Diagnosis & Treatment - Haematology

Haematology Care - Diagnosis & Treatment At Fortis Hospital Mumbai

Haematology Care - Diagnosis & Treatment

Hematology tests include laboratory assessments of blood formation and blood disorders.

Some examples of these tests are:

• Full blood count - A count of the total number of red blood cells, white blood cells and platelets present in blood.
• Blood film 
• Staining may also detect blood parasites such as malaria, toxoplasmosis, and microfiliariasis.
• Assessment and staining of immature platelets or megakaryocytes may also be performed.
• Assessment of granulocytosis.
• The erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) may be tested.
• The bone marrow may be examined.
• Iron status and anemias are assessed using tests such as serum ferritin, vitamin B12 and folate levels.
• The Coombs' test or antiglobulin test may be used for blood typing and blood matching prior to blood transfusion, for example.
• Platelet function in bleeding and coagulation may be checked using a test called prothrombin time.
• Diascopy is a technique used to determine whether a lesion is vascular, nonvascular or hemorrhagic.
• D-dimer assessment may be performed to check for thrombotic disorders.
• Electrophoresis may be used to examine proteins in the blood such as hemoglobin and to check for hemoglobinopathies such as thalassemia or sickle cell anemia.
• The enzyme G6PD may be assessed in sickle cell disease.
• Fine-needle aspiration of lymph nodes and tumors.
• Examination of spleen biopsy.
• Immunocytochemical techniques for detecting antigens both inside and on the surface of cells.
• Assessment of storage diseases such as Gaucher's disease, Niemann-Pick disease and glycogen storage disease.
• Assessment of chronic myeloproliferative disorders using bone marrow and blood examination.
• Assessment of hemophagocytic syndromes.
• Karyotyping to look for chromosomal disorders and abnormalities

There are various treatment options at Fortis hospitals Mumbai for Haematology problems such as: 

Flow cytometry

Flow cytometry is a method that uses laser-based technology to detect, identify, and count specific cells in the blood and bone marrow.  This method is used in patients with various diseases like leukaemia’s and lymphomas, and haematological malignancies. It also helps with the detection of drug-resistant leukemic cells, and the study of platelets. 

Immunohistochemistry

Immunohistochemistry is a technique that is used to detect and determine the presence and level of specific cellular proteins with the help of antibodies. Immunohistochemical staining (identification of a specific protein in a sample) is performed in many patients to identify the abnormal cells that are found in cancerous tumors.

Blood transfusion

Blood transfusion is a medical procedure in which blood or blood products (Red blood cell, platelet, and plasma) is transferred into one's body intravenously. This potentially life-saving procedure is performed in patients who have experienced severe blood loss due to surgery, injury, disease or bleeding disorders. During a blood transfusion, a small needle is inserted into one of the blood vessels in the arm or hand and blood is transferred from a bag through a rubber tube.

Blood and bone marrow transplant

A blood or bone marrow transplant is a procedure that replaces abnormal blood-forming stem cells with healthy cells. It is performed in patients whose bone marrow is not healthy enough to function properly due to chronic infections, disease, or cancer treatments. After receiving a successful Blood and bone marrow transplant, the body can produce enough white blood cells, platelets, or red blood cells to avoid infections, bleeding disorders, or anaemia.

Day care chemotherapy

At Fortis, our patients have easy and convenient access to Day care chemotherapy in a well-equipped cancer center. It is specially designed for patients who need therapies for a short duration of time and do not require a night stay in the hospital. We offer day care chemotherapy for patients with all types of cancers including blood cancer, lung cancer, breast cancer, head and neck cancer, gastro-intestinal cancer, and cervical cancer.

Immunotherapy

Immunotherapy is a type of cancer treatment that boosts the body's natural defences to fight cancer. It uses substances from the living organisms to improve or restore immune system function. It works by educating the immune system to find and attack the cancer cells and stopping or slowing the growth of cancer cells and their spread. Immunotherapy can be administered in many ways - intravenously, orally, topically (via creams) or intravesically. 

Robot-assisted procedures

Our expert surgeons at Fortis perform a number of robotic-assisted procedures with utmost precision and accuracy to treat a wide spectrum of diseases and conditions related to blood. Potential benefits of these minimally invasive procedures are less post-operative pain, less scarring, minimal blood loss, less risk of infection, shorter hospital stay, and quick recovery.

Stem cell transplant

Stem cell transplantation is a procedure in which a patient receives healthy stem cells to replace damaged stem cells. Usually, it is performed to treat multiple myeloma, leukaemia, some types of lymphoma that affect the blood and lymphatic system. It can also be used to treat autoimmune diseases such as multiple sclerosis and hereditary blood disorders such as sickle cell anaemia. It can be performed as an Autologous transplant (usage of own stem cells) or Allogeneic transplantation (usage of another person’s stem cells). 

Targeted drug therapy

Targeted drug therapy is a treatment that uses drugs to treat cancer by specifically targeting cancer cells without affecting normal cells. It works by interfering with the specific genes, proteins, or the tissue environment that contributes to cancer growth, its survival and its spread. This therapy can also stop making new blood vessels that feed the cancer cells and trigger the immune system to kill the cancer cells. 

Oncology support group

Cancer care is always teamwork. Understanding this, our oncology support group at Fortis allows the cancer survivors who have experienced and combated cancer with a great grit and determination to share their concerns, talk about their experiences and provide mental, emotional, and psychological support to other patients living with cancer. This can help reduce fear and stress in newly diagnosed patients and help them understand what to expect during treatment, how to communicate with the medical team and family members, and how to manage pain and other side effects of treatment.