Dr. Shadma Shahin's Blog
Evidence-based articles to help patients and families understand blood disorders, diagnostics, and treatment options.
The JAK2 mutation is found in many myeloproliferative neoplasms. Learn what it means for your diagnosis and treatment.
A second opinion can confirm your diagnosis, clarify your risk category, and ensure you are on the right treatment path.
A bone marrow biopsy can feel intimidating. Here is what happens during the procedure, why it is done, and how to prepare.
Molecular testing identifies genetic mutations that drive blood cancers. Learn why it matters for diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment selection.
AML is a fast-growing blood cancer that starts in the bone marrow. Learn about symptoms, how it is diagnosed, and the role of molecular testing.
A CBC is one of the most commonly ordered blood tests. Learn what each parameter means and when values may signal a concern.
CAR T-cell therapy uses your own modified immune cells to fight cancer. Learn how it works, which blood cancers it treats, and what patients should know.
Anemia affects millions worldwide. Learn about the different types — from iron deficiency to aplastic anemia — and when your anemia needs specialist attention.
Multiple myeloma is a cancer of plasma cells in the bone marrow. Learn about its symptoms, how it is diagnosed, and the latest treatment options including immunotherapy.
Lymphoma accounts for about half of all blood cancer diagnoses. Learn the difference between Hodgkin and Non-Hodgkin lymphoma, symptoms, and treatment approaches.
Leukemia is classified by speed and cell type into four main forms. Learn the differences between ALL, AML, CML, and CLL, and how each is treated.
Chronic Myeloid Leukemia was once a devastating diagnosis. The discovery of the Philadelphia chromosome and the drug imatinib transformed it into a manageable chronic disease.
Stem cell transplants can cure some blood cancers that cannot be cured by chemotherapy alone. Here is how autologous and allogeneic transplants differ and what patients should know.
Flow cytometry identifies blood cells by their surface markers, detecting thousands of cells per second. It is indispensable for diagnosing leukemia and lymphoma.
Blood cancers often carry distinctive chromosomal abnormalities. Cytogenetics and FISH testing reveal these changes — and the answers drive diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment.
Every red blood cell, white blood cell, and platelet in your body begins life in the bone marrow. Here is how this remarkable organ produces billions of cells every day.
Before any advanced test is run, a trained eye examining a blood smear under a microscope can detect dozens of conditions — from iron deficiency to leukaemia. Here is how it works.
MDS is a group of bone marrow disorders where blood cells are produced but do not mature properly. About 30% of cases progress to acute leukemia. Here is what patients need to know.