Hematological Oncology Center of Excellence

What we treat

AHN's approach to treating benign blood disorders is comprehensive and patient-centered. We emphasize accurate diagnosis, individualized treatment plans, and ongoing monitoring. Treatment options vary depending on the specific disorder, its severity, and the patient's overall health.

Malignant hematology

Malignant hematology includes disorders such as acute and chronic leukemia, lymphoma, and multiple myeloma, among other rarer forms of blood cancer. Treatment for malignant hematology (blood cancers) is highly individualized and depends on several factors, including the specific type of cancer, its stage, and the patient's age, overall health, and genetic markers. AHN uses the latest treatment options that target the specific type of malignant hematology. Depending on the specific disease type, therapies may include:

• Chemotherapy
• Targeted therapy
• Immunotherapy
• Stem cell transplant
• Radiation therapy

Your AHN care team will work to find the right option for you and your specific diagnosis.

Chemotherapy

Chemotherapy uses powerful drugs to target and destroy rapidly dividing cells. By disrupting cell growth and division, chemotherapy aims to reduce the number of cancerous cells in the body and achieve remission. Although chemotherapy remains integral to the treatment of leukemia, lymphoma, myeloma, and myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS), we continue to see newer therapy replacing this conventional treatment. While effective, chemotherapy can also affect healthy cells, leading to side effects that require careful management. In some cases, chemotherapy is used as a conditioning regimen prior to stem cell transplantation.

Targeted therapy

Targeted therapy offers a more precise approach to treating blood cancers like leukemia, lymphoma, myeloma, and MDS by targeting specific molecules or pathways essential for cancer cell growth and survival. Unlike traditional chemotherapy, these drugs aim to selectively slow or reduce cancer cells while minimizing damage to healthy cells. This targeted approach can disrupt cell signaling, block blood vessel formation that feeds tumors, or deliver toxic substances directly to cancer cells. Targeted therapies are often used in combination with other treatments and are tailored to the specific genetic or molecular characteristics of an individual's cancer. By focusing on cancer-specific vulnerabilities, targeted therapy strives for improved efficacy and reduced side effects. The explosion of targeted therapy products for the treatment of malignant blood conditions continues to add to or replace conventional therapy. The benefits often extend beyond improving cancer cell kill to being less toxic than chemotherapy. Some different therapies include:

• Tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs): A class of drugs that block the activity of tyrosine kinases (TKs). Tyrosine kinases are enzymes that play a critical role in cell signaling, including cell growth, differentiation, and survival. They function by adding phosphate groups to tyrosine residues on proteins, a process called phosphorylation. When TKs are dysregulated or overactive, it can lead to uncontrolled cell growth and the development of cancer.
• Monoclonal antibodies: This treatment targets specific proteins on cancer cells (e.g., rituximab for lymphoma).
• Bispecific T-Cell engagers: These artificial proteins bind to two different targets (i.e., antigens). They combine the specificities of two monoclonal antibodies into a single construct.
• Bruton’s kinase inhibitors (BTKIs): These are a class of drugs that target and block the activity of the BTK enzyme. BTK plays a crucial role in the signaling pathways of B cells, which are immune cells responsible for producing antibodies. By inhibiting BTK, these drugs disrupt B-cell signaling, leading to reduced B-cell activation, proliferation, and survival.
• Antibody drug conjugates: A class of biopharmaceutical drugs designed as a targeted therapy for cancer. ADCs are complex molecules composed of an antibody (monoclonal) linked to a biologically active cytotoxic (chemotherapeutic) drug. Essentially, it's a way to deliver chemotherapy directly to cancer cells, minimizing exposure to healthy cells and reducing side effects.

Immunotherapy

Immunotherapy uses the power of the body's own immune system to fight blood cancers like leukemia, lymphoma, myeloma, and MDS. This approach aims to enhance the immune system's ability to recognize and destroy cancer cells, often by stimulating immune cells or blocking mechanisms that cancer cells use to evade immune detection. Immunotherapy can lead to durable remissions in some patients and offers a promising alternative or complement to traditional cancer treatments. By empowering the immune system, immunotherapy provides a targeted and potentially long-lasting approach to combating blood cancers. Types often include:

• Checkpoint inhibitors: Block proteins that prevent the immune system from attacking cancer cells (e.g., pembrolizumab, nivolumab).
• CAR T-cell therapy: Genetically modifies a patient's T-cells to target and destroy cancer cells (used in lymphoma, leukemia, and myeloma).
• Cytokines: Stimulate the growth and activity of immune cells (e.g., interferon, interleukin-2).
• TIL Therapy: Extracting T-cells from tumor deposits, growing them in the laboratory, and infusing them into patients.

Radiation therapy

Radiation therapy uses high-energy beams to precisely target and destroy cancer cells in blood cancers like leukemia, lymphoma, and myeloma. While not a primary treatment for all blood cancers, it can effectively shrink tumors, alleviate pain, and prevent complications caused by localized cancer growth. Radiation damages the DNA of cancer cells, preventing them from multiplying and eventually leading to cell death. It can be used alone or in combination with other therapies like chemotherapy and stem cell transplant.

Hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (Bone Marrow Transplantation)

Replaces damaged or diseased bone marrow with healthy stem cells. It is used to treat a variety of blood cancers including leukemia, lymphoma, myeloma, and myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS). Types include:

• Autologous: Uses the patient's own stem cells.
• Allogeneic: Uses stem cells from a matched donor who may be related (matched or haplo identical) or unrelated.

Surgery

Surgery for leukemia, myeloma, and myelodysplastic syndromes can be a treatment option when used in tandem with other treatments. AHN surgeons are experts in their field and take great care in removing tumors or affected tissues for further analysis. Depending on the type of disease surgery, may be used in the following situations:

• Lymphoma: Surgery can be used to obtain a biopsy to diagnose lymphoma or, in rare cases, to remove a localized lymphoma tumor, especially in early-stage disease.
• Splenectomy: In some cases of lymphoma or leukemia, the spleen may become enlarged and cause discomfort or complications. Surgical removal of the spleen (splenectomy) may be performed to alleviate these symptoms.
• Multiple myeloma: Surgery may be necessary to stabilize bones weakened by myeloma lesions, preventing fractures or relieving pain. It can also be used to remove a solitary plasmacytoma (a localized myeloma tumor).
• Central line placement: Surgery is required to insert a central venous catheter (central line or port), which provides a reliable and long-term access point for administering chemotherapy, blood transfusions, and other treatments.

Supportive care

At AHN, we want you to have care that encompasses your whole health. This includes supportive care, which is essential for managing side effects of treatment and improving quality of life. AHN supportive care works to help you heal and recover using treatment, nutrition, and emotional support. This often includes:

• Dedicated symptom management and palliative medicine team: This team helps make you comfortable before, during, and after treatment.
• Medications: To prevent nausea, pain, infections, and other complications.
• Blood transfusions: To treat anemia, low platelet counts, and, in rare circumstances, white cell transfusion.
• Nutritional support: To maintain strength and energy and map out effective strategy for symptom control.
• Psychological support: To address emotional and mental health needs.

Clinical trials

Research studies that evaluate new treatments or combinations of treatments. These often offer access to cutting-edge therapies that are not yet widely available. Learn more about our currently active clinical trials.

Blood cancer specialists

The malignant blood cancer center has programs in myeloid malignancy, lymphoma, plasma cell dyscrasia, and cellular therapy. Our devoted and expert blood cancer specialists are highly trained, compassionate doctors who are dedicated to providing tailored care to their patients. At AHN, you can expect comprehensive care that considers your whole health.

Lymphoma Program

Myeloid

Plasma Cell Dyscrasia

Cellular Therapy Program

Tumor-Infiltrating Lymphocyte (TIL) therapy

Use Find Care for a list of hematologists.

How to get care

Call 412-578-4484 for the Division of Hematology and Cellular Therapy.

Patients needing immediate care are usually admitted to AHN West Penn Hospital and care is coordinated from there. Patients are otherwise seen in the outpatient office in the Mellon Pavilion. Patients with benign hematology disorders can also be seen at AHN Allegheny General Hospital. 

Once scheduled, our staff will instruct you on what is needed so that our doctors get access to your medical records.

We also provide telehealth services and are able to work with patients who may be far from us.

Clinical trials and research

All therapy that is FDA-approved achieved approval based on clinical trials. Thus, patients who participated in these trials were able to receive therapy that was more effective or less toxic than the standard in existence at the time. The Division offers a robust portfolio of clinical trials covering all of our programs.

What is a clinical trial?

Clinical trials are studies that try to answer questions about new ways to treat cancer with medications, radiation, or surgical techniques. Previous trials have shown how new methods of treatment improve survival and quality of life and reduce the risk of cancer returning.You participate in a clinical trial only if you volunteer to do so and meet criteria for inclusion in the study, and you can stop participating in a trial at any time.

Who can join a clinical trial?

The plan for the trial, called a protocol, explains what the trial will do and how the study will be done. Based on the questions the research is trying to answer, each clinical trial protocol outlines specific criteria necessary to be eligible to join the trial.

Common criteria for entering a trial are:

• Having a certain type or stage of cancer.
• Having received a certain kind of therapy in the past.
• Being in a certain age group.

Federal rules help ensure that clinical trials are run in an ethical manner, with your rights and safety protected. It’s to ensure that you’re not put at increased risk by participating in the trial, and that the results of the study are accurate and meaningful.

Currently active cancer clinical trials

If you would like to participate in a clinical trial and help our innovative team discover groundbreaking cancer solutions, ask your doctor if you’re eligible to participate in one. Find currently active clinical trials that are open for participation.

Refer your patient to an AHN specialist

Your physician can access your medical records directly in the Care Everywhere tab of the Epic electronic medical record.

There are two ways for medical professionals, who are not a part of Allegheny Health Network, to refer their patients to an AHN specialist and request their first appointment. You can:

1. Call 412-578-4484 for the Division of Hematology and Cellular Therapy.
2. Go to Find Care to find the right AHN specialist. Then refer your patient, provide relevant patient details, and request an appointment directly from the doctor's profile.

For more information about referring your patient to an AHN specialist, read the Independent Physician Referral FAQs.