Asst. Prof. Dr. Shabnam Sultana

Asst. Prof. Dr. Shabnam Sultana – Top Oncologist & Sarcoma Specialist, Khulna

Asst. Prof. Dr. Shabnam Sultana is an Assistant Professor in the Oncology & Radiotherapy Department at Khulna Medical College & Hospital, Khulna, with over 13 years of distinguished clinical, academic, and systemic cancer care experience. As an eminent Clinical Oncologist, she provides expert care for severe and exceedingly rare malignancies, with a highly specialized focus on soft tissue sarcomas and vascular tumors such as DSRCT, ASPS, EHE, clear cell sarcoma, and inflammatory myofibroblastic tumors. Patients seeking expert oncological evaluation receive evidence-based treatments tailored to halt disease progression, manage acute cancer-related crises, and achieve long-term remission. Her medical practice combines high-precision cancer diagnostics with individualized, systemic, and radiation-based patient care plans.

Professional Biography

Dr. Shabnam Sultana completed her MBBS degree, establishing a robust clinical foundation in general medical sciences. Demonstrating a profound commitment to advanced cancer care, she entered the prestigious BCS (Health) cadre and pursued highly rigorous postgraduate specialization, earning her Doctor of Medicine (MD) in Oncology. This premier clinical qualification equips her with the dual expertise of a Clinical Oncologist—mastering both systemic medical oncology (chemotherapy and targeted therapy) and precision radiation oncology. Finding the best Oncologist in Khulna leads patients to rely on her 13+ years of academic leadership and specialized clinical expertise at Khulna Medical College & Hospital, a premier government medical institution.

Her primary clinical focus includes intensive multi-agent chemotherapy protocols for aggressive DSRCTs, targeted anti-angiogenic therapies for alveolar soft part sarcomas, specialized systemic management and surveillance for epithelioid hemangioendotheliomas, and ALK-inhibitor therapies for inflammatory myofibroblastic tumors. Her diagnostic framework incorporates advanced PET-CT scan analysis, deep molecular and immunohistochemistry (IHC) profiling, and comprehensive oncological risk stratification to formulate effective, long-term cancer survival strategies for extremely rare diagnoses.

At-a-Glance Profile Card

Qualifications & Education

• MBBS – Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery

• BCS (Health) – Bangladesh Civil Service (Health Cadre)

• MD (Oncology) – Doctor of Medicine in Oncology

Designation & Workplace

• Designation: Assistant Professor, Oncology & Radiotherapy Department

• Workplace: Khulna Medical College & Hospital, Khulna

Diseases Treated

• Desmoplastic small round cell tumor (DSRCT) requires highly aggressive multi-agent chemotherapy and radiation.

• Alveolar soft part sarcoma (ASPS) demands targeted anti-angiogenic therapies and surgical planning.

• Epithelioid hemangioendothelioma (EHE) requires specialized vascular tumor surveillance and systemic therapies.

• Clear cell sarcoma (of soft tissue) needs molecular-targeted biological agents and localized radiation.

• Inflammatory myofibroblastic tumor (IMT) demands targeted ALK-inhibitor therapy and surgical resection.

• Breast cancer requires post-operative radiation and systemic hormonal/chemotherapy.

• Lung cancer demands concurrent chemoradiation or targeted biological agents.

• Colorectal cancer requires neoadjuvant or adjuvant chemotherapy and radiotherapy.

• Head and neck cancers demand highly precise curative radiation therapy.

• Cervical cancer demands external beam radiation combined with brachytherapy.

• Ovarian cancer demands systemic platinum-based chemotherapy.

• Gastric (Stomach) cancer needs systemic oncological evaluation and chemotherapy.

• Brain metastasis demands whole-brain radiation to preserve neurological function.

• Bone metastasis requires palliative radiation for rapid pain relief and fracture prevention.

• Lymphomas (Hodgkin & Non-Hodgkin) require specialized systemic immunochemotherapy.

Clinical Specialties & Treatment Areas

• Rare Soft Tissue Sarcomas: Precision management for incredibly rare cancers of the connective tissues, muscles, and blood vessels, requiring advanced molecular testing to guide highly specific targeted therapies.

• Clinical Oncology (Dual Expertise): Comprehensive delivery of both systemic intravenous chemotherapy and targeted external beam radiation therapy, preventing the need to transfer patients between different specialists.

