Blood cancer care

Get the care you need at Ascension Saint Agnes Hospital Cancer Institute in Baltimore, MD, from experienced medical oncologists-hematologists.

Advanced care for blood cancer and blood disorders in Maryland

Hematology-medical oncology doctors at Ascension Saint Agnes deliver personalized care for blood cancer and blood disorders, focusing on you

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Understanding blood cancer and blood disorders

When you choose cancer care and hematology-medical oncology doctors at Ascension Saint Agnes Cancer Institute, you get a care team that is part of a national network. Our experienced cancer doctors and hematologists share best practices and the latest in blood disease and blood cancer treatment in addition to research – bringing the best of hematology and cancer care to you. Every appointment with your oncologist or hematology specialist starts with a compassionate conversation. Your doctor answers your questions and gets to know you, and you get a personalized care plan. With a plan, comes hope. We have nurse navigators and support services to help navigate your care and will be by your side every step of the way, connecting the dots. Our goal is to help you get back to home, family, life and self sooner.

Multidisciplinary team approach to diagnosing and treating blood cancers

At Ascension Saint Agnes, your oncologists have the expertise to deliver a team approach when diagnosing and treating all types of blood cancer. And you’ll start by having a face-to-face visit with your medical oncologist-hematologist and others on your care team including:

  • Chemotherapy-certified nurse
  • Board certified Hematologists/Oncologists; sub-specialists in chronic leukemias, Hodgkins and Non-Hodgkins Lymphomas and Multiple Myeloma
  • Oncology Pharmacist
  • Radiation oncologist
  • Nurse navigators
  • Social workers
  • Financial coordinator

Types of blood cancer and blood disorders

Your doctor and care team explain your diagnosis and help you understand how your care plan is personalized for your condition. The most common types of blood cancer in adults include:

  • Leukemia: A term for many types of blood and blood tissue cancers that stem from your body having issues making healthy blood cells
  • Lymphoma: Cancer that affects your immune system and lymphatic system, including non-Hodgkin lymphoma
  • Multiple myeloma: Cancer of plasma cells in the bone marrow, which are a type of white blood cell
  • Myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS): Also known as pre-leukemia, a blood disorder in which blood cells don’t work properly. It’s estimated that 1 in 3 cases can develop into cancer of the bone marrow, or acute myeloid leukemia (AML).
  • Myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPN): Chronic blood cancers that begin in the bone marrow and may progress over time

Our hematology-oncology specialists also diagnose and treat noncancerous blood disorders, including anemia, hemophilia and blood clots.

FIND A HEMATOLOGIST

Advanced diagnostic testing and innovative treatments for blood cancer

Across our national network, you will find the latest diagnostic testing and treatment options for leukemia, lymphoma and myeloma. Your care team works together to deliver advanced blood tests and high-tech imaging to diagnose your cancer and then evaluate and monitor how your blood, lymph nodes and bone marrow respond to treatment.

Several forms of radiation therapy, chemotherapy and targeted therapies may be recommended as part of a care plan for blood cancer. At Ascension Saint Agnes, our experienced specialists are knowledgeable about advanced treatment options for later-stage blood cancer in adults.

Infusion therapy customized for your care plan

If infusion therapy is recommended as part of your treatment plan for blood cancer or a blood disorder, you will receive intravenous (IV) therapy from a team of highly trained nurses and pharmacists. Chemotherapy and many other medications and fluids can be delivered by IV at our infusion centers. Your compassionate care team pays attention to how you’re feeling and helps you manage symptoms between treatments. Support services with nurse navigators and registered nurses are also available for unanticipated concerns. Before each therapy session, your oncologist checks your blood so the type and amount of medications can be tailored to your current condition and your overall care plan.

How we diagnose blood cancer and blood disorders

Across our national network, you have access to the latest diagnostic testing and treatment options for leukemia, lymphoma, myeloma and other blood conditions. Your care team works together to provide blood tests, imaging and other specialized testing to diagnose and monitor blood cancer and blood disorders. Your doctor may recommend:

A blood clotting test helps diagnose bleeding and clotting disorders.

A bone marrow aspiration or biopsy collects a small sample of bone marrow fluid or tissue, often from the back of the hipbone. The sample is checked for the number, size and maturity of blood cells, as well as abnormal cells.

A complete blood count is a blood test used to evaluate your overall health and help detect conditions such as anemia, infection and leukemia.

A CBC with white cell differential measures different types of white blood cells and can help evaluate infection, inflammation and some blood disorders.

This test examines chromosomes to identify genetic changes in blood or bone marrow cells.

Blood tests can provide important information about your health and may help confirm or rule out certain blood disorders or cancers.

Genetic testing may help you and your doctor better understand your risk for certain cancers. If you’ve been diagnosed with cancer, your doctor may recommend genetic pathology testing to identify changes in cancer cells or tumor growth that may affect treatment decisions.

A lymph node biopsy removes a small sample of tissue to test for cancer cells. A biopsy is often the only way to confirm lymphoma.

MRD testing can identify the presence of very small numbers of cancer cells that remain after treatment, even when they aren’t visible through standard testing.

Molecular profiling identifies biomarkers that may help predict how a cancer will respond to certain treatments.

