Children with cancer and blood disorders:
Diagnosis, treatment and research

A message to physicians from the medical director

Each newly diagnosed cancer patient is assigned to a multidisciplinary team of physicians on the medical staff and employees who develop individualized treatment plans utilizing the latest therapeutic regimens. A family notebook and new patient video describing treatment, common medical terms, blood counts and support services is provided to families of newly diagnosed patients.
More than 200 children with cancer are newly diagnosed and treated at Children's each year with more than 500 receiving therapy at any given time.
The oncology program is recognized nationally for developing less expensive and more outpatient-based treatment programs for children with cancer.
Due to the Center for Cancer and Blood Disorder's excellent reputation, few children in Northeast Texas with cancer travel elsewhere for diagnosis and treatment.
More than two-thirds of our experienced nursing staff have trained extensively to care for the special needs of children undergoing stem cell transplant. Orientation is provided twice a year to certify nurses in stem cell transplant.
Physicians on the medical staff performed Dallas’ first umbilical cord transplant in 1994 and Texas’ first bone marrow transplant for a child with sickle cell disease in 1995.
Received “Partner Award” from the National Marrow Donor Program Partner in recognition of our mission to increase awareness of bone marrow transplant and the need for marrow donors as well as sponsorship of the Be a Matchmaker Bone Marrow Donor Drive each year on Valentine’s Day.
More than 100 transplants have been performed since the program’s inception in 1992 with an average of 15 per year.
Developed a Stem Cell Transplant Handbook for families with children undergoing transplant at Children’s. Explanation of tissue typing, pre-admission work-up, marrow harvest, central line care, daily routine and post transplant procedures are discussed.
Offers state-of-the-art stem cell transplant from peripheral stem cells, bone marrow and umbilical cord blood.
Multidisciplinary team specially trained to work with infants and children.
Participation in a variety of national and international research studies.
The Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders at Children’s serves as the major diagnostic and treatment resource in Northeast Texas for children with a variety of hematologic disorders.
English and Spanish information brochures, developed by the Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders, are available for parents and physicians regarding the diagnosis and management of the most common hematologic problems, such as ITP, anemia, hereditary spherocytosis, iron deficiency, splenomegaly/splenectomy and neutropenia.
The hematology program at Children’s participates in National Institutes of Health funded clinical trials networks in Hemostasis, Transfusion Medicine and Thalassemia.
Approximately 400 children are evaluated each year at Children’s for a variety of hematologic disorders.
Erythrocytapheresis – using regular exchange transfusions rather than simple transfusion in selected patients with sickle cell anemia - now is available in order to markedly decrease transfusional iron load.
The hematology program is internationally known for its clinical research contributions in areas such as idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP), Diamond-Blackfan anemia and chronic neutropenia.