Hematology (BE: haematology) is the branch of internal medicine and pediatrics that is concerned with blood, the blood-forming organs and blood diseases. Hematology includes the study of etiology, diagnosis, treatment, prognosis, and prevention of blood diseases.

Blood diseases affect the production of blood and its components, such as blood cells, hemoglobin, blood proteins, the mechanism of coagulation, etc.

Hematologists

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Medical doctors who work in hematology are known as hematologists. Their routine work may range from the management of the hematology laboratory, work at the microscope viewing blood films and bone marrow slides, interpretation of various hematology test results, care of in-patients and care of out-patients.

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Permanent Hematology-Oncology Jobs

Thriving Multispecialty Group in the Desert Southwest is Seeking 2 Oncologists! :: Utah :: CompHealth Inc
Job 915532 Join a small multispecialty group in the scenic southwest Participate in basic and or clinical research Group focuses on technology and excellence Members of the group come from the best
Opportunity for a Hematology / Medical Oncology physician in great CA location :: California :: CompHealth Inc
Job 9110208 Position is due to growth of the group and located in a family oriented area close to metro city. Competitive Compensation Bonus Structure and Incentives up to 20% of base salary Light Call
Hematology / Medical Oncology Position for Beautiful New Cancer Center in CA :: California :: CompHealth Inc
Job 9110261 Growing Private Practice is seeking a partner for their busy group. Partnership Opportunity Competitive compensation Bonus Structure Light Call of 1:6 State of the Art Cancer Center w/ Chemo

Hematological Oncology

Genomic profiling of Richter's syndrome: recurrent lesions and differences with de novo diffuse large B-cell lymphomas
Marta Scandurra, Davide Rossi, Clara Deambrogi, Paola MV Rancoita, Ekaterina Chigrinova, Michael Mian, Michaela Cerri, Silvia Rasi, Elisa Sozzi, Francesco Forconi, Maurilio Ponzoni, Santiago M Moreno, Miguel A Piris, Giorgio Inghirami, Emanuele Zucca, Valter Gattei, Andrea Rinaldi, Ivo Kwee, Gianluca Gaidano, Francesco Bertoni Sun, 13 Dec 2009 21:00:00 -0000
Richter's syndrome (RS) represents the transformation of chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL) to aggressive lymphoma and is mostly represented by diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL), with a post-germinal centre (GC) phenotype, clonally related to the pre-existing CLL. RS has a very poor prognosis and its pathogenetic mechanisms are poorly understood. In order to gain additional hints in RS pathogenesis, we performed a genome-wide DNA profiling study of 13 RS phases and eight matched CLL phases using the Affymetrix Human Mapping 250K NspI SNP arrays. Individual genomic profiles were heterogeneous, with no individual lesions occurring in more than half of the cases. However, several observations suggest that MYC pathway might be involved in RS. The 13q13.3-qter region containing MIRHG1 (MIR-17-92), a cluster of microRNA interacting with c-MYC, was acquired at the time of transformation. The 13q gain was coupled with the gain of c-MYC and loss of TP53. Translocation of c-MYC was acquired at transformation in a fraction of cases and this event appeared mutually exclusive with gain of MIRHG1. MYCN, a c-MYC homologue, was also recurrently gained. By comparing RS with 48 de novo DLBCL, RS presented a significantly lower prevalence of deletions affecting the PRDM1 and TNFAIP3, genes on 6q, known to be associated with a post-GC phenotype. In conclusion, the genomic profile of RS seems to differ from what observed in de novo DLBCL and in other transformed DLBCL. Genomic lesions occurring in RS are heterogeneous suggesting the existence of different RS subsets, possibly due to different transforming mechanisms. A deregulation of MYC pathway might represent one of the main transformation events in the pathogenesis of a subset of RS clonally related to the previous CLL. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
The clinical relevance of Wilms Tumour 1 (WT1) gene mutations in acute leukaemia
Carolyn Owen, Jude Fitzgibbon, Peter Paschka Wed, 09 Dec 2009 01:41:00 -0000
Recurrent genetic aberrations are important predictors of outcome in acute myeloid leukaemia (AML). Numerous novel molecular abnormalities have been identified and investigated in recent years adding to the risk stratification and prognostication of conventional karyotyping. Mutations in the Wilms Tumour 1 (WT1) gene were first described more than a decade ago but their clinical significance has only recently been evaluated. WT1 mutations occur in approximately 10% of adult AML patients at diagnosis and are most frequent in the cytogenetically normal (CN) AML subgroup. These mutations appear to confer a negative prognostic outcome by increasing the risk of relapse and death. Mutation frequency is higher in pediatric patients and also appears to confer a negative impact on relapse and survival. Herein, we discuss the importance of WT1 mutations in AML. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Silibinin can induce differentiation as well as enhance vitamin D3-induced differentiation of human AML cells ex vivo and regulates the levels of differentiation-related transcription factors
Jing Zhang, Jonathan S Harrison, Milan Uskokovic, Michael Danilenko, George P Studzinski Wed, 28 Oct 2009 04:28:00 -0000
Induction of terminal differentiation is a conceptually attractive approach for the therapy of neoplastic diseases. Although vitamin D derivatives (deltanoids) can induce differentiation of AML cells in vitro, so far deltanoids have not been successfully brought to the clinic, due to the likelihood of life-threatening hypercalcemia. Here, we incubated freshly obtained blood cells from patients with AML with a plant antioxidant (PAOx), silibinin (SIL), alone or together with a deltanoid. Twenty patients with AML (all subtypes except M3) were available for this study, and in 14 (70%), SIL (60 µM) either induced differentiation ex vivo, or enhanced differentiation induced by deltanoids, or both. Interestingly, SIL acting alone induced differentiation only in cases in which chromosome aberrations could not be detected. In eleven samples sufficient material was available for a limited analysis of the underlying events. Quantitative RT-PCR showed that differentiation markers were upregulated at the mRNA level by both SIL and deltanoids, suggesting that intracellular signaling pathways upstream of transcription factors (TFs) were activated by these agents. Western analysis for proteins which function as TFs in deltanoid-induced monocytic differentiation, such as members of Jun and C/EBP families, surprisingly demonstrated that SIL upregulated all these TFs in the cases tested. This suggests that although the presence of SIL may not always be sufficient to induce differentiation, it can serve as a differentiation enabling factor for blasts obtained from a large proportion of patients with AML. Thus, SIL/deltanoid combinations warrant further consideration as preventive/therapeutic regimens in human leukaemia. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Annals of Hematology