How we treat blood cancer at Ascension Saint Agnes

Your doctor will create a personalized care plan based on your diagnosis, stage, symptoms and overall health. Your treatment for blood cancer and blood disorders may include medication, therapy or surgery:

A bone marrow transplant (BMT) replaces unhealthy bone marrow with healthy stem cells. These cells may come from your own body or a donor, depending on your condition and treatment plan

CAR T-cell therapy is a type of immunotherapy that uses your own T cells, which are modified in a lab to better recognize and attack cancer cells before being returned to your body.

Chemotherapy (often shortened to “chemo”) is a drug-based treatment used to slow the growth of or shrink tumors. Chemo can be given through an IV or taken in pill form, and be given before or after surgery, or along with radiation therapy.

Cancer research and clinical trials can give you access to new treatments, often before they become widely available. Talk to your doctor to learn whether cancer clinical trials are the right option for you.

This type of radiation therapy uses a machine to deliver targeted radiation to cancer cells.

Gene mutation–directed chemo-biotherapy is a personalized cancer treatment approach that uses information about a tumor’s genetic mutations to help choose the most effective chemotherapy and biologic therapy options.

Radiation therapy uses high-energy beams to kill cancer cells or keep them from growing.

A stem cell transplant uses healthy stem cells to replace bone marrow damaged by cancer or high-dose treatment. Over time, these stem cells will grow and become new, healthy bone marrow.

Support programs and resources: Your cancer care team provides support from nutrition education and counseling to cancer support groups, yoga and spiritual care. At Ascension Saint Agnes Hospital Cancer Institute, our healing gardens and chapels are always open to patients and their loved ones. We offer supportive care and activities for the whole you.

Immunotherapy is a type of cancer treatment that boosts your body’s immune system to help it recognize and attack cancer cells. It uses substances that are either made in the body or in a lab to shrink tumors or slow tumor growth.

A team approach that helps navigate care and support services

Along the way, your care may require lab tests, imaging, nutrition counseling, supportive palliative care, oncology rehabilitation and pharmacy support — you do not have to navigate your care alone. Your care team will help you schedule appointments, connect with other services, and answer your questions. And we pay attention to your needs and those of your caregivers, including emotional health. From your first consultation and throughout your ongoing care, you and your doctor will stay connected through in-person and virtual visits. When you come into the clinic, hospital or cancer center for your appointments, know that we’re maintaining strict precautions to keep you safe in our care.

Personalized care from blood specialists for noncancerous blood disorders

Hematologists are specialists who diagnose and treat blood disorders. When you choose Ascension Saint Agnes, you’ll get experienced specialists and care teams, providing the latest tests and treatments for many types of bleeding and clotting disorders, including anemia, platelet disorders, abnormal white count disorders, blood clots, in addition to other hematologic diagnoses.

Blood disorders and women’s health

At Ascension Saint Agnes, women’s health specialists collaborate with hematologists to help diagnose and treat common blood disorders in women, such as iron deficiency anemia. If left untreated, anemia in pregnancy can affect perinatal outcomes for both mother and baby. Talk with your doctor if you have concerns about new symptoms.

Doctors specialize in care for blood clots

Your doctor and care team at Ascension Saint Agnes deliver personalized care that focuses on you. Blood clots are serious and can have many causes. A consultation with a hematologist will help treat and potentially identify causes of blood clots.

  • Signs of a blood clot in the arm or or leg – swelling, pain and tenderness not caused by injury, or lasting longer than expected. Skin changes, including warmth to touch and redness or discoloration, can also be signs of blood clotting.
  • Symptoms of a possible blood clot in the lung – difficulty breathing, chest pain that worsens with deep breath or cough, coughing up blood, and irregular heartbeat.

If you are experiencing a life-threatening emergency go directly to the ER or call 911.

Get a second opinion on your cancer diagnosis or care plan

When you are facing a new cancer diagnosis or are deciding on a surgical or therapeutic treatment plan, there’s a lot to think about. Our blood cancer specialists can provide a second opinion, based on our experience and as part of a national team.

Before your appointment, check with your insurance company to find out if a second opinion is covered. We can request your medical records on your behalf, so they can be shared with your care team before your arrival.

GET A SECOND OPINION

Frequently asked questions about our blood cancer care services

Your doctor and care team get to know you well, and you’ll receive care for the whole person — from physical health and well-being to mental and emotional health. At Ascension Saint Agnes Hospital Cancer Institute, we provide innovative medication treatments, the latest surgical technologies and techniques, high-tech radiation facilities and support services. When you choose Ascension Saint Agnes Hospital Cancer Institute, you get a national team of experienced cancer specialists, sharing best practices and the latest in cancer care knowledge and research.

We can connect you with resources and programs that may be able to help you and your family with options for financial assistance. Our financial counseling team is here to listen to your concerns and work with you to help find options that meet your needs. Your cancer care team can connect you to a financial counselor.

At Ascension Saint Agnes Hospital Cancer Institute cancer center and clinics, we offer convenient parking. Talk to your care team if you have transportation needs.

Surgical oncologists and anesthesiologists provide enhanced recovery pathways as part of your surgical care plan. They are an important part of our cancer treatment programs. Each pathway is personalized for different types of cancer treatment, to help speed up your recovery after surgery. Your care team uses these protocols to help you prepare for what to expect before, during and after surgery.

This service requires a referral

Please call us at 667-234-2910 for information on how to obtain a referral. If you are a provider referring a patient, call 667-234-2910.

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