Fellowship in Haemato-Oncopatholology
Haematological malignancies form a large part of medical oncology practice.They assume great importance as they include many treatable and curablecancers. The Haematopathology laboratory offers a wide variety of testing toaid in the diagnosis of leukaemia, lymphoma, myeloma and other haematopoieticdisorders in addition to non-malignant diseases.
State-of-art equipment(fully automated cell counter, coagulation analyser, HPLC platform for haemoglobin variant analysis and 12 colour flow cytometry) help offer referring physicians the speed and accuracy of results required to meet the needs of their patients. Physicians receive comprehensive and integrated haematopathology reports containing diagnostic and prognostic information. In addition, many cases undergo complicated diagnostic algorithms with concurrent molecular and cytogenetic evaluation necessary to apply the current World Health Organization classification.
Quality assurance in haematopathology involves trained and competent staff, calibrated and well maintained equipment and validated procedures. At the analytical phase, quality check includes
(a) constant checking of test reliability by internal quality control
(b) external quality assessment by an independent agency to checkperformance at intervals.
In addition, supervision of the pre-analytical and post-analytical phases from specimen collection to delivery of quality reports completes the quality circle. All the activities in the laboratory comply with the international and national accreditation standards (ISO 15189:2022 and NABL 112).
MD (Pathology)
Course Objectives
1. Haematology-Interpretation of CBC, peripheral smears, bone marrow aspiration cytology and biopsy, lymph node biopsy including special stains and IHC, Coagulation work-up, HPLC – 4 months.
2. Flow cytometry in the diagnosis of hematolymphoid disorders, CD34 stem cell enumeration, Minimal residual disease assay, DNA ploidy assay, PNH assay, lymphocyte subset analysis – 4 months.
3. Exposure to advanced molecular techniques such as Cytogenetics, FISH, NGS, RT-PCR, HLA lab as adjuncts to morphology and diagnosis of hematolymphoid malignancies – 2 months.
4. Exposure to Transfusion Medicine and Blood Centre with bone marrow transplantation program – 2 months.
5. Bedside exposure to adult and paediatric haemato-oncology work-up through participation in clinical rounds.
6. Knowledge of quality assurance in laboratory as per national and international standards (ISO 15189:2022 and NABL 112, NABH and JCI).
More Information
Transforming cancer care in India—one life at a time—through equitable, affordable, high-quality treatment rooted in compassion, prevention, education and research since 2012!
Sri Shankara Cancer Hospital and Research Centre, recognized as a world leader in cancer care, seamlessly combines cutting-edge medical technology and expertise with unwavering compassion and community service. The first flagship cancer hospital in Bangalore, known for its state-of-the-art facilities and a team of world-renowned oncologists, stands out for its commitment to personalized and patient-centric care.
Beyond medical excellence, Sri Shankara Cancer Hospital and Research Centre, Bangalore is actively engaged in cancer prevention along with the Sri Shankara National Centre for Cancer Prevention and Research, expanding cancer screening, education, awareness and support to underprivileged communities. With a holistic approach to healing, groundbreaking research initiatives and a focus on spreading cancer awareness, Sri Shankara Cancer Hospital and Research Centre, Bangalore exemplifies a beacon of hope where the advancements in medicine meet profound humanitarianism.
Competent faculty are also committed to continued education of the laboratory technologists, allied health sciences (B.Sc. MLT), Fellowship trainees in Onco-pathology, as well as the DrNB course trainees of various medical and surgical oncology departments.
Active participation in research projects, publications in national and international indexed medical journals, conferences and work-shops is encouraged. Participation in intra-departmental and multi-disciplinary tumour board meetings, haemoto-oncology clinics and journal clubs help update faculty and students with the current developments in the field of hemato-oncology.
The hematopathology team plays a major role in the active bone-marrow transplant program of the hospital right from diagnosis to prognosis and follow up for residual disease. Crucial tests like peripheral smear and bone marrow evaluation, special cytochemical stains, immunohistochemistry, immunophenotyping using 12 colour flow cytometry method are used in diagnosis of leukemias, lymphomas, myelomas and metastatic malignancies. CD34 positive stem cell enumeration by flow cytometry helps haemato-oncologist decide on the dosage of stem cells to be used for bone marrow transplantation. In the post-chemotherapy and post-transplant patients the residual disease is detected by the highly sensitive flow cytometry method which helps prognosticate the patients and decide on their further course of treatment.
Course Faculty
Admission Details
Selection is based on merit and academic performance.
Facilities
1. Fees/stipend is not applicable.
2. Twin-sharing on-campus accommodation (nominal charges).
3. Access to a full-fledged library – print and digital.
4. Continuous peer monitoring and support.
5. Periodical assessment and mentorship.
6. Rigorous academic schedule with participation in the latest scientific developments – tumour board meeting, haemato-oncology clinics, journal club and seminars, CME/workshop.
7. Nationally and internationally recognized faculty and facilities.