The clinicopathological analysis of 303 cases with malignant lymphoma classified according to the World Health Organization classification system in a single institute of Taiwan
Fri, 11 Dec 2009 06:52:02 -0000
Abstract  Several reports have shown a different distribution of malignant lymphoma (ML) in Asian and Western populations. The purpose of our survey was to elucidate whether there are substantial differences in the frequencies of subtypes of ML between different geographical areas. All entities diagnosed as ML between June 1995 and December 2007 were selected according to the 2008 World Health Organization (WHO) classification and searched for clinical outcomes. The cases were retrieved and reviewed by a panel of clinical haematologists and haematopathologists. A total of 303 patients with ML were identified for retrospective analysis. Of the 303 patients with ML, 278 patients (91.7%) had non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma (NHL), and 25 (9.2%) had Hodgkin’s lymphoma. Of the 278 patients with NHL, 223 (73.6%) had lymphoma of B-cell lineage, and 55 (18.1%) had lymphoma of T-cell lineage. One hundred and thirty-seven patients were diagnosed with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma, which was the most common B-cell lineage subtype and accounted for 45.2% of patients with NHL. Peripheral T-cell lymphomas were the most frequent subset of the T-cell neoplasms, comprising 10.6% of ML. Extranodal involvement was found in 125 (44.9%) of the 278 patients with NHL, and the lymph node was the site of primary involvement in 153 patients (55.1%). Fifty-nine (47.2%) of the 125 patients with extranodal presentation had gastrointestinal tract involvement. Outcome was worse in patients with extranodal NHL than in those with nodal NHL through the entire follow-up period; the difference in survival rates was significant. Our findings clarify the applicability and prognostic relevance of the WHO classification system and provide further information about the incidence of various lymphoma subtypes in Taiwan. Primary extranodal NHL was associated with a worse prognosis and distinct characteristics compared with nodal NHL. The outcome of different types of extranodal NHL should be investigated further. Content Type Journal ArticleCategory Original ArticleDOI 10.1007/s00277-009-0870-zAuthors Wei-Liang Chen, Tri-Service General Hospital, National Defense Medical Center Division of Hematology, Department of Medicine Number 325, Section 2, Cheng-Kung Road, Neihu 114 Taipei TaiwanWen-Chiuan Tsai, Tri-Service General Hospital, National Defense Medical Center Department of Pathology Taipei TaiwanTsu-Yi Chao, Tri-Service General Hospital, National Defense Medical Center Division of Hematology, Department of Medicine Number 325, Section 2, Cheng-Kung Road, Neihu 114 Taipei TaiwanLai-Fa Sheu, Tri-Service General Hospital, National Defense Medical Center Department of Pathology Taipei TaiwanJung-Mao Chou, Tri-Service General Hospital, National Defense Medical Center Department of Pathology Taipei TaiwanWoei-Yau Kao, Tri-Service General Hospital, National Defense Medical Center Division of Hematology, Department of Medicine Number 325, Section 2, Cheng-Kung Road, Neihu 114 Taipei TaiwanYeu-Chin Chen, Tri-Service General Hospital, National Defense Medical Center Division of Hematology, Department of Medicine Number 325, Section 2, Cheng-Kung Road, Neihu 114 Taipei TaiwanChing-Liang Ho, Tri-Service General Hospital, National Defense Medical Center Division of Hematology, Department of Medicine Number 325, Section 2, Cheng-Kung Road, Neihu 114 Taipei Taiwan Journal Annals of HematologyOnline ISSN 1432-0584Print ISSN 0939-5555