• General Solid Tumor Management: Expert, evidence-based management of common cancers (breast, lung, cervical, GI tract) utilizing 13 years of clinical experience in a major tertiary hospital.

Advanced Procedure Breakdown

Molecular Diagnostics & IHC Profiling

For rare tumors like Clear Cell Sarcoma or EHE, looking at cells under a standard microscope is insufficient. Dr. Sultana utilizes advanced Immunohistochemistry (IHC) and molecular genetic testing (like checking for the EWSR1-WT1 gene fusion in DSRCT or ALK gene rearrangements in IMT). Identifying these exact genetic mutations dictates whether a tumor will respond to specific, modern targeted oral chemotherapy drugs.

Systemic Targeted & Anti-Angiogenic Therapy

Traditional chemotherapy often fails against rare sarcomas like ASPS. Instead, Dr. Sultana utilizes targeted therapies and anti-angiogenic drugs (which stop the tumor from growing new blood vessels). By cutting off the blood supply or blocking specific mutated proteins, she can halt the progression of cancers that were previously considered untreatable.

Advanced Radiation Treatment Planning

As a Clinical Oncologist, Dr. Sultana designs and oversees complex 3D-Conformal Radiation Therapy (3D-CRT) and intensity-modulated plans for both rare sarcomas and common solid tumors. She meticulously calculates the radiation dosage to shrink the tumor pre-surgery or destroy microscopic cancer cells post-surgery while maximally sparing surrounding healthy, vital organs.

Condition-Specific Deep Dives

Desmoplastic Small Round Cell Tumor (DSRCT)

An extremely rare, highly aggressive type of soft tissue sarcoma that primarily affects adolescent and young adult males. It typically presents as multiple tumors scattered throughout the abdomen and pelvis (the peritoneum). Because it grows rapidly and spreads early, treatment is gruelingly intense, requiring a combination of massive systemic chemotherapy, extensive abdominal surgery, and whole-abdomen radiation therapy.

Alveolar Soft Part Sarcoma (ASPS)

A very rare, slow-growing but highly dangerous soft tissue sarcoma that typically arises in the deep muscles of the thigh or leg in young adults. Despite growing slowly, it has a high tendency to spread (metastasize) early to the lungs and brain through the bloodstream. It does not respond well to standard chemotherapy, requiring Dr. Sultana to use highly specialized targeted drugs (tyrosine kinase inhibitors).

Epithelioid Hemangioendothelioma (EHE)

An exceedingly rare vascular cancer that grows from the cells lining the inside of blood vessels. It can appear anywhere but most commonly affects the liver, lungs, and bones. Its behavior is highly unpredictable—in some patients, it remains dormant for years, while in others, it grows rapidly and aggressively. Management requires expert, highly individualized surveillance and targeted treatments.

The Doctor’s Clinical Approach

Asst. Prof. Dr. Shabnam Sultana utilizes over 13 years of profound clinical wisdom to approach highly complex, life-threatening malignancies. Her philosophy emphasizes an exhaustive, molecular-level diagnostic approach to unearth rare soft tissue sarcomas, prioritizing the integration of modern targeted therapies over generalized treatments, and providing compassionate, systemic care for patients facing daunting and often misunderstood cancer diagnoses.

Specialized Risk Factors

Emergency Callout: Immediate emergency medical evaluation is required if a chemotherapy patient develops a fever over 100.4°F (38°C) with chills (Febrile Neutropenia - a life-threatening lack of immune cells), a patient with abdominal tumors (like DSRCT) develops sudden severe abdominal pain and cannot pass gas or stool (bowel obstruction), or a sarcoma patient experiences sudden, severe breathlessness or coughing up blood (pulmonary metastasis/embolism).

Certifications & Professional Memberships

• Member, Bangladesh Medical and Dental Council (BMDC)

• Assistant Professor, BCS (Health) Cadre

• Member, Oncology Club, Bangladesh

Patient Visit Preparation Checklist

• Bring all prior biopsy reports, crucial immunohistochemistry (IHC) markers, molecular testing results, and recent PET-CT or MRI scans.

• Maintain a complete list of current prescription medications and any previous chemotherapy discharge summaries.

• Keep a detailed symptom diary noting new lumps, unexplained weight loss, deep muscle pain, or abdominal swelling.

• Ensure a family member accompanies the patient to take detailed notes, as treatments for rare sarcomas involve highly complex, multi-drug regimens and side-effect management strategies.

Last Modified: October 27, 2026