Founded in the 1940s by William Dameshek MD, one of the world’s pre-eminent hematologists and first editor of Blood, the Division of Hematology/Oncology has evolved into a major program that now offers complete hematology and oncology services, with special expertise in advanced therapy for hematological malignancies and solid tumors, disorders of hemostasis and coagulation, and benign disorders of the blood.
We are responsible for inpatient, outpatient and consultative services in the fields of Hematology and Oncology, transfusion medicine, and hematopoietic cell transplantation.
We offer complete hematological and oncological services, with special expertise in:
- Solid tumors
- Hematological malignancies
- Red blood cell disorders
- Coagulation disturbances
- Immunological diseases
Clinical laboratory services under our direction include:
- A highly sophisticated blood bank that performs stem cell processing,
The Neely and Laboratory
- An onsite Special Hematology Laboratory that processes routine and research blood and bone marrow specimen
- The maternal-fetal medicine program
- A blood coagulation unit that performs screening batteries, individual factor assays, complete platelet function studies and circulating anticoagulant measurements
Staff members are involved in the evaluation of prevention strategies and new treatments for all types of cancers including new chemotherapeutic agents and multidisciplinary treatments. In addition, biological modifiers, immunological agents, vaccines, and therapeutics targeting new mechanisms of actions are utilized. Members of our staff pioneered the development and use of immunosuppressive drugs that made bone marrow and organ transplantation possible.
The Division of Hematology/Oncology at Tufts Medical Center has trained leaders who now head divisions of major Hematology and Oncology programs and blood banks throughout the country and the world. The most notable contribution of this type is the discovery of immunosuppressive drugs by Robert Schwartz, MD and William Dameshek, MD of the Division, which was singularly recognized in 2000 by the selection of Dr. Schwartz to be the sole recipient of the Medawar Prize, accepted internationally as transplantation’s highest award.
Tufts Medical Center became the first hospital in Boston to be nationally certified by the Foundation for the Accreditation of Cellular Therapy (FACT) as both a transplant and collection center for both adult and pediatric transplants (autologous and allogeneic).
We are a leader in design and implementation of new transplant preparative regimens, and have participated in major studies addressing the role of transplantation in leukemias, lymphoma, multiple myeloma, and breast cancer.