Pediatric Oncology & Hematology services
Faculty
Incharge:
Dr Rachna Seth
Assistant Professor
Department of Pediatrics
Division of Pediatric 0ncology
AIIMS
Phone no. 26593209
e-mail;drsandeepseth@hotmail.com
Co-ordinator:
Dr Vasantha Thavaraj
Deputy Director
ICMR, Department of Pediatrics, AIIMS
Areas of Interest & Research
Hematological malignancies
Solid tumors particularly Retinoblastoma & Hodgkins lymphoma
Effect of chemotherapy on survivors of various childhood malignancies
Neurocognitive outcomes of hematological malignancies
Childhood anemias
Facilities for patient care
OPD services
Days
Monday
Dr Rachna Seth
Dr Vasantha Thavaraj
Wednesday
Morning (9AM)
Afternoon (2PM)
Pediatric Oncology clinic Pediatric oncology clinic
Room No 6, 14
Room No 6
Chemotherapy
Lab
Oncology
conference at IRCH
OPD services
Thursday
Dr Rachna Seth
Dr Vasantha Thavaraj
Saturday
Pediatric
Survivor clinic
Room no 14
Cancer
OPD services
Pediatric Oncology services
This subspecialty caters to children with various childhood malignancies. There are two
clinics of the Pediatric oncology division.
The Pediatric oncology clinic &
The Pediatric cancer survivor clinic
i)The Pediatric oncology clinic (POC)
The POC is held every Monday from 9am to 5 pm in room no 6 & 14.
The total number of children seen the pediatric oncology clinic (POC) ranges from
45-55/clinic. About 20-25 new patients with various childhood malignancies are
enrolled per month. On an average 2000 patients of childhood malignancies are seen
annually and about 240 new patients are enrolled every year. The spectrum of patients
include acute leukemias, lymphomas, neuroblastoma, retinoblastoma, histiocytosis to
mention a few.
Patients are given chemotherapy as per updated protocols. Chemotherapy is given
throughout the week as per the schedule of the protocol. Blood counts are done
regularly and dose modifications in chemotherapy is done if required.
Blood product transfusion is provided as per need. Bone marrow and CSF
examinations are regularly done as per requirements for diagnosis, prognostication
and staging of various cancers.
There is facility to short admit these patients for short procedures like CSF , Bone
marrow or giving intrathecal medications . On an average 40-45 bone marrow and
about 30-35 CSF examinations are done a month.
The parents are informed about the disease, the necessity to stay in Delhi for initial
six months of therapy, total cost of treatment etc. They are informed about various
government and non government agencies committed to the care of such children and
the medical social worker helps us in this regard. NGO’s like CANKIDS and cancer
aid association provide medications, rations, entertainment, etc and sometimes bear
the expenses of costly investigations. All the paper work of providing estimates of
chemotherapy and approaching the finance committee (AIIMS, state, central govt,
NGS’s) is done by the division.
Parents are educated about hygiene and nutrition to be taken care during the entire
treatment. Those that stay far away from Delhi and are taking the maintenance phase
chemotherapy are given printed material according to which relevant dose
modifications may be done if the counts increase or decrease.
ii) Pediatric cancer survivor clinic
As part of the pediatric oncology services , a pediatric cancer survivor clinic is held
every Thursday afternoon to evaluate survivors of various childhood malignancies.
About 200 survivors of various childhood malignancies have been enrolled. They are
followed for disease remission, recurrence if any, appearance of second malignancy,
growth, complications of transfusions, long term effects of chemotherapy or radiotherapy
.They are subject to periodic testing that comprise a peripheral smear examination, bone
marrow/CSF if required, CT scan (MRI if required),Thyroid function testing, Growth
hormone assessment, bone densitometry, reproductive function assessment, viral
markers, IQ assessment to mention a few.
Our cancer survivors
Pediatric oncology services are supported by various departments
Lab Oncology
Radiotherapy
Hematology
Transplant Immunology
Ophthalmology
Pediatric Surgery
Medical Oncology
In patient services
Pediatric Unit III
There is a 4 bedded Leukemia cubicle in the children’s ward. Sick children with cancer
are admitted into the cubicle. Less sick children are kept in the ward. It is our endeavor
to admit all enrolled patients of cancer undergoing treatment in the oncology division if
they are sick. Twenty four hour emergency services are available for these patients .
Intensive care is also available for the sickest of the children with cancer.
The Leukemia Cubicle
Laboratory support to Pediatric Oncology
1. Department of Laboratory oncology
2. Department of Transplant immunology
Immunophenotyping
Financial /medical/social support
Medical Social worker at the Department of Pediatrics
Financial aid from AIIMS
Financial aid from central & state govt
CANKIDS
Cancer patients aid association
&
Immunogenetics
for