Pediatric Hematology Oncology Services at Action Cancer Hospital
Pediatric Hematology Oncology Services is for children with Cancer and Blood Diseases. This specialized service comprises of Pediatric Hematology Oncology, Outpatient Clinics and Day Care Unit, Inpatient Wards and Bone Marrow Transplantation Unit.
The Department of Pediatric Hematology Oncology at Action Cancer Hospital offers comprehensive Hematology Oncology Care to all children up to the age of 18 years.
The Department has a dedicated team of experts in the field of Pediatric Hematology / Oncology. The team constituted by experienced Pediatric Oncologists, Hematologist, Pediatric Onco Surgeon, Radiation Oncologist, Pediatric Oncology Residents and Nurses, Child Psychologist and Playroom Teachers’ who works hard to ensure that best care is delivered to every child. Children with all types of Hematological and Solid Organ Malignancies receive specialized Oncology services here.
About our Pediatric Heamato oncologist :
Dr. Darshan Kataria is a well experienced Peadiatric Heamato-oncologist with special interest in pediatric bone marrow transplants. He mainly deals in matched unrelated and haplo- identical transplants. He has an experience of over 50 transplants with different pediatric illness / diagnosis
He believes that early diagnosis and appropriate treatment is the key factor for better outcomes of patients. The aim should be to minimize morbidities and achieve good overall survival.
He is a recipient of the “Saral Sujan trophy” and gold medal for his presentations at state level conference.
The various type of Cancers treated in the Department includes:
Leukemia (ALL, AML, CML),
Lymphomas (Non-Hodgkin’s and Hodgkin’s), as well as all
Pediatric solid Tumors like :
Other conditions.
Recognizing the special needs of children with cancer, the hospital has designated areas for Pediatric patients. In the outpatient area there is a special clinic for children with a separate waiting area and Pediatric Daycare facility (for outpatient short term Chemotherapy and Blood Transfusions) manned by Pediatric Nurses.
The Bone Marrow Transplant unit is well equipped to handle Pediatric Autologous and Allogenic BMT’s and few BM and PBSC transplants have been successfully achieved by the Institute. The department treats all children and adolescents up to the age to 18 yrs.
Patients have the benefits of comprehensive Multispecialty Care including Chemotherapy, Pediatric Surgical Oncology, Radiotherapy and Supportive Services (Pediatric Oncology Treatment, Nurse Co-ordinator, Dietician & Counselor). These services are provided by highly specialized, trained, experienced and dedicated team of experts. The BMT unit is well equipped with trained professional physicians, nursing staff and facilities for all kind of stem cell transplant [autologous, allogenic match, unrelated or haploidentical]. Our unit has a dedicated post therapy clinic to take care of health for all those who have successfully completed the treatment. It aims at screening for late effects and emphasizes importance of healthy life style.
About Childhood Cancers
Childhood Cancer is a catastrophic disease. If untreated, it is potentially fatal. It afflicts all communities. Based on recent data, it is estimated that 10 – 12 children per 1, 00,000 population will develop cancer every year. Hence in India, with a population of over a billion, it is roughly estimated that about 50,000 children develop cancer each year and many either go undiagnosed or without adequate treatment. Of these, a mere 15 – 20% i.e. 10,000 children are able to reach a cancer unit. And among the latter 40 to 50% i.e. 5,000 children drop out of treatment. Most children therefore die without proper therapy. This is the reason that lay public, as well as many in the medical fraternity believe that cancer is potentially incurable in India.
It is worth knowing that of the 8.5 lakh cases of cancer that occur annually in India, only 3 – 5 % occur in children. These cancers are very fast growing but also very sensitive to proper treatment. Although treatment is complex and often long, cure is a very realistic and practically achievable goal. Although the actual number of children who develop cancer is small, the cure rate is high and total number of productive life years saved by curing these children is significantly high and therefore the effort in treating appropriately is all the more worthwhile and fulfilling.
About BMT at Action Cancer Hospital
Consultant, Pediatric Hematology, Oncology and Bone marrow Transplant