Scope of hematology
Hematology is the study of blood, blood forming tissues and organs, and blood disorders.
Hematology is practiced by specialists in the field who deal with the diagnosis, treatment and overall management of people with blood disorders ranging from anemia to blood cancer.
Because blood runs through every organ and tissue in the body, hematology has an enormous ripple effect extending to all fields of medicine. Modern advances made by hematologists have helped millions of people around the world, not only with blood disorders but also with heart disease, stroke, and scores of inherited diseases.
In the last 50 years alone, substantial strides have been made in the research, treatment, and prevention of blood diseases e.g. Cure of Childhood Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL), Targeted Therapy (“smart” drugs) for Chronic Myelogenous Leukemia (CML), Targeted Therapy for Acute Promyelocytic Leukemia (APL), Improved Survival in Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML), Cure of Hodgkin Lymphoma, Immunotherapy for Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma, Improved Therapy and Survival in Multiple Myeloma, Development of Effective Treatments for Blood Clots, Development of Clotting Factor Concentrates for Hemophilia Therapy, Improved Transfusion Therapy Through Screening for Infectious Agents, Effective Prenatal Diagnosis of Abnormal Hemoglobins, Development of Diagnostic Techniques to Prevent Stroke in Sickle Cell Disease, Development of Successful Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation, Cloning of Erythropoietin and Development of Recombinant Epo Clinical Use, and Immunotherapy for Aplastic Anemia.
Some of the diseases treated by hematologists include:
- Anemias e.g. iron deficiency anemia.
- Polycythemia or excess production of red blood cells.
- Myelofibrosis.
- Leukemia.
- Platelet and bleeding disorders such as hemophilia, idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura, and Von Willebrand disease.
- The myelodysplastic syndromes.
- Hemoglobinopathies such as thalassemia and sickle cell disease.
- Multiple myeloma.
- Malignant lymphomas.
- Blood transfusion.
- Bone marrow and stem cell transplantation.
References:
Advances in Hematology http://www.hematology.org/Patients/Basics/Advances.aspx
Choosing Hematology as a Medical Student http://www.hematology.org/Trainees/Choose-Hematology/
sir what is scope of this subject in Pakistan..what are the merits snd demerits of this subject..is this subject suitable for female..?kindly guide me
Hi Farrukh,
Thank you for your comment.
I’m not from Pakistan, so I couldn’t answer your question regarding the scope of Hematology there.
Generally speaking, Clinical Hematology is a branch of Internal Medicine, and you should study and specialize in Medicine before you sub-specialize in Hematology.
The Hematologist job is suitable for both males and females, it doesn’t matter.
BW,
Hello sir
Whats the scope of hematology in 10-15 years ..??
Hi Parash,
Thank you for the good question.
I do expect based on the recent advances in targeted therapy and the use of Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitors (TKIs) in leukemias and lymphomas that the role of chemotherapy will get less in the future. I do also expect that gene therapy will have more clinical implications. Gene therapy holds promise for treating a wide range of diseases, such as cancer, cystic fibrosis, heart disease, diabetes, hemophilia and AIDS.
BW,
Hello Sir.
what is scope of Hematology and especially oncolgy internationally after BS(HONS) .
Hi Hamza,
Thanks for your comment.
Hematology is the study of blood and the body tissues that make it.
A hematological cancer is one affecting the blood directly or the tissues that are responsible for making it.
These may include Acute or Chronic Leukemia, Lymphoma, Myeloma or other blood disorders.
Treatments may involve chemotherapy and or radiotherapy and patients may have treatment as in-patients or as an out-patient.
BW,