both the primary tumor and metastases. Although therapies are becoming more precise, they are often accompanied by numerous side effects and can be taxing on the patient's body.

Systemic treatment can be used at various stages of cancer treatment, including before surgery or radiation therapy (neoadjuvant treatment), in combination with concurrent radiation therapy (combined treatment), after surgery (adjuvant treatment), or in the case of advanced or recurrent disease.

The NU-MED Group operates specialized oncology centers, including:

• Centrum Radioterapii i Onkologii - Elbląg  (Center for Radiotherapy and Oncology - Elbląg)
• Centrum Diagnostyki i Terapii Onkologicznej - Katowice (Center for Oncological Diagnosis and Therapy - Katowice) 
• Specjalistyczny Szpital Onkologiczny - Tomaszów Mazowiecki (Specialised Oncology Hospital - Tomaszów Mazowiecki)
• Centrum Diagnostyki i Terapii Onkologicznej - Zamość (Center for Oncological Diagnosis and Therapy - Zamość)