At the University of Wisconsin Carbone Cancer Center, the state's only comprehensive cancer center, physicians and support staff see patients with hematologic disorders such as: 

Patients are seen by our team of hematologic oncologists, radiation oncologists and our highly skilled supportive care team of hematologic nurses, health psychologists, social workers and nutritionists. 

 

The hematologic oncologists at the Carbone Cancer Center are committed to finding the best available treatment options for lymphoma patients and presenting these options and their risks in a way that allows patients to make informed choices.

 

A key part of this process is to diagnose correctly the precise lymphoma type. Modern medical advances have led to better ways to diagnose lymphoma accurately. However, these new techniques require doctors with specialized training in lymphoma diagnosis. This is the job of pathologists that specialize in diseases of the blood and bone marrow.

 

At UW we have four hematopathologists who are experts in this area, with a combined practice experience of over 25 years. They review all biopsies performed either at the Carbone Cancer Center or elsewhere before treatment decisions are made. In our experience, our hematopathologists change or clarify the diagnosis in about 20 percent of cases coming from other institutions, sometimes with important implications regarding prognosis and proper treatment options.

 

Prognosis and treatment options are influenced by the pathology or type of the tissue and cells found during a biopsy. Pathologic review is crucial in defining the type of disease and thus determining the best treatment.  At the Carbone Cancer Center, we have pathologists devoted to the pathologic diagnosis of hematologic diseases.

 

Patients may be offered a variety of services and treatment options, including chemotherapy, bone marrow biopsy, bone marrow transplant, radiation therapy and management of tumor-related side effects.