Pediatric Oncology is a specialized branch of medicine with treating the children (infants to young adults reaching the age of 18) who are living with cancer. Because of that deals specifically nature and relation of cancer to blood diseases, the practices of pediatric oncologycomes to help children recover, offering the greatest chance of success.
Still, cancer is one of the most challenging issues facing the health care system and even more so for pediatrics. Unique treatment approaches in children along with the high mortality rate of cancer makes pediatric oncology a difficult but vitally important field – one that requires strong-hearted people.
Pediatric Oncology – Children Can’t Fight Cancer Alone
Specialists in pediatric oncology and pediatric hematology are never alone in their fight against cancer, nor are the children involved. Because cancer and blood diseases can affect so many other organs and bodily functions, essentially upsetting the natural balance of the human system, other divisions of medicine are typically brought in to help with treatment and recovery. This can include:
- Pediatric oncologists
- Pediatric hematologists
- Pediatric surgeons
- Radiologists specializing in pediatric treatment
It’s important to note that in many cases where cancer is present, pediatric oncology and hematology specialists will take a medical approach to treatment..
Pediatric Oncology – Approaching Treatment
While the discipline of pediatric oncology is geared in a straight forward manner toward diagnosing and treating cancer, there are different methods for treatment based on the type of cancer, the patient and other like factors. These treatment methods are sometimes overlapped for more aggressive therapy and may include
- Surgical removal of cancerous tumors or tissues
- Chemotherapy
- Radiation therapy
- Medications
- Transplantation
And even clinical trials – as more than 70% of the pediatric patients undergoing cancer treatment are involved in some sort of clinical study to improve treatment modalities and raise the survival rate of cancer patients.
Now MediShifa offers a high standard medical service on Pediatric Oncology and Stem Cell Transplantation
performed by
- Prof. Leyla Agaoglu, MD
Prof. Leyla Agaoglu, MD Professor of Pediatrics and Pediatric Hematology/Oncology, Acibadem International Hospital, Istanbul
After her graduation from Notre Dame de Sion, French Lycée of Istanbul, she studied medicine at the Istanbul University, Cerrahpasa Medical School and than worked as Resident of Pediatrics at the Istanbul University, Istanbul Medical School. Dr. Agaoglu did her fellowship of Pediatric Hematology/ Oncology at the University of Chicago. In 1982 she became Associate Professor and in 1988 Professor at the Istanbul University, Istanbul Medical School, Department of Pediatrics, division of Hematology/Oncology. In 1987 she won the Audrey Meyer Mars International Fellowship of the American Cancer Society and worked for one year at the University of Chicago, Pediatric Bone Marrow Transplantation Unit.
Prof. Agaoglu retired from Istanbul University, Istanbul Medical School in September 2013 to work full time at International Hospital. Prof. Agaoglu’s patients care and researchs are mainly in the field of Leukemias, Lymphomas, Solid tumors such as Neuroblastoma, Hemoglobinopathies and Iron Deficiency Anemia. In childhood leukemias she is an expert of treatment with CCG and COG protocols modified for Turkish children.
Prof. Agaoglu is one of the past president of Turkish Pediatric Oncology Group (TPOG) Society. She is member of American Society of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology (ASPHO), International Society of Pediatric Oncology (SIOP), American Society of Clinical Oncology ( ASCO), European Hematology Association (EHA) and International Society of Hematology (ISH). Dr Agaoglu has an excellent command on English and French.
Patients of Stem Cell Transplantation in case they fail to find a suitable donor may be listed by us in International Bone Marrow Network.
All interventions and operations are performed in the best equipped , JCI approved Acibadem International Hospital in Istanbul with which MediShifa is closely and exclusively associated.
