Pediatric Hematology and Oncology Department

I. Department Overview

The Department of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology (formerly the Department of Pediatric Hematology) was established in 1997. It was the first pediatric hematology and oncology department established in the province and one of the earliest in China. It is a nationally designated hospital for pediatric hematologic and oncologic diseases and the lead institution of the National Solid Tumor Diagnosis and Treatment Collaborative Group. The department is authorized to confer doctoral and master’s degrees and to host a postdoctoral mobile research station. It currently has 65 permanent beds, including 42 open beds in the West Coast Ward, 23 open beds in the Shinan Ward, and 2 laminar-flow transplant cabins.

As a nationally designated hospital for pediatric hematologic diseases, the department specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of pediatric anemic diseases (aplastic anemia, hemolytic anemia, nutritional anemia, etc.), pediatric bleeding diseases (thrombocytopenia, hemophilia, coagulation disorders, etc.), white blood cell abnormalities (pediatric leukemia, leukocytosis, neutropenia, etc.), pancytopenic diseases (aplastic anemia, myelodysplastic syndrome, paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria, etc.), and EB virus infection. As the lead institution of the National Solid Tumor Diagnosis and Treatment Collaborative Group, it also specializes in pediatric neoplastic diseases (pediatric leukemia, lymphoma, neuroblastoma, nephroblastoma, hepatoblastoma, osteosarcoma, germ cell tumors, medulloblastoma, central nervous system tumors, etc.), pediatric histiocytic proliferative diseases (Langerhans cell histiocytosis, hemophagocytic syndrome, etc.), difficult and complex diseases (including fever of unknown origin, unexplained weight loss, lymphadenopathy, hepatosplenomegaly, unexplained bleeding, etc.), and rare diseases (Gaucher disease, Niemann–Pick disease, neurofibromatosis, etc.).

II. Personnel Structure

The department currently has 13 physicians, including 5 chief physicians (professors) and 6 deputy chief physicians (associate professors). There are 27 nursing staff members, including 2 deputy chief nurses and 12 charge nurses. The department currently has 1 doctoral supervisor and 5 master’s supervisors. Its staff currently serve as national committee members of the Pediatric Branch of the Chinese Medical Association, members of the Hematology Group of the Pediatric Branch of the Chinese Medical Association, members of the Oncology Group of the Pediatric Branch of the Chinese Medical Association, young members of the Hematology Group of the Pediatric Branch of the Chinese Medical Association, and deputy heads of the Hematology Group of the Pediatric Branch of the Shandong Medical Association, among other positions. The department has received the Shandong Provincial Health Commission’s “Two Excellence and One Satisfaction” recognition and the Shandong Province “Spiritual Civilization” collective honor, and has been named one of the hospital’s “Top Ten Departments” for many consecutive years.

Academic leader Sun Lirong (孙立荣) currently serves as a member of the Pediatric Branch of the Chinese Medical Association and of its Hematology Group; a standing committee member of the Pediatric Branch of the Chinese Anti-Cancer Association; a standing committee member of the Pediatric Professional Committee of the Chinese Research Hospital Association; deputy chair of the Pediatric Branch of the Shandong Medical Association and head of its Hematology Group; deputy chair of the Pediatric Branch of the Shandong Medical Doctors Association; deputy chair of the Pediatric Branch of the Qingdao Medical Association and head of its Hematology Group; and an editorial board member of multiple core journals, including the Chinese Journal of Practical Pediatrics. She is a Qingdao top talent and has received such honors as the Qingdao Workers’ Pioneer title and the Shandong Top Ten Female Doctors title.

Academic leader Wang Lingzhen (王玲珍) currently serves as a young member of the Hematology Group of the Pediatric Branch of the Chinese Medical Association; a member of the Hematology Group of the Pediatric Branch of the Chinese Medical Doctor Association; a young member of the Pediatric Hematology Group of the Pediatric Branch of the Chinese Anti-Cancer Association; a young member of the National Children’s Cancer Surveillance Center’s committee for pediatric hematologic diseases and malignant tumors; deputy chair of the Hematology Group of the Pediatric Branch of the Shandong Medical Doctors Association; and a standing committee member of the Pediatric Oncology Branch of the Shandong Anti-Cancer Association, among other positions. She has received the Qingdao Youth Outstanding Science and Technology Award and the honorary title of Qingdao Good Doctor.

