Blood is mainly made up of components – white blood cells, red blood cells, platelets and blood plasma, which help oxygenate the body's organs and tissues, act as a defense against infection and form clots to stop bleeding. Abnormalities in these components can cause blood cancer, bleeding and blood clots. Currently, organ cancer is increasing, such as colon cancer, breast, cervix, lymph nodes and other organs.
That's where medical hematology-oncology comes into play.
Here's a breakdown of the treatment segments and see what you can expect at the medical hematology-oncology clinic at EMC Hospital Tangerang.
MEDICAL HEMATOLOGY-ONCOLOGY DEFINITIONS
Medical hematology-oncology refers to the medical practice of combining hematology (the study of blood physiology) and medical oncology (the study of cancer treatments such as chemotherapy, targeted therapy, hormonal therapy and immunotherapy).
In the medical hematology-oncology clinic will diagnose and treat blood disorders, various types of cancer and manage the symptoms of disease and cancer. Medical Hematology-Oncology Consultant treats:
- Hematological disorders.
- Anemia, leukopenia, thrombocytopenia or both or all three disorders/pancytopenia.
- Hereditary blood disorders; hemophilia, thalassemia
- Blood coagulation, polycythemia vera, thrombocytosis.
- Blood cancer; leukemia, multiple myeloma.
- Lymph node cancer ; Hodgkin's lymphoma and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma.
- Solid organ cancer; Intestine, breast, cervix, lung, prostate, bone, muscle and others.
WHEN TO MEET A MEDICAL HEMATOLOGY-ONCOLOGY CONSULTANT.
1. Blood cancer.
Even though every blood cancer is not the same, each variation of this disease provides some warning signs that it is time for a consultation with a medical hematology-oncology consultant (KHOM).
Symptoms of blood cancer can be; weakness, lethargy, pale, fever, chills, night sweats, decreased appetite, suffering from infectious diseases, nosebleeds, bruises or red spots on the skin, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, weight loss, enlarged lymph nodes, no pain in the neck, armpits or groin, coughing and chest pain.
If you experience one or part of these symptoms, a medical hematology-oncology consultant will carry out various tests such as blood tests, bone marrow examinations, diagnostic imaging tests and other tests needed to determine the cause of your symptoms and whether these symptoms are related to cancer.
2. Solid Organ Cancer.
Symptoms of solid organ cancer are generally lumps in organs such as breasts, bones, muscles, stomach, neck. Weight loss, decreased appetite, pain in organs affected by cancer, bleeding such as coughing up blood in lung cancer, nosebleeds in nasopharyngeal cancer, bloody chapters in colon cancer, bloody urine in urinary tract cancer.
If you have one of these symptoms, your doctor will perform various tests such as CT Scan, MRI, Endoscopy, mammography, ultrasound and examination of cancer tissue biopsies to determine the type of cancer cells.
CANCER TREATMENT.
Treatment and care for blood cancer depends on the type and general health condition of the patient, chemotherapy is generally performed, sometimes radiation therapy is needed and improvement of the patient's complaints and health condition.
Treatment and care for solid organ cancer depends on the type and stage and health condition of the patient, generally surgery, radiation and chemotherapy are needed, targeted therapy, hormonal therapy and immunotherapy as well as improvement of complaints and the patient's health condition.
In the medical hematology-oncology clinic to make the right diagnosis, treatment and management requires other specialists such as surgeons, radiology specialists, radiation oncology specialists, pathology specialists, psychologists and clinical nutrition specialists. Almost all of these specialists are available for patients at EMC Hospital Tangerang.
If you have been diagnosed with cancer, blood cancer or are living with a non-cancerous blood disorder, the specialists at our medical hematology-oncology clinic are ready to help you on your way to recovery.
Article written by dr. Martin Batubara, Sp. PD-KHOM (Internal Medicine Consultant Medical Hemato Oncologist at EMC Hospital Tangerang).