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Although trained to treat both blood disorders and cancer, many pediatric hematologist/oncologists will select a focus and treat patients with one group of conditions.
In addition, some pediatric hematologist/oncologists become stem cell transplantation experts. Stem cell transplantation is a complex treatment involving hematopoietic stem cells, the specific type of cell from which all blood cells develop to help restore normal blood production in children whose own ability to make any or all of these blood cells has been compromised.
Why is it important my child receive care from a pediatric hematologist/oncologist?
Pediatric hematologist/oncologists are specially trained to treat children with blood disorders and cancer, some of which exclusively appear in the early years of life.
Children are not little adults, and they should receive medical care from a physician who understands the developmental stages the human body as well as how interact with young patients. In addition, pediatric hematologists/oncologists have formal training to treat childhood forms of blood disorders and cancer. Not only do children have different blood disorders and cancers than adults but children also tolerate treatments differently than adults.
In most cases, children with blood disorders or cancer require medical care for several body systems and organs. Because of this, it is also important your child be treated through a pediatric program, like Dana-Farber/Children's Hospital Cancer Care, where your child's pediatric hematologist/oncologist can work with pediatric experts from other specialty areas (cardiology, endocrinology, neurology, etc.) who can provide supportive care as needed.
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