Kandice VincentThe 5 Best Oncologists in Toronto
Cancer is one of the unpredictable diseases out there, as its detection and treatment can be very complicated. It also means grave effects on the patient and their loved-ones’ mental, emotional, and even financial aspects.
This review assesse some of the best oncologists in Toronto, including each of their specialisations, strengths, and even a few cons. If you are reading this for research, we sure hope this article helps!
The Best Oncologists in Toronto
How much does going to an oncologist cost in Toronto?
Below is a sample price table to provide you with an idea about how much oncologists usually charge for a specific service.
Please note that these are only estimates and that it would be best to prepare a bigger budget, as cancer detection and treatment can really be costly.
The Best Oncologists in Toronto
We used the following criteria to examine each of the oncologists in this list:
1. Dr. Wey Leong
| EXPERTISE | ★★★★★ |
| Knowledge | ★★★★★ |
| Skills | ★★★★★ |
| COMMUNICATION | ★★★★★ |
| COMPASSION FOR PATIENTS | ★★★★★ |
| REPUTATION | ★★★★☆ |
Dr. Wey Leong is the Director of the Breast Surgical Oncology Fellowship. He has a great medical background that any patient or researcher would find impressive.
We like how he specialises in surgery, both for oncology and general. This guarantees that he is familiar with almost any necessary treatments and is knowledgeable in terms of finding out the gravity of a medical condition.
Another thing that we like about Dr. Leong is the fact that he also practises as a professor. This reaffirms the amount of knowledge he has in his chosen profession.
Specialisation-wise, Dr. Leong is best recommended for breast surgery and melanoma surgery. His focus is on the treatment of breast and skin cancer patients, so it is automatic that his expertise is limited to these two.
We also add that communication is very smooth with Dr. Leong, even his secretary. Do note that they only accept appointments made via phone call.
We do note that the clinic of Dr. Leong is closed during weekends. However, his secretary is always efficient when it comes to making appointments and those that require immediate attention may still be accommodated on Saturdays and Sundays.
Overall, Dr. Wey Leong is among the best for breast and skin cancer diagnosis and treatments. He has helped many patients and his process is very smooth.
Pros
- Specialises in surgery
- Loved by breast cancer patients
- Also practices as a professor
- Very smooth communication
Cons
- Clinic is closed on weekends
- Strictly phone call appointment bookings only
Patient Reviews
Honest and thorough
“Honest and thorough. He helped my mom with her breast cancer surgery and we are very appreciative.” — Rachel S, via Google
He has golden hands!
“Very good doctor! He has golden hands! (I don’t see any scar after the surgery last year.)” — Inna Teytelbaum, via Google
2. Dr. Carol Jane Swallow
| EXPERTISE | ★★★★★ |
| Knowledge | ★★★★★ |
| Skills | ★★★★★ |
| COMMUNICATION | ★★★★★ |
| COMPASSION FOR PATIENTS | ★★★★★ |
| REPUTATION | ★★★★☆ |
Among the top results for oncologist searches in Toronto is Dr. Carol Swallow. She has been in the profession for over 20 years, which is evident in the way she handles patients.
Her expertise includes retroperitoneal sarcoma, gastrointestinal stromal tumour, gastric cancer, and rectal cancer. She is recommended in these fields, but may not be able to answer cancer-related questions concerning other body parts.
What we like most about Dr. Swallow is how she extends her knowledge beyond patient diagnosis and treatment. She has served as a director and chair to several school and hospital surgery divisions, proving that she has great communication skills.
We also like how she continues to stay relevant in her profession. Aside from attending to a number of patients, she has even authored 150 peer-reviewed papers.
We do note that given her schedule, her clinic hours are not disclosed and everything is strictly by appointment only. This isn’t bad at all, but some patients who would prefer to walk in may find this inconvenient.
We also find that she can take a while to reply via emails, so we encourage phone calls for those with urgent concerns.
We recommend Dr. Carol Swallow for her commitment to her profession. She even has a laboratory research that is focused on mechanisms of tumour invasion and metastasis.
Pros
- 20 years’ professional experience
- Best for gastric cancer and rectal cancer
- Authored 150 peer-reviewed papers.
- Has an impressive list of professional associations
Cons
- Strictly by appointment only
- Email responses take long
Customer Reviews
Amazing doctor and surgeon
“She saved my mother’s life; an amazing doctor and surgeon. We were blessed to be taken to Mount Sinai and in the care of Dr. Swallow” — Jessica Frati, via Google
Compassionate and caring
“Dr. Swallow is as confident and brilliant a surgeon as she is a compassionate and caring person… She visited me (on her personal time) on a Saturday evening in the hospital to see how I was recovering after surgery. “ — Hayley Thomas, via Google
3. Dr. Taymaa May
| EXPERTISE | ★★★★★ |
| Knowledge | ★★★★★ |
| Skills | ★★★★★ |
| COMMUNICATION | ★★★★★ |
| COMPASSION FOR PATIENTS | ★★★★★ |
| REPUTATION | ★★★★☆ |
With a background in gynecology, Dr. Taymaa May is one of the most popular Toronto doctors for ovarian cancer. She is also an Associate Professor at the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology of the University of Toronto.
Dr. May is recognised because of her success rate in helping ovarian cancer patients not just physically, but also emotionally. She is very friendly and is also very eager to share her knowledge, with her having a few social media videos.
In terms of expertise, her certifications prove that she is knowledgeable and skilled. She is both an American Board-Certified Gynecologic Oncologist and American Board-Certified Obstetrician and Gynecologist.
