The Department of Hematology-Medical oncology and Radiation Oncology form the Curaçao Medical Center’s Hemato-oncology Department. It is specialized in diagnosing and managing patients with hematological and oncological diseases. A multidisciplinary approach characterizes the department.
Curaçao Medical Center provides extensive oncology services designed to diagnose, evaluate, and treat most forms of cancer. Our multidisciplinary staff includes surgeons, hematologists, medical oncologists, radiation oncologists, gynecologic oncologists and an interventional radiology staff.
Because there are many different types of cancer, each with unique disease characteristics and treatment approaches, disease specific protocols form the basis for our patient management.
The Curaçao Medical Center offers treatments for solid tumors and hematological diseases in both curative and palliative setting. We also provide care for patients with benign diseases of the blood, such as sickle cell disease and coagulation disorders.
Treatment and guidance advice for complex palliative care is provided by the Curaçao Medical Center via “Kuido Palliativo Korsow” (also for non-hemato-oncological palliative care). This is a collaboration of oncologist, nurses and general physicians.
Treatments & Conditions
- The Curaçao Medical Center offers treatments for solid tumors and hematological diseases in both curative and palliative setting. We also provide care for patients with benign diseases of the blood, such as sickle cell disease and coagulation disorders.
- Treatment and guidance advice for complex palliative care is provided by the Curaçao Medical Center via “Kuido Palliativo Korsow” (also for non-hemato-oncological palliative care). This is a collaboration of oncologist, nurses and general physicians.
Oncology / Hematology Programs & Services
- Hematology: Treatment of patients with cancer and other diseases of the blood and blood-forming organs
- Medical Oncology: Treatment of patients with solid malignant tumors.
- Otolaryngology Oncology: (ENT), Offers treatment for cancers of the ears, nose, and throat.
- Gastroenterology: Provides care for cancers of the intestinal tract.
- Neuro-oncology: Provides care for cancers of the brain, spine, and peripheral nervous system
- Liver and hepatobiliary Oncology: Treats cancers of the liver, bile ducts, and biliary tract
- Genitourinary Oncology Focuses on treating cancers that develop in the male reproductive system and female and male genitourinary tract.
- Gynecological Oncology: Offers interventions for cancers of the cervix, endometrium, ovaries and other portions of the female reproductive system.
Specialists Oncology / Hematology
Marcella van der Graaf - Internist-Oncologist
During my day to day job I work as a medical oncologist and as an internist. As an internist I treat patients on the emergency department or admitted to our hospital. As a medical oncologist I treat patients with cancer mostly with medication.
Luckily there are a lot of people with cancer that can be cured but unfortunately we can not cure everyone. The fact that a patient can not be cured from his or her disease does not mean that the patient does not need help or that there are no ways to relieve their complaints.
During my training to be an oncologist I specialized in palliative care. Palliative care is the care for patients with a life-threatening illness that focusses on improving or maintaining quality of life through the prevention and relief of suffering by means of early identification and assessment of physical, spiritual and psychosocial problems.
In 2018 we started a palliative consultation service “Kuido Palliativo Korsou” which can be consulted by all doctors on Curaçao for advice on palliative care. By giving advice and education of our colleagues we try to improve the quality of palliative care on Curaçao.
John Schnog - Hematologist
Dr. J. Schnog has been practicing as an Internist-hematologist/medical oncologist from 2009 in the Sint Elisabeth Hospital. He is currently head of the department of Oncology/Hematology in the Curaçao Medical Center.
Next to treating patients with blood, bone marrow and lymph node cancers, the Department provides care for patients with non malignant disease as well, such as sickle cell disease, thalassemia and coagulation disorders. A multidisciplinary approach is central to our patient care, as is intensive collaboration with our colleagues in Academic Centers in The Netherlands.
Chanielle Salsbach- Internist-Hematologist
Chanielle Salsbach Internist-hematologist/medical oncologist
In addition to her specialization as an internist-hematologist, Chanielle Salsbach has completed a second specialization, namely oncology at the University Medical Center Groningen.
As an oncologist-hematologist she is involved in the diagnosis, treatment and follow-up of patients with cancer, leukemia, lymph node cancer and also benign blood diseases such as sickle cell disease.
Drs Salsbach, born and raised on Curaçao, worked for a year as a physician assistant in SEHOS. After completing her specializations in 2021, she started working at CMC. She speaks Papiamentu, Dutch, English and Spanish.