neuro vs im for neuroonc

[anxietypeaker]

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preM1.

I was wondering if neuro-oncology is more typically preceded by a hem/onc or neurology training?

Is there a difference in the type of medicine that's practiced within the realm of neuro-oncology b/t these two tracks (do both tracks do diag/med treatment)? I heard from some med student that hem/onc people are the main people in brain cancer patients. How come or is this not true?

Thanks.

 

[typhoonegator]

While in some locations there are heme/onc people doing primary glioma, NF, meningioma, etc. treatment, most of the major players at research institutions are neuro-oncologists trained in neurology. This likely has more to do with the patient-base than any other single factor. Primary brain malignancy is relatively rare, and you really need to be at a referral center if you want to focus on this subspecialty exclusively. Neurologists are not smarter than IM docs, but their skill set does lend itself better to the subject matter in this case.