Oncology refers to the treatment and study of Cancer and thus Oncology nursing is typically associated to the care given to the cancer patients. A cancer patient mostly suffers from a terminal sickness that needs a lot of care and attention. Depending on the severity of the disease, the oncology nurses supervise and provide care, as the patient passes through the different stages of this disease. The severity of the disease demands specific skills and knowledge in order to provide relief and comfort from the sufferings and pain of Cancer and thus Oncology nurses play a very crucial role in the treatment of Cancer patients.

The job of an oncology nurse is quite varied. It includes administering chemotherapies, managing cancer-related symptoms, and treating patients (those who are affected by the disease). The role of an oncology nurse plays an integral part in the whole process of treating the Cancer patients and thus demands great courage and strong personal beliefs. The job also demands an ability to cope with death and yet to maintain healthy relationships with patients. Exposure to new treatment methods and dealing with difficult situations of the patients are two of the most essential characteristics required to be a successful Oncology nurse. Oncology nurses can be attached with specialty hospitals, ambulatory care centers, nursing homes, private homes, or regular hospitals.

Various Oncology nursing certification courses are available for specialization in the concerned area starting from basic certification to advanced certificate courses. These courses can help the nurses in keeping their educational qualification update and qualify for entering a specialty area. In order to obtain certifications, nurses are required to have an RN (registered nurse) license, clear various multiple-choice tests, and meet specific eligibility criteria. Several nursing societies have also come up to improve quality by attaining excellence in education, research, patient care, and administration in the area of oncology nursing.

The field of medicine concerned with the treatment of cancer is oncology.

Cancer has become an important problem with the rise in life expectancy, as the above mentioned mutations become more likely the longer a person lives. Though great progress in treatment has been made, most cancers in advanced stages remain incurable and ultimately fatal. Treatment of cancer typically involves surgery to remove tumors and nearby lymph nodes to which the cancer may have spread, combined with radiation therapy and/or chemotherapy. The latter two target cells in the body that are rapidly dividing. This includes the cancer cells but also certain healthy ones, which is the reason for the severe side effects of these treatments.

Cancers are capable of spreading through the body by two mechanisms: local invasion and distant metastasis. Invasion refers to the direct migration and penetration by cancer cells into neighboring tissues. Metastasis refers to the ability of cancer cells to penetrate into lymphatic and blood vessels, circulate through the bloodstream, and then invade normal tissues elsewhere in the body. Cancer is most deadly when it metastasizes.