Dr. Haji Chalchal MD

I am working as a Medical Oncologist and Hematologist at Allan Blair Cancer Center, Regina since January 2000. I received my medical degree from Dow Medical University, Karachi. Pakistan in 1990. I did my Internal Medicine Residency at Woodhull Medical Center, Brooklyn, NY. Subsequently, I did my Medical Oncology/Hematology Fellowship at State University of New York at Brooklyn, USA. I also did a stem cell transplant fellowship at University of Iowa, Iowa City, USA. I currently hold subspecialty certifications in all three areas.

My areas of interest in oncology includes Breast, GI and CNS malignancies. In Hematology, my areas of interest includes Acute Leukemia’s and high grade lymphomas. I have keen interest in clinical research. I am well published in peer review journals with several practice changing publications.

I have the opportunity to be part of physician leadership team as the director of disease site group, quality and safety for Allan Blair Cancer Centre. I have worked with my colleagues and patient representatives to develop several quality improvement projects that includes development of follow up guidelines for cancer patients with development of patient information materials. Creating Disease site group structure with development of provincial disease site group chairs for all disease sites. Development of structure to implement changes in practice in different areas of oncology. Development of disease site specific clinics and multidisciplinary triage rounds. Development of provincial disease site group clinical trial activation process and feasibility meetings. Development of provincial molecular biomarker prioritization committee. Development of Provincial systemic therapy  quality improvement committee. Creation of provincial morbidity and mortality rounds terms of references and development of work standards. Development of incorporation of Nurse practitioners and Oncology assistants at Saskatchewan cancer agency. Development of training pathways for clinical associates, nurse practitioners and oncology assistants as part of care team in shared care model besides others.  

I am also working as a volunteer for The Citizens foundation, Canada to build and run schools for underprivileged children of Pakistan. I like to read literature and poetry.

Publications with impact on treatment standards.

1. Exemestane versus anastrozole in postmenopausal women with early breast cancer: NCIC CTG MA.27--a randomized controlled phase III trial.Goss PE, Ingle JN, Pritchard KI, Ellis MJ, Sledge GW, Budd GT, Rabaglio M, Ansari RH, Johnson DB, Tozer R, D'Souza DP, Chalchal H, Spadafora S, Stearns V, Perez EA, Liedke PE, Lang I, Elliott C, Gelmon KA, Chapman JA, Shepherd LE.
   J Clin Oncol. 2013 Apr 10;31(11):1398-404. doi: 10.1200/JCO.2012.44.7805. Epub 2013 Jan 28.
2. Cyclophosphamide, epirubicin, and Fluorouracil versus dose-dense epirubicin and cyclophosphamide followed by Paclitaxel versus Doxorubicin and cyclophosphamide followed by Paclitaxel in node-positive or high-risk node-negative breast cancer. Burnell M, Levine MN, Chapman JA, Bramwell V, Gelmon K, Walley B, Vandenberg T, Chalchal H, Albain KS, Perez EA, Rugo H, Pritchard K, O'Brien P, Shepherd LE.
   J Clin Oncol. 2010 Jan 1;28(1):77-82. doi: 10.1200/JCO.2009.22.1077. Epub 2009 Nov 9
3. K-ras mutations and benefit from cetuximab in advanced colorectal cancer. Karapetis CS, Khambata-Ford S, Jonker DJ, O'Callaghan CJ, Tu D, Tebbutt NC, Simes RJ, Chalchal H, Shapiro JD, Robitaille S, Price TJ, Shepherd L, Au HJ, Langer C, Moore MJ, Zalcberg JR.
   N Engl J Med. 2008 Oct 23;359(17):1757-65. doi: 10.1056/NEJMoa0804385.
4. Rituximab therapy for patients with newly diagnosed, advanced-stage, follicular grade I non-Hodgkin's lymphoma: a phase II trial in the North Central Cancer Treatment Group. Witzig TE, Vukov AM, Habermann TM, Geyer S, Kurtin PJ, Friedenberg WR, White WL, Chalchal HI, Flynn PJ, Fitch TR, Welker DA.
   J Clin Oncol. 2005 Feb 20;23(6):1103-8. Epub 2005 Jan 18