Short and long-term outcome of treatment with high-dose melphalan and stem cell transplantation for multiple myeloma-associated AL amyloidosis
Thu, 10 Dec 2009 15:15:45 -0000
Abstract  High-dose melphalan chemotherapy and autologous peripheral blood stem cell transplantation (HDM/SCT) has been shown to result in a durable hematologic response and prolonged overall survival in systemic amyloid light-chain (AL) amyloidosis as well as multiple myeloma. However, little is known about the myeloma associated with AL amyloidosis (MM/AL). In this retrospective study, we evaluated 87 patients with MM/AL from 1994 to 2007. Sixteen of these patients underwent HDM/SCT at Boston University Medical Center. Three patients (19%) died from treatment-related mortality. The overall median survival for all 87 patients was 22 months by Kaplan–Meier estimates. However, this was improved to 54.5 months for those who received HDM/SCT compared to 21 months for those who did not receive HDM/SCT. A hematologic complete response was achieved by 25% (4/16) of patients at 6 months after HDM/SCT. Hematologic relapses occurred in 60% of patients at a median of 1 year after HDM/SCT. In conclusion, HDM/SCT can prolong overall survival in patients with MM/AL who are eligible to receive it. Content Type Journal ArticleCategory Original ArticleDOI 10.1007/s00277-009-0874-8Authors Saulius Girnius, Boston University School of Medicine Amyloid Treatment and Research Program Boston MA USADavid C. Seldin, Stem Cell Transplantation Program of the Section of Hematology-Oncology FGH 1007, 820 Harrison Avenue Boston MA 02118 USAMartha Skinner, Boston University School of Medicine Amyloid Treatment and Research Program Boston MA USAKathleen T. Finn, Stem Cell Transplantation Program of the Section of Hematology-Oncology FGH 1007, 820 Harrison Avenue Boston MA 02118 USAKaren Quillen, Stem Cell Transplantation Program of the Section of Hematology-Oncology FGH 1007, 820 Harrison Avenue Boston MA 02118 USAGheorghe Doros, Boston University School of Medicine Amyloid Treatment and Research Program Boston MA USAVaishali Sanchorawala, Stem Cell Transplantation Program of the Section of Hematology-Oncology FGH 1007, 820 Harrison Avenue Boston MA 02118 USA Journal Annals of HematologyOnline ISSN 1432-0584Print ISSN 0939-5555
Hematoma of the iliopsoas muscle due to thrombocytopenia resulting from the administration of a third-generation cephalosporin
Thu, 10 Dec 2009 15:15:44 -0000
Hematoma of the iliopsoas muscle due to thrombocytopenia resulting from the administration of a third-generation cephalosporin Content Type Journal ArticleCategory Letter to the EditorDOI 10.1007/s00277-009-0872-xAuthors Makoto Onodera, Iwate Medical University Department of Critical Care Medicine 19-1 Uchimaru Morioka City Iwate 020-8505 JapanYasuhisa Fujino, Iwate Medical University Department of Critical Care Medicine 19-1 Uchimaru Morioka City Iwate 020-8505 JapanYoshihiro Inoue, Iwate Medical University Department of Critical Care Medicine 19-1 Uchimaru Morioka City Iwate 020-8505 JapanSatoshi Kikuchi, Iwate Medical University Department of Critical Care Medicine 19-1 Uchimaru Morioka City Iwate 020-8505 JapanShigeatsu Endo, Iwate Medical University Department of Critical Care Medicine 19-1 Uchimaru Morioka City Iwate 020-8505 Japan Journal Annals of HematologyOnline ISSN 1432-0584Print ISSN 0939-5555

