Six Things to Look for in a Pediatric Oncologist

If your child has cancer symptoms or a confirmed diagnosis, you’re likely looking for a pediatric oncologist. And nothing but the best will do.

This is precisely what you’ll find at the Cancer and Blood Disease Institute at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles. CHLA has been at the forefront of pediatric cancer care and research for decades.

“First and foremost, pediatric oncology is a team discipline,” says Nathan J. Robison, MD, an attending neuro-oncologist and Medical Director of Inpatient Oncology Services for the Cancer and Blood Disease Institute. “When oncologists, surgeons and other providers collaborate, children receive seamless, comprehensive care that consistently leads to optimal outcomes.”

Dr. Robison says this teamwork is an essential element in addressing the unique needs of children with cancer. It gives your child better chances for successful treatment.

Experts at CHLA understand that choosing the right pediatric oncologist may be one of the most important decisions you are facing. Here are five more factors to consider:

1. Pediatric cancer expertise

Children need pediatric-focused oncology services because they experience cancer differently. “The cancers that occur in children differ vastly from those adults face,” Dr. Robison says. “From types of cancer to biological and molecular makeup and disease progression, each aspect requires pediatric expertise and specialized protocols.”

CHLA offers the highest level of pediatric cancer care—especially when personalizing therapies based on the cancer’s genetic makeup. The hospital’s Center for Personalized Medicine is leading the genomic revolution for childhood illness. CHLA conducts sophisticated analyses to help determine your child’s eligibility for new genetically driven cancer treatments.

2. Availability of advanced treatments

Advanced therapies give children more options for healing, especially if they have a rare, complex cancer or one with a likelihood of recurrence. This level of care means better chances for successful treatment as well as the best possible quality of life.

Highlights of advanced pediatric cancer treatments available at CHLA include:

• CAR T-cell therapy, a type of immunotherapy for treatment-resistant blood cancers

• Chemoembolization for liver tumors

• Limb salvage and joint preservation for bone and soft tissue tumors

• MIBG therapy for neuroblastoma

• Vision-sparing treatments for eye cancer (retinoblastoma)

3. Access to pediatric oncology clinical trials

“The field of pediatric oncology is rapidly changing,” explains Dr. Robison. Coming to a program like CHLA that’s actively engaged in research gives your child access to the most recent developments. “We offer novel cancer treatments that aren’t yet widely available. This new generation of therapies may have a substantive and positive impact on survivorship.”

Research and clinical trials at CHLA are helping more children survive a cancer diagnosis. We lead and participate in some of the world’s most prominent pediatric oncology research networks. Through these efforts, we’ve had a hand in developing some of today’s promising new therapies.

4. Exceptional outcomes

Choosing a highly regarded program such as ours means your child receives services reflecting the highest care standards. This commitment helps more children achieve outstanding results—even for rare and difficult-to-treat cancers. It’s also part of why we consistently rank among the nation’s top pediatric cancer programs, according to U.S. News & World Report.

For more information, read stories from patients like Cole and Hunter who survived leukemia, and Luca, who is free of disease after battling a rare kidney cancer.

5. Survivorship services

At CHLA, a child’s cancer journey often spans many years. “I help patients get through treatment and often follow them until early adulthood,” says Dr. Robison. He reflects that this level of engagement is part of what drew him to pediatric oncology.

The Cancer and Blood Disease Institute team also includes doctors specializing in pediatric cancer survivorship. The LIFE Cancer Survivorship and Transition Service, provides medical care and support tailored to childhood cancer survivors.

(Newswise/SMS)