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[Malignant hematologic diseases. Diagnosis and treatment. A clearing report]
H Birgens1, B E Christensen, N E Hansen
1Medicinsk haematologisk afdeling C, Københavns Amts Sygehus i Gentofte, Hellerup.
The malignant haematological disorders comprise the main groups leukemia, malignant lymphoma and multiple myeloma and the potentially malignant disorders: myelodysplastic syndrome, polycythaemia vera, myelofibrosis and M-component of uncertain significance. The common feature of all these disorders is monoclonality, i.e. they originate from one single cell. Around 2,000 new cases are diagnosed per year in Denmark. Because of the relative small number of patients, complex diagnosis and treatment (especially the possibility of cure on intensive treatment) a high degree of centralization is warranted to secure an evenly distributed high level of patient care and research. The present rules for referral of patients are unsatisfactory. A new referral system is proposed based on a common set of rules, agreed upon by five haematological centers in Denmark and the surrounding region, comprising diagnostic procedures, treatment, research and development for all haematological patients in the area. Based on these common rules (functional centralization) it is decided whether the individual patient can be treated in the primary hospital or should be referred to a center (geographical centralization). Recommendations about diagnosis, treatment and referral are made in this report. Detailed suggestions are given for diseases which may be treated locally whereas no detailed regimens are given for diseases and disease stages which should be centralized. In the latter cases, the main emphasis is placed on a presentation of treatment results.
The malignant haematological disorders comprise the main groups leukemia, malignant lymphoma and multiple myeloma and the potentially malignant disorders: myelodysplastic syndrome, polycythaemia vera, myelofibrosis and M-component of uncertain significance. The common feature of all these disorders is monoclonality, i.e. they originate from one single cell. Around 2,000 new cases are diagnosed per year in Denmark. Because of the relative small number of patients, complex diagnosis and treatment (especially the possibility of cure on intensive treatment) a high degree of centralization is warranted to secure an evenly distributed high level of patient care and research. The present rules for referral of patients are unsatisfactory. A new referral system is proposed based on a common set of rules, agreed upon by five haematological centers in Denmark and the surrounding region, comprising diagnostic procedures, treatment, research and development for all haematological patients in the area. Based on these common rules (functional centralization) it is decided whether the individual patient can be treated in the primary hospital or should be referred to a center (geographical centralization). Recommendations about diagnosis, treatment and referral are made in this report. Detailed suggestions are given for diseases which may be treated locally whereas no detailed regimens are given for diseases and disease stages which should be centralized. In the latter cases, the main emphasis is placed on a presentation of treatment results.