Pediatric Hematology-Oncology is a super specialty branch dealing with children suffering from blood disorders and cancers. Adult Hematology is a well developed branch of Medicine and Pediatric Hematology all over the world is developing rapidly as a super-specialty. Advances in this field have taken place by leaps and bounds in the past few decades. This has enhanced the understanding of the subject and has significantly influenced the management and outcome of these disorders in children.
Various hematological disorders include Thalassemia, sickle cell disease, Iron deficiency anemia, folate & B12 deficiency anemia, Bleeding disorders such as hemophilia, thrombocytopenia, etc. and white cell disorders. Leukemias and Lymphomas are the commonest cancers after Brain tumors in childhood followed by solid tumors such as Neuroblastoma, Wilms tumour, Retinoblastoma, Bone tumours, Rhybdomyosarcoma etc.
In the recent times, we are observing a definite rise in the incidence of cancers in children. According to the Indian Council for Medical Research (ICMR), a decade back, childhood cancers were 2.5% of the total number of all cancer cases. Today, they add up to 5.5% .Tata Memorial Centre in Mumbai's Parel area alone treats 2,000 new pediatric cancer cases annually. At Sion hospital, we manage 200 to 250 children with cancer every year.
There is a need to recognize the stress and anxiety of parents when caring for a child with cancer or a hematological disorder, some of which are inherited and therefore lifelong problems. There is a need to strive to offer quality care to these patients and their families all the support they need and the hope they deserve.
In the present era of specialty practice and multi-disciplinary approach, establishing an advanced Pediatric Hematology Centre would take care of major concern related to these children suffering from hematology disorders and cancers.
The pediatric Hematology Oncology Division was established in the Dept. of Pediatrics at LTMGH in the Year 1976, by Dr. M.R.Lokeshwar, who was ably assisted by Dr. Mamta Manglani since 1987. Since then it has been functioning to offer care to children with hematological problems and cancers.
Today, on an average 2000 new children with blood disorders and nearly 100 newly diagnosed children with cancers are treated annually in our hospital.
Those requiring indoor care are treated at newly renovated 20 bedded , Pediatric Hematology- Oncology ward. The Department of Pediatrics at the prestigious Lokmanya Tilak Municipal Medical College & General Hospital has been striving for excellence in care of children with these ailments. The Bone Marrow Transplant Centre at Lokmanya Tilak Municipal Medical College and General Hospital, Sion is the first one of its kind A "State Of The Art" unit in a Municipal general hospital offering tertiary care services. This centre saw the light of the day in 2014 due to the untiring efforts and the vision of Dr. Mamta Manglani & her team, with funding from Cherish Life Foundation by Mrs Blanche Saldanah.
The present team of specialists is a part of the Division of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, under the Department of Pediatrics headed by Dr Radha Ghildiyal, Professor and Head of Department, Dr. Sujata Sharma, Associate Professor and Incharge Pediatric Hematology- Oncology. Dr. Purvi Kadakia as full time Visiting Consultant, and Dr. Nikita Shah as Assistant Professor.
| Sr. No | Full Time | Designation |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dr. Sujata Sharma | Associate Professor |
| 2 | Dr. Nikita Shah | Assistant Professor |
| 3 | Dr. Purvi Kadakia | Fulltime Consultant (Contract basis) , Pediatric Hematology-Oncology |
| Sr. No | Visiting Consultant | Designation |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dr. Mamta Manglani | Honorary Visiting Consultant |
| 2 | Dr. Ratna Sharma | Visiting Consultant |
| 3 | Dr. Niranjan Rathod | Visiting Transplant Physician |
| 4 | Dr. Rashmi Dalvi | Visiting Transplant Physician |
Other team members include dedicated trained nursing staff, social worker, counsellor, dietician, physical therapist and a data entry operator.
To date 18 transplants have been carried out at our centre with a survival rate of 86%. The entire treatment is free of cost for the patients. This transplant bed is a part of special 20 bedded pediatric hematology oncology ward, which is a silver lining for the multitude of children suffering from hematological disorders and malignancies in this city, making available world class services at a cost the common man can afford.
Annually we are treating 1500-1800 new cases of pediatric hematological diseases. Our pediatric hematology services also include a Comprehensive Thalassemia Daycare Centre. Thalassemia is a hemoglobinopathy and it is the commonest blood disorder. At least 200,000 children are living with this disorder worldwide, of which 20,000 are in our country alone. Of these, about 2,000 are presently residing in Mumbai and its vicinity. Of these, 305 are being treated at our center. Our aim is to free the society from thalassemia right from offering prenatal diagnosis to definite therapy in the form of a Bone Marrow Transplant.
Our patients have been generously funded by Cherish Life Foundation with patient and family bearing no cost for the entire treatment and follow up for a period of 2 years. This has enabled us to help children with incurable diseases to provide them with a new lease of life. .With this state of the art center we are hoping to benefit any child who warrants a bone marrow transplant with world class medical care so that no child is denied optimal treatment due to lack of funds.