Cancer and Hematology Center
Bone Marrow Transplant / Stem Cell Transplant Program
Histiocytosis Program
Lymphoma Program
Texas Medical Center
Address
1102 Bates Ave., Ste 1510
Houston, TX 77030
Olive S. Eckstein, MD
Assistant Professor, Department of Pediatrics, Section of Hematology-Oncology, Baylor College of Medicine
Education
| School | Education | Degree | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Baylor College of Medicine | Fellowship | Pediatric Hematology-Oncology | 2014 |
| Boston Children's Hospital | Residency | Pediatrics | 2010 |
| Chicago Medical School | Medical School | Doctor of Medicine | 2007 |
| Boston Children's Hospital | Internship | Pediatrics |
About
Dr. Olive Eckstein is a clinical expert with extensive experience in the evaluation and care of pediatric and adult patients with histiocytic disorders, lymphomas, and rare lymphoproliferative and immune disorders.
As a physician in one of the largest Histiocytosis and Lymphoma programs in the United States, Dr. Eckstein consults on patients from across the nation and around the world. She works with other pediatric subspecialists in the departments of Critical Care, Rheumatology, Immunology, and Infectious Disease at Texas Children's Hospital to improve our understanding of the biologic and genetic mechanisms of this disease, as well as to enroll patients on clinical trials targeting these mechanisms.
Dr. Eckstein is the Study Chair of LCH REASON, a Phase 3, multi-site clinical trial for upfront treatment of Langerhans Cell Histiocytosis (LCH); the Study Vice-Chair of NACHO-Cobimetinib, a Phase 2, multi-site clinical trial for histiocytic disorders; and Vice-Chair of APEC1621E, a Phase 2 subprotocol of the Children's Oncology Group (COG) Pediatric MATCH trial.
She has also been involved with multiple investigative clinical trials and critically analyzes historical clinical and biologic data for patients with hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis, histiocytic disorders, and pediatric lymphomas.
Dr. Olive Eckstein received her medical degree from the Chicago Medical School at Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science and completed her residency in pediatrics at Children's Hospital Boston. Following residency, Dr. Eckstein worked as a hospitalist in the Bone Marrow Transplant Department at Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center.
She has been an avid volunteer for the last decade after serving in AmeriCorps and is fluent in American Sign Language.
The patients and families she cares for inspire Dr. Eckstein every day with their strength and resilience. She is committed to supporting and guiding them through this challenging time by educating and empowering patients and families with the most up-to-date information, listening with empathy and compassion, and providing hope for the future.
She is board certified by the American Board of Pediatrics in both pediatrics and pediatric hematology-oncology.
Clinical Interests
- Langerhans Cell Histiocytosis (LCH)
- Neurodegenerative LCH (LCH-ND_
- Central Nervous System LCH (CNS-LCH)
- Hemophagocytic Lymphohistiocytosis (HLH)
- Juvenile Xanthogranuloma (JXG)
- Rosai-Dorfman Disease (RDD)
- Pediatric Lymphomas (Hodgkin and Non-Hodgkin)
- Lymphoproliferative and immune disorders (including ALPS)
- Post-transplant Lymphoproliferative Disease (PTLD)
- Chronic Active EBV (CAEBV)
- Bone Marrow (Stem Cell) Transplant for Hemophagocytic Lymphohistiocytosis (HLH) and Lymphoproliferative Disorders
Organizations
| Organization Name | Role |
|---|---|
| American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) | Member |
| American Society for Hematology (ASH) | Member |
| American Society for Pediatric Hematology Oncology (ASPHO) | Member |
| American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) | Member |
| Children's Oncology Group (COG) | Member |
| Histiocyte Society | Member |
| North American Consortium for Histiocytosis (NACHO) | Member |
Research Statement
Dr. Olive Eckstein's research interests focus on optimizing the care of patients with histiocytic disorders and lymphomas by improving the undestanding of the intersection between the biology of these diseases and their clinical presentation.
The goal of her ongoing research is to improve the standard therapy for newly diagnosed Langerhans Cell Histiocytosis (LCH) patients by conducting a Phase 3, randomized, controlled trial (LCH REASON) of vinblastine/prednisone compared to cytarabine. As the Study Chair of this multi-institutional investigator-initiated trial, she works with our team and external sites to provide guidelines for clinical classification, response to treatment. This trial will also explore the significance of biologic markers, such as circulating peripheral blood BRAFV600E mutated cells, in relation to disease classification and response to treatment. For patients who do not respond to initial therapy or relapse after treatment, options for cytotoxic chemotherapy and targeted inhibitors of BRAF/MEK/ERK activation are available and are being studied along with biologic markers of disease.
In addition to her role leading LCH REASON, she is the Vice-Chair of a multi-site IIT Phase II protocol using a MEK inhibitor (cobimetinib) for patients with relapsed/refractory histiocytic diseases, which is supported by the North American Consortium for Histiocytosis (NACHO). She works with data managers and laboratory scientists to analyze genetic patterns related to ERK activation, as well as biomarkers in patient specimens at specific time points in the treatment trials, with the goal of improving risk stratification for future patients.
One of the most important parts of the design of these clinical trials is the development of detailed and thorough response assessments using the most modern technology in order to objectively determine patient outcomes in regards to each treatment. She has a special interest in neurodegenerative LCH (LCH-ND) and is developing better ways to predict who is most at risk for this disease. By advancing the techniques of surveillance methods and timing, we can improve our ability to detect changes at an earlier time point and determine the best way to intervene and prevent this potentially serious long-term complication.
Results from these prospective clinical trials and the development of innovative response evaluations have the potential to dramatically change the standard of care for treating and assessing patients with histiocytic disorders and pave the way for better therapies and patient outcomes.
Her ultimate goal is to bridge the gap between the "bench-to-bedside" with improved understanding of the etiology of these disorders so that we can intervene earlier and optimize medical management while minimizing toxicities.
Dr. Eckstein's work has been published in numerous peer-reviewed journals, including: Blood, Blood Advances, British Journal of Hematology, Cancer, Experimental Hematology, Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, Oncotarget, Neurology, Pediatric Blood and Cancer, Pediatric Hematology Oncology
Selected Publications
Awards
Alpha Omega Alpha, National Medical Honor Society
Gold Humanism in Medicine Society, Arnold P. Gold Foundation
Pritchard Fellowship, 29th Annual Nikolas Symposium on the Histiocytoses
NIH K12 Pediatric Oncology Clinical Research Grant, Baylor College of Medicine
NIH LRP Scholar, National Institutes of Health (NIH)-NCATS (National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences)
Rising Star in Oncology, Society for Translational Oncology
Best Tumor Board Presentation, Texas Children's Cancer and Hematology Center, 2012
Harvard Medical Student Teaching Award, 2010
Board Certification
Language
* Texas Children's Hospital physicians' licenses and credentials are reviewed prior to practicing at any of our facilities. Sections titled From the Doctor, Professional Organizations and Publications were provided by the physician's office and were not verified by Texas Children's Hospital.