Medical oncology

Medical oncology, also known as systemic treatment (or general treatment because it predominantly affects the whole body and not a specific organ), is used to treat cancer with drugs (systemic treatments). These treatments can be administered as neoadjuvant (before surgery), adjuvant (after surgery) or palliative (for relief care) therapy and are combined with oncological surgery or radiotherapy, depending on the type of cancer.

Cancer centres

For over a decade, Swiss Oncology Network has set its sights on one overriding goal: to offer everyone living with cancer privileged access to treatments and the best and safest treatment strategies for their specific illness.

Our cancer centres

Systemic treatments

Chemotherapy

The drugs (cytostatic/cytotoxic) which are administered to the patient (oral or IV injection) block the growth of cells and destroy them.

Hormone therapy

Is a type of cancer treatment that slows or stops the activity/production of hormones that stimulate the growth of cancer (only used to treat ‘hormone-dependent’ or ‘hormone-sensitive’ tumours)-

Immunotherapy

Does not specifically target the tumour, but is a type of cancer treatment that uses drugs to boost or activate the body’s own natural defences to fight cancer (immune response).

Targeted therapies

Are a group of drugs that selectively intervene in certain tumour cellular processes to block tumour growth or slow its metabolism

Through regular monitoring, medical oncologists will not only check that the treatment is progressing smoothly, but will also be able to manage any side effects that the patient may experience, both during and after treatment.

Find out more

Cancer centres

Radio-oncology

Radiology

CyberKnife® System

Nuclear medicine

Pathology

Hematology

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