Diagnosis & Treatment
Diagnostic Testing
An accurate diagnosis is a first and most important step in getting the most effective treatment. At NewYork-Presbyterian Westchester (formerly Lawrence Hospital), we perform blood tests plus additional testing to find out what kind of cancer you have and what subtype it may be.
There are many types of blood cancer, each with its own biology and behavior. For example, there are more than 70 subtypes of non-Hodgkin lymphoma alone. Your doctor arranges for all the testing needed to learn all we can about the type and stage of your cancer so we can match you with the best treatments.
Blood Cancer Treatments
Many blood cancer treatments involve infusion therapies, which you can receive in our comfortable and relaxing Infusion Center. Our oncology nurses administer your treatment and monitor your comfort and side effects during your time with us.
Chemotherapy and immunotherapy. Blood cancers are often treated with combinations of chemotherapy drugs. You may also be eligible to receive immunotherapy, a treatment that boosts the power of your immune system to detect and destroy cancer cells in your body. You can receive these treatments in our Infusion Center.
Targeted therapies. Increasingly in cancer care, we use therapies that target proteins and genetic mutations specific to cancer cells. We perform genetic sequencing to test the biology of your cancer and match you with the anticancer drugs that aim at the molecules fueling its growth.
For blood cancers, many new targeted therapies have been developed in the last several years to treat these cancers more precisely than conventional anticancer drugs. Your doctor will let you know if targeted therapy is right for you.
Bone marrow transplantation. Also called stem cell transplantation, this treatment has evolved into the standard of care for many patients with blood cancers and other blood disorders. NewYork-Presbyterian/Columbia University Irving Medical Center offers stem cell transplantation for patients with leukemia, lymphoma, multiple myeloma, myelofibrosis, and MDS. If your doctor recommends a transplant, we can connect you with the bone marrow transplant team at NewYork-Presbyterian/Columbia. You can have your transplant in Manhattan and your pre- and post-transplant care at our hospital.
CAR T-cell therapy. Patients with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma or mantle cell lymphoma that came back or continued to grow after prior treatment may be eligible to receive chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy.
CAR T cells are made from a patient's white blood cells (T cells) collected from the patient, modified in a lab to recognize certain proteins on cancer cells, and returned to the patient to detect, attach to, and destroy cancer cells throughout the body. You may be able to receive CAR T-cell therapy at NewYork-Presbyterian/Columbia and have the care you need before and after this treatment at NewYork-Presbyterian Westchester.