oncologist

American  

[ahng-kahl-uhj-ist] / ɑŋˈkɑl ədʒ ɪst /

noun

• oncologists
  plural

1. a physician who specializes in oncology.

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• oncologists
  plural

Explanation

An oncologist is a doctor who specializes in diagnosing and treating different forms of cancer. Hearing that a friend or family member has to visit an oncologist is never good news. Oncology is the medical treatment of cancer, and an oncologist is someone who has trained to practice oncology. Cancer is a disease that involves the abnormal growth of normal cells into masses, or tumors, and the word oncologist includes the prefix onco-, which is used in medical words to mean "tumor." It stems from the Greek root onkos, or "mass."

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

oncologist oncologists

I’m an oncologist, so when I get these questions, I immediately think about the science.

From Slate ● Sep. 9, 2026

Neelesh Reddy, a senior consultant oncologist at Manipal Hospitals, told AFP that "only time will tell how this technology will be useful to the actual patients".

From Barron's ● Sep. 7, 2026

"She had another 20 years or more - she would be alive right now if she had the correct information, if she had listened to me and gone to an oncologist."

From BBC ● Aug. 4, 2026

“It’s also why I became an oncologist. When you’re an oncologist, there’s not a lot of small talk.”

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 10, 2026

The oncologist will probably come in to ask you some questions before we start the methotrexate.

From "Drums, Girls, and Dangerous Pie" by Jordan Sonnenblick

She has also published her story – described as "remarkable" by oncologists and other cancer survivors – in a book.

From BBC ● Jul. 28, 2026

For decades, oncologists blamed cancers of the mouth and throat on excessive use of tobacco or alcohol.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 10, 2026

The therapy remains controversial among mainstream oncologists, in part because there are few rigorous clinical studies evaluating its efficacy.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 8, 2026

To highlight these concerns, Dulmage authored a paper in JCO Oncology Practice urging oncologists to discuss hair loss openly with patients and explain how biotin could affect test results.

From Science Daily ● May 7, 2026

According to Howard Jones and other gynecologic oncologists I talked with, the correct diagnosis wouldn’t have changed the way Henrietta’s cancer was treated.

From "The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks" by Rebecca Skloot