National Institute Of Cancer Research & Hospital (NICRH)

Brief Description: Welcome to Pediatric Hematology and Oncology (PHO) Department of National Institute of Cancer Research and Hospital (NICRH). This is an academically oriented department which is committed to provide update and specialized care to children with cancer, training to the doctors and nurses. The center is unique for it can provide multimodality treatment facility as one stop-service for up-to 18 years age group. The center is committed to provide service for both hematological malignancies and solid tumors like Bone, Brain, Soft tissues, Kidney, Liver, and various rare malignancies in Children. Patients are referred from all parts of the country to this department and numbers of patients are increasing day by day.

History & Establishment:

In 2005, Pediatric Oncology department started its journey along with medical oncology with 7 beds only. But the department started as self-contained department in the name of pediatric Oncology in 2008 with 11 non-paying beds. In 2015, number of beds was increased to 25 including both paying and non-paying as the hospital became 300 bedded. Later in 22.1.2019 name was changed into Pediatric Hematology and Oncology to include the children with hematologic malignancies along with other malignancies. In 2021, NICRH became a 500 bedded hospital and PHO bed number was increased to 40.

New Patient Care
New pediatric cancer patients are registered and received by physicians and then undergo history taking and physical examination.
Availability: 8 AM – 2 PM
Appointment Required: No
Diagnostic
Patients are advised for diagnostic investigations like Complete Blood Count, Peripheral Blood Film, Bone Marrow Study, Biopsy, Histopathology, Immunohistochemistry, CT Scan/MRI, Tumor Markers and other biochemical studies.
Availability: 8 AM – 2:30 PM
Appointment Required: No
Outpatient Care
Service for any health issues for admissible and non-admissible patients.
Availability: 8 AM – 2:30 PM
Appointment Required: No
Admission
Given for supportive care, oncologic emergency care, chemotherapy, and post-chemo adverse event management.
Availability: 8 AM – 2:30 PM
Appointment Required: No
Indoor Care
Consultant visit and round, daily follow-up, specific management as advised like chemotherapy, supportive care, treatment for septicemia, nutritional support, etc.
Availability: 24 hours
Appointment Required: No
Daycare Chemotherapy
Non-admissible chemotherapies are given on a day-care basis.
Availability: 8 AM – 2:30 PM
Appointment Required: No
Emergency Care
Registered pediatric cancer patients are given emergency care if needed.
Availability: 24 hours
Appointment Required: No
Follow-up Clinic
For survivors.
Availability: 8 AM – 2 PM
Appointment Required: No
Laboratory Facilities
• Complete Blood Count
• Peripheral Blood Film
• Bone Marrow Morphology
Availability: 8 AM – 2 PM
Appointment Required: No
Procedures
• Intra-thecal Chemotherapy
• Bone Marrow Aspiration
• Pleural Fluid Aspiration
• Ascitic Fluid Aspiration
• Catheterization
Availability: 8 AM – 2 PM
Appointment Required: No

Specialized Facilities & Technologies:
l Bone marrow aspiration and Morphology
l Systemic and Intrathecal Chemotherapy

1. To provide the update cancer management for children by a team of specialists.

2. To upgrade the department as center of excellence.

3. To make the environment more patient-centered that promotes the physical, emotional, and spiritual wellbeing of children and their families.

4. To provide one stop service with multimodality treatment facility for pediatric cancer patients

5. To achieve excellence in research and education.

6. To create awareness among people and health professionals about childhood malignancies.

7. To enroll Bangladesh in WHO Global Initiative for Childhood Cancer (GICC).

Ongoing research projects:

Demographic characteristics of Pediatric Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma – 7 Years Experiences from Tertiary Care Centre, Bangladesh.
Dr. Ferdousi Begum
Dr. Farida Yasmin
Outcome of Pediatric Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma with Combined Modalities Treatment – 6 Years Experiences from NICRH
Dr. Ferdousi Begum
Dr. Farida Yasmin
Outcome of Pediatric Rhabdomyosarcoma - challenges for risk-directed therapy in resource limited setting
Dr. Ferdousi Begum
Dr. Farida Yasmin
Clinico-pathological profile of Pediatric Rhabdomyosarcoma -7-year experiences from Tertiary Care Centre, Bangladesh.
Dr. Ferdousi Begum
Eshita Reza Khan
Clinical Profile & Outcome of Malignant Bone Tumor in Children – 10 Years Experiences at NICRH
Dr. Farida Yasmin
Dr. Ferdousi Begum
Immunophenotypic Pattern of Childhood Acute Leukemia in Bangladesh – 1 Year Experiences from NICRH.
Dr. Syeda Sharmin Ara
Dr. Sabina Karim
Diagnostic Value of Immunohistochemistry in Pediatric Solid Tumor – Experiences from NICRH
Rezwana Rahman
Dr. Ferdousi Begum
Association of EBV infection in Pediatric Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma - prospective observational study for 1 year.
Dr. Ferdousi Begum
Dr. Khandokar Samsujjaman
Nutritional Status at diagnosis in under-five children with Cancer – 1 Year experiences from NICRH
Dr. Ismot Ara Zannat
Dr. Farida Yasmin

