Medical oncology: the new subspecialty

The creation of medical oncology as a new subspecialty of internal medicine required a definition of the scope of involvement of the physician in this new area. Objectives for training programs were established and provisions provided for certification of specialists as medical oncologists. The area of medical oncology encompasses a broad aspect of medicine and requires a frim foundation in the principles of internal medicine. As an advocate of the cancer patient, and in many instances the primary physician, the medical oncologist has the opportunity to effectively interact with many scientific skills in order to effectively control or even cure neoplastic diseases.