National Comprehensive Cancer Network

NCCN Research & Business Resources

University of Alabama at Birmingham Comprehensive Cancer Center
Birmingham, Alabama
800.822.0933
www.ccc.uab.edu

Pediatric Oncology Services

Introduction

Pediatric oncology services are provided at the University of Alabama at Birmingham's (UAB) Comprehensive Cancer Center and the Children's Hospital of Alabama. The Children's Hospital specialty center for the treatment of cancer is known throughout the United States as a center of excellence, and the comprehensive services provided cannot be found at any other facility in Alabama. UAB pediatric faculty are active members of the UAB Comprehensive Cancer Center. The pediatric oncologists have expertise in the management of all childhood cancers and are world-renowned experts in the areas listed below.

General Information

Clinical and Research Information

Special Expertise

Germ Cell Disease

Investigators at UAB are active in national and international study development related to pediatric germ cell tumors.

Long-Term Survivors

About 70 percent of all children with childhood cancers will be cured of their disease and considered long-term survivors. This is defined as a patient who has survived five years since the initial diagnosis. Estimates using this figure show that by the year 2000, about one out of every 900 persons between the ages of 16 and 44 will be a survivor of childhood cancers. Children's Hospital is investigating the major problems these children may have in the future such as the incidence of secondary cancer. Information on the quality of life, treatments, and cure rates of childhood cancer patients can be used to redesign protocols and treatments to avoid unfavorable long-term effects.

Myeloid Disease

Researchers in UAB's pediatric oncology program participated in a study of a new chemotherapy agent that induced durable clinical and laboratory responses in patients with juvenile myelomonocytic leukemia (JMML). Now, the Division is the directing center for the North American JMML Project that is conducting the only JMML trial in the continent. This disease presently has no effective therapy other than allogeneic bone marrow transplantation, where the bone marrow is collected from living related or unrelated donors.

Neuroblastic Tumors

UAB researchers have led the former Pediatric Oncology Group, the current Children's Oncology Group, and the International Neuroblastoma Risk Groups working committee in developing risk groupings used to determine the management of patients with these tumors. Further, UAB participation in the investigation of a unique antibody therapy, chimeric anti-GD2, for high-risk tumors, and the leadership by UAB investigators, has resulted in a new study that will be activated in the next year to randomly test this new therapy following bone marrow transplantation.

Neuro-Oncology

There is a recently developed program at UAB in pediatric brain tumors. A new research study has opened to study gene therapy for high-risk pediatric tumors. Stemming from this effort, this program will be applying for support as one of the eight NCI-sponsored pediatric brain tumor programs for the development of innovative and unique phase I and II therapies.

Statistics

Percent of children treated in each age range

Pediatric Oncology Program, 2001

• Profile Overview
• Adult Oncology
• Genetic Testing
• Pediatric Oncology
• Find Clinical Trials