Psycho-oncologist

A psycho-oncologist is a specialist in a relatively recent discipline dedicated to the study of the psychological consequences of cancer and the management of people with cancer who are suffering from psychological difficulties because of their disease (for example, depression following the diagnosis, grief, fear of treatment, altered body image following removal of a breast). The psycho-oncologist is usually a psychiatrist or a psychologist who has undergone further training in cancer. He or she is an integral part of the team managing a person with cancer and the person's friends and family, who are also often affected by the disease.