American Journal of Hematology

Corticosteroids for acute chest syndrome in children with sickle cell disease: Variation in use and association with length of stay and readmission
Amy Sobota, Dionne A. Graham, Matthew M. Heeney, Ellis J. Neufeld Wed, 14 Oct 2009 15:38:00 -0000
Acute chest syndrome (ACS) causes significant morbidity and mortality in sickle cell disease. The role of corticosteroids is unclear. The objectives of our study were to examine the variation between hospitals in their use of corticosteroids for ACS, describe characteristics associated with corticosteroids, and investigate the association between corticosteroids, length of stay, and readmission. We performed a retrospective examination of 5,247 hospitalizations for ACS between January 1, 2004, and June 30, 2008, at 32 hospitals in the Pediatric Health Information System database. We used multivariate regression to examine the variability in the use of corticosteroids adjusting for hospital case mix, identify factors associated with corticosteroid use, and evaluate the association of corticosteroids with length of stay and 3-day readmission rates controlling for propensity score. Corticosteroid use varied greatly by hospital (10-86% among all patients, 18-92% in patients with asthma). Treatment with corticosteroids was associated with comorbid asthma (OR 3.9, 95% CI: 3.2-4.8), inhaled steroids (OR 1.4, 95% CI: 1.1-1.7), bronchodilators (OR 3.2, 95% CI: 2.5-4.2), nitric oxide (OR 2.4, 95% CI: 1.2-5.0), oxygen (OR 2.3, 95% CI: 1.8-2.9), ICU (OR 1.7, 95% CI: 1.3-2.3), ventilation (OR 2.0, 95% CI: 1.4-2.8), APR-DRG severity level (OR 1.4, 95% CI: 1.2-1.6), and discharge year (OR 0.86, 95% CI: 0.80-0.92). Corticosteroids were associated with an increased length of stay (25%, 95% CI: 14-38%) and a higher 3-day readmission rate (OR 2.3, 95% CI: 1.6-3.4), adjusted for confounding. Hospitals vary greatly in the use of corticosteroids for ACS, even in patients with asthma. Clear evidence of the efficacy and toxicity of corticosteroid treatment in ACS may reduce variation in care. Am. J. Hematol. 2010. © 2009 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Impact of treatment-related liver toxicity on the outcome of HCV-positive non-Hodgkin's lymphomas
Luca Arcaini, Michele Merli, Francesco Passamonti, Raffaele Bruno, Ercole Brusamolino, Paolo Sacchi, Sara Rattotti, Ester Orlandi, Elisa Rumi, Virginia Ferretti, Silvia Rizzi, Erika Meli, Cristiana Pascutto, Marco Paulli, Mario Lazzarino Wed, 14 Oct 2009 15:38:00 -0000
We studied 160 Hepatitis C virus (HCV)-positive patients with NHL (59 indolent NHL, 101 aggressive). Median age was 67 years. HCV-RNA was present in 146. HBsAg was positive in seven patients. At diagnosis, ALT value was above UNL in 67 patients. One hundred and twenty patients received an anthracycline-based therapy, alkylators, 28 received chemotherapy plus rituximab. Cytotoxic drugs dose was reduced in 63 patients. Among 93 patients with normal ALT at presentation, 16 patients developed WHO grade II-III liver toxicity. Among 67 patients with abnormal ALT, eight patients had a 3.5 times elevation during treatment. Among 28 patients treated with rituximab and chemotherapy, five patients (18%) developed liver toxicity. Thirty four patients (21%) did not complete treatment (eight for liver toxicity). Median progression-free survival (PFS) for patients who experienced liver toxicity is significantly shorter than median PFS of patients without toxicity (respectively, 2 years and 3.7 years, P = 0.03). After a median F-UP of 2 years, 32 patients died (three for hepatic failure). A significant proportion of patients with HCV+ NHL develop liver toxicity often leading to interruption of treatment. This could be a limit to the application of immunochemotherapy programs. HCV+ lymphomas represent a distinct clinical subset of NHL that deserves specific clinical approach to limit liver toxicity and ameliorate survival. Am. J. Hematol. 2010. © 2009 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Cytogenetic correlates of TET2 mutations in 199 patients with myeloproliferative neoplasms
Kebede Hussein, Omar Abdel-Wahab, Terra L. Lasho, Daniel L. Van Dyke, Ross L. Levine, Curtis A. Hanson, Animesh Pardanani, Ayalew Tefferi Fri, 09 Oct 2009 14:05:00 -0000
No abstract.

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