Oncology specialty physicians U.S. 2016| ��ƽ��

Number of U.S. physicians in oncology specialties in 2016

Characteristic	AMA's Masterfile Number (July 2016)	Medicare's Physician Compare Number (May 2016)
Medical oncology and/or hematology	14,639	12,136
Gynecologic oncology	506	984
Radiation oncology	4,921	4,441
Pediatric hematology/oncology*	2,560	-
Surgical oncology	469	897

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Release date

March 2017

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Region

United States

Survey time period

as of 2016

Supplementary notes

* Medicare Physician Compare Number did not list pediatric hematology/oncology as pediatricians do not treat Medicare patients.

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The majority of hematology and oncology physicians in the U.S. were listed as radiation oncologists in 2016. Comparatively, the fewest number of oncologists were registered as surgical oncologists at that time. With an aging population and workforce, the U.S. is predicted to face a serious shortage of hematology and oncology physicians in the coming years.

Hematology and Oncology

Oncology and hematology field of medicine dedicated to the diagnosis and treatment of blood disorders and cancer. Most fields of medicine have seen an increase in the number of active physicians with specializations. While hematology and oncology were not among the specializations with the highest growth in registered specialists, the field has seen growth higher than the average among all fields of medicine. Oncologists work in various setting with various ownerships. Among U.S. oncology practices of small sizes, a majority were owned by either physicians or a hospital or health system.

Cancers and blood disease in the U.S.

Cancer cases have generally increased in number since 1999. Despite an increase in the number of cancer cases, the number of cancer deaths in the United States has been on the decline. Some cancers have higher death rates, like lung and bronchus cancers, while others have lower death rates. Cancers with the highest 5-year survival rates in the U.S. include prostate, thyroid, testis and melanoma of the skin.