Why Would Someone Be Referred to a Hematologist?

What Is a Hematologist?

Hematology is the medical specialty focused on blood, blood-forming organs such as bone marrow, and blood-related disorders and diseases. Hematologists are highly trained physicians whose area of expertise is the blood and blood components.  Hematologists generally complete a residency during medical school in internal medicine before going on to advanced training, called a fellowship, in hematology. Unlike oncologists, many, but not all, hematologists, complete fellowship programs that encompass training in both medical oncology as well as hematology.

What Does a Hematologist Do?

A hematologist is a medical specialist who diagnoses and treats blood-related disorders, whether they are benign (non-cancerous) or malignant (cancerous). These conditions include issues like blood clots that can block normal blood flow or disorders that lead to excessive bleeding. Hematologists assess your symptoms that may range from mild to severe and use specialized tests and treatments from blood infusion to chemotherapy to blood & marrow transplant to manage these blood conditions, aiming to improve blood health and your overall well-being.

Why would my doctor refer me to a hematologist oncologist?

A primary care physician may refer a patient to a hematologist for any one of many reasons. Typically, however, the primary care provider wants to draw on the specialist’s expertise to provide the patient with the most accurate diagnosis and, if necessary, best treatment plan. For example, if a primary care physician orders blood work and the results show an abnormally high or low level of red blood cells, or indications of a problem with blood clotting (known medically of “coagulation”), the physician may want the patient to be evaluated by a hematologist. If a hematologist does diagnose a blood disorder, that specialist will have the knowledge necessary to treat it. In many cases, however, the hematologist is able to rule out a blood disorder or to identify a condition that can be managed by the primary care provider.

What to Expect During an Appointment With a Hematologist

Being referred to a blood oncologist does not necessarily mean that a patient has a serious illness. Instead, it means there were concerning irregularities in the patient’s blood test results that need to be investigated. During an appointment with a hematologist, the specialist typically will:

• Ask the patient what symptoms he or she has been experiencing
• Ask if the patient has been experiencing any changes in his or her health
• Review the results of the blood tests and inform the patient of the findings,
• Explain what the blood work results might indicate, and any related concerns, and
• Recommend and discuss further testing, if necessary

If the hematologist makes a diagnosis, he or she will explain it to the patient and discuss treatment options.

Does being referred to a hematologist necessarily indicate cancer?

No, seeing a hematologist doesn’t mean you have cancer. Hematologists treat all kinds of blood diseases. . While hematologists do specialize in treating leukemia, lymphoma, and other malignant blood cancers, their area of expertise encompasses all kinds of blood disorders, both cancerous and noncancerous. Patients should ask their primary care provider why they are being referred to a hematologist. While a full evaluation will be required to provide a definitive diagnosis, the primary care provider may be able to allay a patient’s concerns by explaining that the reason for referral is not suspicion of a cancerous condition.

The types of blood cancer & blood disorders that a hematologist is qualified to diagnose and treat include:

• Leukemia
  • Acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL)
  • Acute myelogenous leukemia (AML)
  • Chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL)
  • Chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML)
• Lymphomas
  • Hodgkin lymphoma
  • Non-Hodgkin lymphoma
  • Mature B-cell neoplasms
  • Mature T-cell neoplasms
  • Small lymphocytic lymphoma
• Myelodysplastic syndrome
• Multiple myeloma

The types of noncancerous hematologic conditions that a hematologist oncologist is qualified to diagnose and treat include the following:

• Anemia
  • Hemolytic anemia
  • Aplastic anemia
  • Iron deficiency anemia
  • Sickle cell disease
  • Autoimmune hemolytic anemia (AIHA)
• Bleeding disorders
  • Von Willebrand disease
  • Hemophilia
  • Clotting factor deficiencies
• Blood clotting disorders
  • Phlebitis/deep vein thrombosis/pulmonary embolism
  • Thrombophilia
  • Antiphospholipid syndrome (APS)
• Thrombocytosis and thrombocytopenia
  • Bernard-Soulier Syndrome
  • Immune thrombocytopenia
  • Idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura
  • Drug-induced thrombocytopenia
  • Hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH)
  • MYH9-macrothrombocytopenia disorders
• Hemochromatosis
• Thalassemia
• Drug-induced hemolytic anemia pyruvate kinase deficiency (PKD)
• Glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) deficiency
• Paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria

Hematology Care at Regional Cancer Care Associates

Primary care physicians who notice abnormalities in their patients’ blood work may refer those patients to the hematology care team at Regional Cancer Care Associates. Known for their extensive knowledge and experience, the fellowship-trained hematologists of RCCA can accurately diagnose and effectively treat both cancerous and noncancerous hematologic conditions. Every patient who walks through the doors at Regional Cancer Care Associates is greeted with kindness and respect. After meeting with patients and determining his or her condition, specialists create an appropriate treatment plan, using the most recent discoveries in hematologic care.

Patients in the New Jersey, Connecticut, Maryland, and Washington, D.C. areas who wish to learn more about these advanced blood disorder services and the hematology conditions treated by our team of healthcare providers can contact Regional Cancer Care Associates or schedule an appointment at one of our more than 20 locations today.