She is also known for her expertise in colposcopy, allowing many people to trust her when it comes to proper ovarian cancer detection. She is also very approachable when it comes to birth control plans and for those who are concerned with their sexual health.
Honestly, the only inconvenience we can say about Dr. May is that her clinic is closed during weekends. We also find that she does not perform a few of the needed surgeries herself, but she would usually refer to a very reliable one.
Dr. May is the perfect option for women who want to be extra cautious about their reproductive health. She even gives good advice for those who have questions about general vaginal maintenance and wellness.
Pros
- Well-recommended by ovarian cancer patients
- Very friendly and personable
- Provides good advice for overall vaginal health
- Expert in colposcopy
Cons
- Clinic is closed on weekends
- Only performs selected surgeries
Customer Reviews
She gave me hope
“I was so fortunate to be referred to Dr. May. It was a very grim time and upon my first meeting with her I realized she was the silver lining.
She gave me hope, she is very confident and compassionate. I knew I was in good hands. Thank you Dr. May for your competent care and your ongoing reassurance.”
— anonymous, via ratemds.com
Wonderful, caring doctor
“Wonderful, caring doctor. Very happy that she is the one who saw me through my 5-year post op. Highly recommended.” — anonymous, via ratemds.com
4. Dr. Andrew Bayley
| EXPERTISE | ★★★★★ |
| Knowledge | ★★★★★ |
| Skills | ★★★★★ |
| COMMUNICATION | ★★★★★ |
| COMPASSION FOR PATIENTS | ★★★★★ |
| REPUTATION | ★★★★☆ |
Dr. Andrew Bayley is a go-to doctor for those who have alarming genital and urinary concerns. We find that many of male patients trust him, as his specialisation is not as common as other cancer types.
We like Dr. Bayley not only for his expertise. He also has a very good grasp of his expertise, as seen in the many papers that he has published and co-published with medical peers.
We also like the way he handles patients. Many find him very humourous when the situation demands it, which is helpful to certain patients.
He is also an assistant professor at the University of Toronto’s Radiation Oncology Department. His students find that he really explains things well, down to specific details.
We do warn that while his clinic is supposedly open daily, he may sometimes be unavailable to accept walk-ins or even accommodate physical meetings. It is best to call for an appointment prior to anything.
We also find that he rarely performs surgeries, and that his expertise is mostly on radiation therapy. Still, his knowledge in his craft means that he usually recommends good surgeons.
All said, Dr. Bayley has a great track record that makes him worthy of a recommendation. He has proven to save the lives of many people who were diagnosed with rare cases and cancer conditions.
Pros
- Specialises in Genitourinary and Gastrointestinal Oncology
- Great at communicating and handling patients
- Has published many relevant papers
- Has proven himself in treating rare cancer conditions
Cons
- May sometimes be unavailable for walk-ins
- Rarely performs surgeries
Customer Reviews
His personable approach made all the difference
“The best doctor ever! Saved my life 6 years ago. His personable approach in difficult situations made all the difference in how I was able to handle both the diagnosis and treatments.” — anonymous, via ratemds.com
Approachable, compassionate, and caring
“Helped ease my dads suffering right to the end. Approachable, compassionate and caring.” — anonymous, via ratemds.com
5. Dr. Natalie Coburn
| EXPERTISE | ★★★★★ |
| Knowledge | ★★★★★ |
| Skills | ★★★★★ |
| COMMUNICATION | ★★★★★ |
| COMPASSION FOR PATIENTS | ★★★★★ |
| REPUTATION | ★★★★☆ |
Having an extensive background in surgical oncology, Dr. Natalie Coburn has helped many patients to literally get rid of the cancerous parts and cells in their bodies.
The very reason for Dr. Coburn gaining a spot in this list is her flexibility. She can provide advice and opinions on almost any cancer type, but we do note that her research points towards gastrointestinal tract cancer.
We also find that most of her successful operations are those with regards to the digestive system. She has performed smooth liver and pancreas surgeries.
She also has a great list of associations, including a Sherif and MaryLou Hanna Chair in Surgical Oncology Research at the Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre.
We do note that everything is strictly by appointment only, as her clinic doesn’t run on a fixed schedule. We also find that she doesn’t usually respond to scheduling inquiries as she relies on her assistant for that and only replies if the inquiry is a medical concern.
Her communication with patients is also good. We do note that she can be very serious and may appear to be strict at first, but her patients say that she can be very friendly too.
Dr. Natalie Coburn is among the best options for digestive system alarms and concerns. She has performed successful surgeries that led to great healing.
Pros
- Extensive background in surgical oncology
- Has performed successful liver and pancreas surgeries
- Has a great list of medical associations
- Can also provide advice on other cancer types
Cons
- No fixed clinic schedule
- Can be personally unresponsive to scheduling inquiries
Customer Reviews
Really patient to answer my questions
“Dr. Coburn saved my life. her team was really patient to answer my questions and her secretary is so helpful. i’m so glad that i came here to sunny brook.”
— anonymous, via ratemds.com
Went out of her way to determine the next treatment
“Dr. Coburn is an extremely knowledgeable and caring doctor. She went out of her way to help us determine the next treatment for my mother-in-law. I hope no one is ever diagnosed with gastric cancer, but if they do, Dr. Coburn is the way to go.”
— anonymous, via ratemds.com
FAQs on Oncologists in Toronto
We hope that this article helped you learn more about cancer and gave you an idea about the best oncologists in Toronto and their respective expertise.
Here are our other reviews on doctors in Toronto:
