Why Do I Need to See a Hematologist/Oncologist After My Breast Oncologist?

I have a breast surgeon, medical oncologist and radiation oncologist. My surgeon told me the “tumor team” meets weekly to discuss treatment plan so she can tell me what is planned but my medical oncologist is in charge of actually ordering my chemo, following up on blood work, ordering meds, tracking side effects, etc and decides type of chemo, length of treatment etc.

Thanks Bonnie. I did some research on this oncologist. She is a genetic oncologist. My late mother died of breast cancer. She is also the head of breast cancer treatment and research at the hospital I am going to. Looking forward to meeting her.

It's completely normal to wonder about the different specialists involved in cancer care. Breast surgeons who are also oncologists typically focus on the surgical aspects of treatment, while medical oncologists (hematologist/oncologists) specialize in systemic treatments like chemotherapy, hormone therapy, or targeted therapies. Having a dedicated medical oncologist create your treatment plan ensures you're getting specialized expertise for the non-surgical portions of your care, and they'll work closely with your breast surgeon to coordinate everything seamlessly.