Summer 2001 Newsletter: Pediatric Cancer at
the University of Chicago

The Pediatric Hematology/Oncology program is a leader in Chicago, offering both conventional and investigational forms of therapy. The program is focused on providing the best possible care for patients; whenever possible, children receive treatments on an outpatient basis.

Each patient is followed by a faculty physician, a Clinical Nurse Specialist, a pediatric oncology social worker and a team of child-life specialists.

The program has specific clinical and research programs in childhood cancer including leukemia, Hodgkin's and non Hodgkin's lymphoma, brain tumors, soft tissue and bone sarcoma. Diagnosis and treatment is provided for all blood diseases. The bone marrow transplantation program is a major regional center in the U.S.

The section of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology has an active and productive clinical research program. As members of the Children's Cancer Group, the section has 160 patients enrolled in 84 protocols. The focus of the pediatric cancer research program is to investigate the process of intercellular communication, which could lead to a better understanding of how to control the growth of cancerous cells.