III. Professional Strengths and New Technologies

(1) Bone Marrow (Hematopoietic Stem Cell) Transplantation

Our department is one of the earliest institutions in China to perform bone marrow (hematopoietic stem cell) transplantation. In 2012, it performed the first allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplant in a child with Ph+ acute lymphoblastic leukemia; the child remains healthy to this day. The department now performs haploidentical, fully matched, unrelated-donor, and umbilical cord blood hematopoietic stem cell transplants, covering all types of transplantation technology. It has successfully completed the internationally rare procedure of three haploidentical transplants in a patient with aplastic anemia, as well as the highly challenging procedure in China of a second-degree-relative haploidentical transplant from a male paternal cousin to a female paternal cousin. Professor Xu Lanping (许兰平), director of the Bone Marrow Transplantation Center of Peking University People’s Hospital, and Professor Chen Jing (陈静), director of the Transplantation Center of Shanghai Children’s Medical Center, have been appointed honorary directors of our hospital and provide regular guidance for hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. This center is a collection and transplantation hospital of the China Marrow Donor Program and has established long-term cooperative relationships with the China Marrow Donor Program and the Taiwan Tzu Chi Marrow Donor Registry. A comprehensive management system covering the entire transplant process has been established. Individualized and refined treatment is provided for transplant conditioning regimens, maintenance therapy, and reproductive interventions. By the end of 2025, several hundred children had completed hematopoietic stem cell transplantation; the success rate of autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation was 100%, that of transplantation for aplastic anemia was above 95%, and that of transplantation for leukemia was approximately 85%, higher than the 75% rate reported in domestic and international literature.

(2) Leukemia/Lymphoma

In 2018, the department became one of the first national- and provincial-level designated hospitals for pediatric hematologic disease diagnosis and treatment services. It currently participates in national multicenter clinical diagnosis and treatment programs for acute lymphoblastic leukemia, acute granulocytic leukemia, acute promyelocytic leukemia, juvenile myelomonocytic leukemia, and other diseases, applying advanced leukemia diagnosis and treatment methods in clinical practice. During the treatment of acute leukemia, individualized treatment has been fully implemented. New technologies for minimal residual disease monitoring and immunotherapy for relapse prevention have been introduced, and allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation has been successfully performed, substantially improving the long-term prognosis of children with leukemia. In addition, as a deputy-lead institution of the National Pediatric Lymphoma Multicenter Collaborative Group, the department has extensive experience, using the comprehensive hospital platform, in CT/B-mode ultrasound-guided biopsy and PET-CT monitoring of lymphoma disease status. Its diagnostic and treatment standards are among the leading level in China.

(3) Bleeding Diseases and Rare Diseases

The subspecialty of bleeding diseases is a traditional area of strength of the Department of Hematology. As early as 2009, the department began standardized prophylactic treatment for hemophilia, reaching a leading level in China. A comprehensive set of laboratory examinations and procedures has now been established at the Pingdu Campus, enabling accurate diagnosis and treatment of bleeding diseases, particularly rare bleeding diseases. In 2022, the department passed the review of the Hemophilia Diagnosis and Treatment Center by the China Alliance for Rare Diseases, ensuring comprehensive treatment for patients with congenital and acquired hemophilia.

Gaucher disease is one of the representative rare pediatric hematologic diseases. In 2015, the department was the first in China to conduct multicenter high-risk screening for Gaucher disease in Shandong Province. It summarized the experience of high-risk screening for Gaucher disease in Chinese children, laying the foundation for its widespread promotion nationwide.

Solid tumors: in the treatment of common pediatric tumors such as neuroblastoma, hepatoblastoma, nephroblastoma, and retinoblastoma, the department is characterized by precision diagnosis and treatment of malignant tumors. It conducts gene testing-guided molecular targeted therapy, immunotherapy, and individualized precision chemotherapy, and uses comprehensive treatment combining chemotherapy + surgery + immune intervention + induced differentiation. Its treatment standards are among the leading level in China.

(5) Bone Marrow Failure Diseases

As a deputy-lead institution of the Bone Marrow Failure Disease Collaborative Group of the China Pediatric Hematology Alliance, the department uses combined immunosuppressive therapy for children with acute aplastic anemia, achieving an effectiveness rate of more than 80%. It has successfully performed allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation, substantially improving the prognosis of children with severe aplastic anemia.

IV. Scientific Research and Education

The department undertakes 1 national-level research project, including 1 project funded by the National Natural Science Foundation of China, and more than 10 provincial- and ministerial-level projects. It has received 1 first prize, 4 second prizes, and 4 third prizes for provincial-level scientific research; and 1 second prize at the municipal level. It has published hundreds of papers, dozens of which have been indexed by SCI. It has published more than 20 academic monographs, including participation in the compilation of the eighth and ninth editions of Pediatrics published by the People’s Medical Publishing House and the Higher Education Press. It has received first prize in the Qingdao University teaching competition and the honorary title of Good Teacher of Qingdao University.

In terms of international exchange, visiting scholars were sent abroad each year from 2018 to 2020, respectively, to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in the United States, the University of Colorado, the University of Utah, and New York University.

V. Patient Visit Guide

5. Patient Visit Guide

(1) Department Location

Outpatient:

Shinan Campus Outpatient Department: 2nd floor of the Outpatient Building

West Coast Campus: 1st floor of the Outpatient Building

Inpatient wards:

Shinan Campus Inpatient Ward: 4th floor of Dexian Building

West Coast Campus: 9th floor of Inpatient Building A

(2) Consultation Telephone Numbers

Shinan Campus: 0532-82912293

West Coast Campus: 0532-82919513