Pediatric Cancer and Blood Disorders

The Children's Hospital of Georgia's has the area’s leading pediatric oncology and hematology specialists. We know you want the most comprehensive care that you can get for your child.  Our complete care system is designed to serve our pediatric patients by offering:

• Multidisciplinary care from teams of highly skilled pediatric oncologists and hematologists, along with pediatric surgeons, radiologists, and other pediatric subspecialists who work together to care for your child.
• Pediatric nursing teams certified by the Association of Pediatric Oncology Nurses, who are trained to care for patients with cancer and blood disorder.
• Clinical trials pediatric patients with cancer, sickle cell disease, hemophilia, and other bleeding disorders. Clinical trials my allow patients access to new and promising therapies that are not yet commercially available.

We offer our pediatric patients dedicated cancer programs and clinics:

• Inpatient Pediatric Cancer Unit: Staffed with skilled and compassionate pediatric oncologists and others who deliver state-of-the-art care.
• Radiation Therapy Center: Where we use the latest technology in treating cancer, including SmartBeam intensity modulated therapy, and are supported by the largest team of radiation oncologists in the area.
• Pediatric Immunotherapy Program: For families looking for immunotherapy options for their child with relapsed cancer. Our program’s goal is to test innovative new therapies that can stimulate the body’s own immune system to help attack the tumor after conventional chemotherapy and radiation.
• Pediatric Cancer Predisposition Clinic: For children with an increased chance of inheriting a genetic factor that puts them at a higher risk for developing cancer.
• Sickle Cell Program: For children with sickle cell disease, thalassemia, and other hemoglobinopathies
• Pediatric Hemophilia and Thrombophilia Program: For children with hemophilia and other blood coagulation disorders.
• Outpatient Clinic and Day Infusion Center: To reduce the number of admissions to the hospital, located in the Medical Office Building, our infusion center allows patients to  receive chemotherapy and blood transfusions in the outpatient setting. 
• Childhood Cancer Survivorship Program: For those who have survived cancer and need lifelong monitoring and continued care.

Cancer and blood disease in pediatric patients can often present in ways that differ from the way they present in adult patients.  Our doctors are specially trained to identify and treat cancers and blood disorders in our youngest patients.

Pediatric Cancers

Cancer happens when the body’s cells start dividing uncontrollably and begin to invade the surrounding cells.  Sometimes these cells create a tumor or mass, other times they start in the in the blood or lymph system.

• Leukemias are cancer of the blood cells and begin in the blood-forming tissue of the bone marrow.
• Lymphomas are cancers that begin in the cells of the lymph nodes - the glands of the immune system.
• Solid tumors are masses of tissue formed by rapidly dividing cells. They can involve bones, soft tissues, or any organ in the body.
• Tumors of the brain and spinal column abnormal cells form in the tissues of the brain or spinal cord and can be either benign or malignant.

Pediatric Blood Disorders

Blood disorders are conditions that impact the blood and its ability to function properly. It can affect red blood cells, white blood cells or platelets.

• Hemophilia is a group of genetic bleeding disorders that cause affected children to have lowered blood clotting factors. We offer a Pediatric Hemophilia and Thrombophilia Program that specializes in children with hemophilia and other bleeding disorders.
• Rare blood and clotting disorders occur when children have excessive clotting. Some common blood clotting disorders include factor V leiden, prothrombin mutation, and protein C deficiency.
• Sickle cell disease is a hereditary group of diseases that affect hemoglobin, the molecule in red blood cells that delivers oxygen throughout the body. People with these disorders have atypical hemoglobin molecules that can distort red blood cells into a sickle or crescent shape. We offer a Pediatric Sickle Cell Disease Program for children who suffer from this disorder.

We offer a variety of tests and procedures to diagnose pediatric patients with cancers and blood disorders.

Diagnostic Tests and Procedures

Our diagnostic tests include:

• Imaging tests, PET scanner uses a low-level radioactive drug to highlight areas of your body where cells are more active than normal, this can also show if the cancer has spread.
• Blood tests, Complete blood count (CBC) is used to evaluate your overall health. It can be used to detect a wide range of blood disorders and cancers.
• Pediatric Sedation Services can be an option if your child has anxieties that might interfere with diagnostic testing. Using mild sedation in children for some of these medical screening procedures ensures they remain still in order to get the most accurate diagnosis.

Pediatric Cancer Treatments

We use the most aggressive treatments and therapies to destroy cancer in our patients as quickly as possible with:

• Chemotherapy which uses powerful drugs kill fast-growing cancer cells in your body.
• Radiation therapy that uses high dose radiation directed at the tumor to kill cancer cells and shrink tumors.
• Stereotactic radiosurgery which targets a small focused area with a single, high dose, of radiation.
• Gamma knife surgery a highly technical and delicate surgical procedure to remove difficult cancers such as inoperable brain tumors.

Support Services

Throughout treatment and recovery, we are there to support pediatric patients and their families in any way we can.  We offer:

Clinical support, from medical social workers and registered pediatric dietitians.

Emotional support:

• Child Life Specialists: to help children understand and cope with treatment.
• Share and Care Weekends for newly diagnosed cancer patients and their families.

Kid-centered camps:

• DASH Camp - For pediatric hemophilia.
• Camp Rainbow - a summer camp for children with cancer.

Pediatric Cancer Surgery

When your child needs surgery to remove cancer, you can be confident in our pediatric general and thoracic surgery team.  They will work closely with your child’s oncologist and other specialists to provide a wide range of surgical services, including Pediatric Minimally Invasive Surgery (MIS) options, if possible, so that your child can recover faster with less complications and start their healing more quickly.