Paediatric Oncology

Paediatric Oncology Department of Regional Cancer Centre (RCC), Thiruvananthapuram established 40 years back in 1982 is the first stand-alone Paediatric oncology unit of its kind in India. The Department provide dedicated childhood cancer care to all children below the age of 14 years registered in RCC with all kinds of malignancies (haematological malignancies & solid tumors). The Department has a general ward having 39 beds with the first row functioning as a High Dependency Unit (HDU), & a 4 bedded state-of-the-art Paediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) with two ventilators. Annually we manage approximately 550-580 newly diagnosed paediatric cancer patients, 22,000 out-patients, and 2100 in-patients. The Department puts in tremendous efforts not only for providing comprehensive medical care but also for providing financial, social, educational, psychological & rehabilitative support to the affected children and their families. Paediatric Oncology Doctors team consists of 6 faculty members (1 Professor, 3 Associate Professors & 2 Assistant Professors), 2 post- DM Senior residents & 6 DM residents.

Clinical Services

• Outpatient services: We conduct daily out- patient (OP) clinic from Monday-Saturday and provide care for 100-110 children every day. The OP timings are from 9 am to 4.30 pm. Patients being attended to in the OPD include newly registered patients, patients undergoing treatment, patients with complications and patients under follow up.
• Inpatient services: Around 2100 children get admitted every year in the Paediatric Oncology ward for evaluation and diagnosis of malignancies, administration of chemotherapy including high dose chemotherapy in acute leukaemia and management of complications and emergencies.
• Paediatric Oncology Critical Care services: HDU & Paediatric ICU facilities provide dedicated critical care services to the critically ill children.
• Procedures: procedures like bone marrow studies, lumbar puncture, FNAC, bone biopsy, intrathecal drug administration & central venous line insertion are performed in a separate procedure room located adjacent to the Paediatric Oncology ward.
• Autologous Stem Cell Transplantation (SCT) Services: for indications In paediatric oncology
• Long term Follow-Up Clinic: functions on a daily basis to provide risk & exposure based paediatric cancer survivor care for patients after the completion of their cancer therapy
• Paediatric Pain & Palliative Clinic: provides best supportive care & pain management in a need based manner for paediatric cancer patients.
• Counseling Sessions: Disease counseling & medication counseling for OP & IP patients. Detailed sessions provided on a need based manner.

Academic activities

• DM super-specialty program in Pediatric Oncology : The Paediatric Oncology Department of RCC Thiruvananthapuram ,is also one of the first two paediatric oncology centres in India (along with Tata Memorial Hospital Mumbai) recognized by the Medical Council of India in 2012 for initiating the DM course in Paediatric Oncology for the first time in India. The Department has an ongoing DM super-specialty program in Pediatric Oncology with an annual intake of 2 students.
• Paediatric Oncology Training : Department provides teaching & training in various aspects of Paediatric Oncology care to faculty members from medical colleges, Residents in various specialties (DM Medical Oncology/MD Radiotherapy/Paediatrics) from within RCC & outside institutions including several Government/ Private Medical Colleges in Kerala , Doctors from health services, Nurses from various institutions& Observers from abroad.
• Regular discussions regarding the management of inpatients are conducted every day
• Multi-Disciplinary Tumor Boards (MDTs): are conducted every day from 2.00pm to 3.30 pm for taking treatment decisions of OP & IP patients.

Pediatric Oncology Team »