​Overview of the Hematology & Oncology Program 

The Hematology & Oncology Program at Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi’s Medical Subspecialties Institute specializes in the treatment and management of blood cancers and other types of blood disorders.

Program physicians also provide second opinion consultations for hematological malignancies (such as leukemia, lymphomas, and myeloma) and solid organ cancers.

The skilled, multidisciplinary Hematology & Oncology Program team supports the care of both outpatients and inpatients at Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi.

What We Treat

The Hematology & Oncology Program offers expertise in the diagnosis and treatment of multiple types of blood disorders and cancers.​

Hereditary Blood Disorders

  • Sickle cell anemia: A disorder in which the shape of an individual’s red blood cells become abnormal and therefore are unable to function properly.
  • Thalassemia: A condition in which an individual’s body is unable to make enough of a substance called hemoglobin, a protein that carries oxygen to all parts of the body.
  • G6PD deficiency: A condition characterized by red blood cells that breakdown prematurely due to a deficiency in an enzyme called G6PD. This disorder is also called glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency and mostly occurs in men.

Anemias

  • Iron deficiency: A condition that develops when there is too little iron in the body. 
  • Nutritional deficiencies: A group of conditions characterized by the body’s inability to absorb certain nutrients from the foods we eat. 
  • Hemolytic anemia: A type of anemia that occurs when red blood cells are destroyed by the body too quickly. 

Blood Clothing and Bleeding Disorders

  • Hemophilia: A condition characterized by blood that does not clot properly, leaving an individual more susceptible to excessive bleeding. This disease is also called factor VIII deficiency. 
  • Thrombosis: A disorder that occurs when a blood clot forms inside of a vein or an artery, causing a blockage.
  • Platelet disorders: A group of disorders that affect the normal function or level of the platelets, which are important for blood clotting.​

Bone Marrow Disorders

  • Myelodysplastic diseases: A group of disorders that affect the normal function of the bone marrow, a spongy material found inside the bones that is responsible for the production of blood cells. 
  • White blood cell disorders: A group of disorders that result in either too little or too many white blood cells. White blood cells help the body fight infection.
  • Aplastic anemia: A disorder characterized by the body’s inability to produce enough red blood cells.  

Iron Metabolism Disorders 

  • Hemochromatosis: A condition characterized by an excess buildup of iron in the body.

Blood Cancers

  • Chronic lymphocytic leukemia: A type of cancer that affects the cells in the bone marrow, the spongy material in the bones that produces blood cells. 
  • Lymphoma: A type of cancer that affects white blood cells, called lymphocytes.

Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi’s global experts also provide second opinions and surgical treatment support for cancerous growths. This includes treatment for solid cancers of the colon, lung, brain, and prostate. 

Because Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi currently does not provide comprehensive cancer services such as chemotherapy and radiation therapy, patients who are prescribed these treatments will be referred to other hospitals, with care coordination support from the Hematology & Oncology Program team. 

Diagnosis & Treatment with Hematology & Oncology

Patients who are referred to Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi’s Hematology & Oncology Program receive world class, Patients First care for hematological and oncological disorders.

Diagnosis with Hematology & Oncology​

In order to make an accurate diagnosis, patients will first be asked to undergo a thorough medical examination and provide a full medical history. Following the initial examination, the team at the Hematology & Oncology Program will likely order further clinical tests to reach a firm diagnosis. These tests may include advanced laboratory testing for hematological and oncological disorders such as: 

  • Chemical studies: Blood tests that analyze the level of certain chemicals in the blood. High or low levels of specific chemicals may indicate damage to certain organs.
  • Immunological studies: Tests that detect the presence or analyze the levels of certain substances in the blood or tissue. Elevated levels of certain substances, or their presence, may indicate cancer. 
  • Hormonal studies: Blood tests used to analyze the levels of certain hormones in the blood. Elevated levels of specific hormones may indicate cancer.
  • Serologic blood studies: Tests done on the blood serum (the clear liquid that remains when red blood cells are separated from the blood). The presence, or elevated levels, of certain substances in the blood serum may indicate cancer.

All of these tests are conducted through the Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi laboratory. 

Tests may also include advanced imaging studies, such as:

  • Computed tomography (CT) scan: An imaging study that uses x-rays to create pictures of the bones, organs, and tissues anywhere in the body. Images created by a CT scan can help identify a potentially cancerous growth and may help physicians monitor tumor growth or shrinkage.
  • Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan: A study that produces images of the soft tissues in the body using magnets. The images created by the MRI scan help doctors locate cancer and monitor for the spread of cancer.
  • Position emission tomography (PET) scan: An imaging study that produces detailed, molecular level images of the tissues inside the body. The images created by the PET scan help physicians locate cancer, see if it has spread, and understand if the cancer is affecting the healthy, normal function of the organs. PET scans can also be used to analyze how well treatment is working.
  • PET.CT scans: A hybrid nuclear medicine technology that obtains sequential, molecular level images of an organ. This imaging study is available at Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi for aiding diagnoses and recommending courses of treatment.

Both the Pathology & Laboratory Medicine Institute and Imaging Institute provide dedicated support to the Hematology & Oncology Program for the diagnosis of cancer and other blood disorders.​

Treatment with Hematology & Oncology 

After a diagnosis has been given, the team provides a range of services including: ​

  • Pharmacotherapy (treatment using medications) ​
  • Therapeutic phlebotomies (prescribed blood removal)
  • Blood transfusions (also known as apheresis, the complete removal and replacement of the patient’s blood)
  • Antithrombotic management (reduction of blood clots)

Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi’s Infusion Center provides a wide array of therapies, including intravenous iron injections and vitamin B12 injections, to support the Hematology & Oncology Program.

​Hematology & Oncology Program Caregivers 

Physicians at the Hematology & Oncology Program have extensive expertise in the field of cancer and blood disorders, and are board certified in each of the hematology and medical oncology specialties. The Hematology & Oncology Program team provides excellent, Patients First medical care based on current United States and international guidelines. 

Caregivers involved in patient care for this program are:

  • Consultant physicians in hematology and oncology, laboratory medicine, and imaging
  • Nurses
  • Infusion center nurses
  • Apheresis nurses
  • Health unit coordinators

VIEW ALL DOCTORS WHO CAN HELP WITH Hematology & Oncology​​

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