Pediatric Cancer

We understand the unique needs of children with cancer and their families. To provide the highest quality of care, we use a multidisciplinary team approach. The Winship Cancer Institute and Emory's Department of Pediatrics have partnered with the Aflac Cancer and Blood Disorders Center of Children's Healthcare of Atlanta, one of the highest volume pediatric cancer centers in the country, to best meet the special needs of our patients.

Our team includes specialists in pediatric radiation oncology, pediatric oncology, pediatric surgery, pediatric neurosurgery, pediatric neuroradiology, pediatric neurology, pediatric nursing, social work, child life and other support staff.

The benefits of our multidisciplinary and highly experienced teams include:

• Access to doctors and surgeons who rank among the top cancer experts in the world.
• Weekly review of patient cases by the full team of experts.
• Coordinated scheduling for appointments among various specialties.
• Access to a nurse navigator to assist you throughout the treatment process.
• Availability of new treatment options within pediatric clinical trials.
• Access to support programs and groups for you and your caregivers.
• Access to the Family Support Services where you and your family can learn about current therapies and share your experiences.

Every child requires a unique course of treatment for their cancer. Though our partnership with the Aflac Cancer and Blood Disorders Center of Children's Healthcare of Atlanta, we can offer a wide array of services for children and young adults with many types of cancer and blood disorders. These services include advanced diagnostic and clinical care as well as innovative treatment and research options for children and young adults.

When your child’s treatment plan includes radiation therapy, you will be treated by radiation oncologists at Winship who are world leaders in their field. Pioneering ground-breaking research and progressive treatment for children with cancer, we are the only radiation oncology department in Georgia specializing in pediatric cancer care.

Your child’s treatment options may include:

Radiation: Radiation therapy is used to treat many types of pediatric cancers, using x-rays and energy particles to destroy cancerous cells while minimizing damage to healthy tissue. Doctors who administer radiation therapy are called radiation oncologists. Technologies offered at Winship include: external beam radiation (intensity-modulated radiotherapy and on-board imaging), brachytherapy using radioactive seeds, stereotactic radiosurgery and Gamma Knife© radiosurgery. Proton therapy will also be available in 2016 at the Emory Proton Therapy Center.

Surgery: Many children will require surgery to remove tumors, whether cancerous or noncancerous. A surgical oncologist specializes in removing tumors using surgery. Surgery is often used in conjunction with other therapies such as chemotherapy and radiation therapy.

Chemotherapy: Chemotherapy is a treatment used to destroy cancer cells, and their ability to grow and divide, with the use of drugs delivered through the bloodstream. A pediatric oncologist specializes in chemotherapy. Chemotherapy is administered intravenously with a tube placed into a vein or in a pill form.

Bone marrow transplantation
The goal of a bone marrow or stem cell transplant is to destroy all of the cancer cells in the bone marrow and blood using high doses of chemotherapy and/or radiation therapy. The patient then receives transplant cells that replace stem cells destroyed by treatment.

In addition to delivering the highest quality medical care, we recognize the importance of the psychological and emotional aspects of your child living with a cancer diagnosis and of dealing with treatment. Our pediatric cancer teams address these issues in a timely manner with additional support from counselors to social service professionals.

Consider talking with your doctor about participating in a clinical trial through the Aflac Cancer and Blood Disorders Center of Children's Healthcare of Atlanta. Through these trials, you may have access to treatments that are not widely available.