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Carmen Ballestas, MD

Pediatric Hematology & Oncology
Schedule Appointment Areas of Focus
Accepting New Patients
Locations

JDCH Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders

1150 N 35th Avenue
Suite 100
Hollywood, FL 33021

Phone: 954-265-2234

Fax: 954-985-2288

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JDCH Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders

1971 SW 172nd Avenue
Suite 2500
Miramar, FL 33029-5592

Phone: 954-265-2234

Fax: 954-893-6300

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About Me

I am a hematologist/oncologist at the Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders at Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital. I treat children with a variety of conditions including leukemia, solid tumors, sarcomas, benign hematologic disorders, benign tumors and coagulation defects.

I learned very early on in my medical training that I wanted to work caring for children. I am inspired by the way children face complex health conditions with grace, optimism and fierce resilience.

In addition to patient care, I am also very interested in quality improvement initiatives with the goal to improve patient’s outcomes and improve their quality of life. Over the past few years I have worked in projects to shorten hospital stays, optimization of chemotherapy and immunotherapy outpatient infusions and nutritional optimization in oncology patients.

Languages

  • Spanish
  • English

Areas of Focus

  • Hematologic Disorders
  • Histiocytic Disorders and Hemophagocytic Lymphhistiocytosis
  • Leukemia
  • Sarcomas

Education

Fellowships

  • University Of Alabama Medical Center, 2009, Pediatric Oncology and Hematology

Residency

  • Texas Tech University Health Science Center, 2006, Pediatrics

Medical Education

  • Universidad Del Norte Programa De Medicina, 1999

Certifications

  • American Board of Pediatrics-Pediatric Oncology and Hematology
  • American Board of Pediatrics-Pediatrics

Awards, Achievements, and More

Publications

  • Effective use of Larotrectinib in Management of an Infant with unresected Mesoblastic Nephroma. ASPHO Conference, Poster presentation 2024 
  • Institutional Experience with the Outpatient Administration of Prophylactic Anticoagulation in Patients with MIS-C. ASPHO conference. Poster presentation 2024
  • Child with hyperinflammatory syndrome and aplastic anemia with CD247 pathogenic variant. Abstract clinical immunology Society 2021. 
  • Impact of Ethnicity on Toxicities Associated with Dose Escalating Methotrexate in Pediatric Patients with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia. Abstract. American Society of Hematology annual meeting. 2019 
  • “Identification of Leukemia Stem cells associated with AML1-ETO through characterization of oncogene-induced changes in cell surface profiles in hematopoitic stem cells,” abstract, ASH meeting, 2008

Research

At Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital, I am involved in the Children’s Oncology Group and we are able to give our patients the option to participate in clinical trials. This offers them a wider range of treatment options that may not yet be available elsewhere, all while receiving treatment close to their home.

I am also interested in researching treatment options and therapies for various types of leukemia, sarcomas and hematologic disorders. I am particularly interested in histiocytic disorders and hemophagocytic histiocytosis. 

Professional Organizations

  • Children’s Oncology Group
  • American Society of Pediatric hematology Oncology
  • American Society of Hematology
  • Societe Internationale  Oncologie Pediatrique

Awards

  • Hyundai Hope on Wheels grant Recipient, 2015 
  • Chairman Award, TTUHSC, 2006
  • Chief Resident Pediatrics, TTUHSC, 2005-2006
  • Outstanding First-year Pediatric Resident, TTUHSC, 2003-2004

Hospital Affiliations