Clinical Trials
• Cytogenetics of Pediatric Acute Myeloid Leukemia — Dr. Arafatara Khatun
• Invasive Fungal Infection in Pediatric Cancer Patients in Bangladesh — Dr. Eshita Reza Khan, Dr. Rezwana Rahman Akhi
• Plasma Epstein–Barr Virus DNA (p-EBV-DNA) Load in Children with Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma (NPC) and Its Relation with Clinico-Pathological Profile of Tumor — Dr. Ferdousi Begum, Dr. Shamsujjaman Khandoker

Publications:

1. Clinico-pathological profile and Treatment Outcome of Pediatric Hodgkin Lymphoma in Bangladesh: A Single Centre Experience
Eshita Reza Khan, Ferdousi Begum et al.
Cancer J Bangladesh 2024; 5(2): 69-74
2. Advanced Intraocular Retinoblastoma: A Review of Current Management Practices in Developing Countries
Sabina Karim, Md. Hasnuzzaman, Rifat Moin Joya, Afiqul Islam
Cancer J Bangladesh 2024; 5(2): 69-74
3. Coagulopathy in pediatric acute promyelocytic leukemia in Bangladesh: A single-center, prospective study
Dr. Eshita Reza Khan, Dr. Ferdousi Begum, Prof. Dr. Afiqul Islam
Pediatric Hematology Oncology Journal (Elsevier), 2024, Vol 9, Issue 2, pp. 114–119
4. Managing Juvenile Myelomonocytic Leukemia in Resource-constraints setting: New Hope with Isotretinoin-based Cytoreductive Therapy
Dr. Eshita Reza Khan, Dr. Ferdousi Begum, Dr. Sabina Karim
Haematology Journal of Bangladesh, 2025, Vol 9, Issue 1, pp. 25–29
5. Pattern of Entero-pathogens during Diarrheal Episode in Children with Hematological Malignancy
Dr. Ferdousi Begum, Rashedul Haque
Hematol J Bangladesh, Vol 2, No 1, Jan 2018, pp. 17–21
6. Pathogens causing diarrhea among Bangladeshi children with malignancy: results from two pilot studies
Dr. Sabina Karim, Dr. Ferdousi Begum
World Journal of Clinical Cases, 2020 Jan 26; 8(2): 276–283
7. Clostridium Difficile-Associated Diarrhea in Children with Hematological Malignancy — Experience from a Pediatric Oncology Center, Bangladesh
Dr. Ferdousi Begum et al.
International Journal of Child Health and Nutrition, Nov 2019; 8(4): 154–161
8. Frequency and Risk Factors of Seizures in Children During Induction Remission Chemotherapy for Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL)
Dr. Shahinoor Akter Soma
Bangladesh J Child Health, 2021; 45(2): 94–98
9. Serum Lactic Acid: A Predictor of Septic Shock in Childhood Cancers with Febrile Neutropenia in a Tertiary Care Hospital in Bangladesh
Rezwana Rahman et al.
Asian Journal of Pediatric Research, 2025; 15(1): 38–45
10. Metabolic Syndrome in Survivors of Pediatric Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia in a Tertiary Care Hospital in Bangladesh
Dr. Farah Akther et al.
ARC Journal of Pediatrics, 2025; 10(1): 1–7
International presence
1. Nominated as focal person for Global Childhood Cancer Initiative from Bangladesh — Dr. Ferdousi Begum, Associate Professor and Head of Department, NICRH.
2. Challenges with multi-modality treatment in children with Rhabdomyosarcoma: Real Scenario from Tertiary-level Pediatric Cancer Center, Bangladesh — Dr. Ferdousi Begum.
3. Treatment Outcome of Childhood Hepatoblastoma: A Single Center Experience in Bangladesh — Dr. Farida Yasmin.
4. Profile of Surviving Children with Malignancy — Experiences from National Institute of Cancer Research and Hospital, Bangladesh — Dr. Ferdousi Begum.
Departmental activities:
Awareness Activities:
World Cancer Day celebration -4th February, Each year
International Childhood Cancer Day celebration - 15th February each year
Gold September-childhood cancer awareness month celebration each year by different activities like art competitions, essay writings, cultural activities by children with malignancies
Monthly Parents Meeting-Organized by World Child Cancer (WCC).
Training and Education:
FCPS in Pediatric Hematology and Oncology
Short placement for MD Pediatric Hematology and Oncology and Radiation Oncology.

l Head of the Department: Associate Professor. Dr. Ferdousi Begum, FCPS(Ped), M.D (Ped. Hematology and Oncology), CMEd (Medical education).

l Designation: Associate Professor and Head of the Department

l Contact: Email: nicrhpho@gmail.com, ferdousibegum1968@gmail.com

l Office Location: Block D, 4^th floor.

l Working hours: 8AM-2.30 PM

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