Introduction
Specialized Clinical Services
Clinical Phone Numbers
(314) 454-6018 (Voice)
(314) 454-2780 (Fax)
Introduction
The division offers a full range of clinical services for pediatric patients and draws from a population of more than 2 million in the greater St. Louis area, with additional referrals from surrounding Missouri, Illinois and throughout the Midwest. We care for more than 140 new oncology patients each year and evaluate more than 300 new hematology patients per year, resulting in more than 600 children who are actively followed by the division.
Care for our patients is provided at St. Louis Childrens’ Hospital, one the top pediatric facilities in the country. The outpatient Hematology/Oncology unit meets regularly five days per week, and generally 25 to 30 patients are seen per day (more than 7,000 outpatient visits per year). Each clinic day is supervised by a senior hematology/oncology physician. In addition, two clinical fellows and three to four pediatric advanced practice nurses participate in each outpatient clinic session. Therapy for diseases, complications thereof, and other general medical problems, and social and psychological problems, are addressed by the team of care providers (attending physicians, fellows, nurses, social workers, psychologists, dieticians and others) providing comprehensive pediatric care for the patients and their families. Our nursing staff includes individuals with advanced training and extensive experience in the management of cancer and hematology patients. In addition, support services include an educational-liaison specialist and a child life specialist.
We are a major member of the Children's Oncology Group and actively participate in new clinical trials, including the use of new drugs in the fight against childhood cancers. We also follow more than 450 patients with sickle cell disease and are actively participating in national trials striving to improve the treatment of this condition. Weekly clinical conferences include Tumor Board, a hematology/oncology case discussion integrated with the adult hematology/oncology service, as well as the Pediatric Research Seminar and Pediatric Grand Rounds.
The inpatient service consists of a daily average of 25-35 patients hospitalized for diagnostic evaluation, therapy, complications of therapy, or other pathological processes. The inpatient team consists of a full-time attending physician in hematology/oncology, one clinical fellow, four clinical nurse specialists, one clinical psychologist, two social workers, two child life specialists and a hospital chaplain.
All of the activities of the division are supported by expert pediatric-dedicated clinical laboratories, hematology laboratories, and a blood bank located on site providing prompt diagnostic and therapeutic support, thus optimizing patient care.
The unit prides itself on the interactive environment and team approach to the care of its patients. The nurse specialists, psychologists, social workers and educational specialist function as integral members of
the management team for both acutely ill patients and patients undergoing long-term care. The terminally ill child is one who deserves special and concentrated attention provided by all members of the care team, as the unit also provides medical support for the only pediatric hospice service in the region.
Our service aids in the diagnosis and management of anemia. We offer consultation on the management of patients with congenital anemias, including sickle cell disease, hereditary spherocytosis and Diamond-Blackfan anemia. We are a leading NIH-funded center for clinical trials on the natural history and management of pediatric sickle cell disease, including novel therapies such as Hydroxyurea. Chronic transfusion therapy and erythrocytopheresis are provided to selected patients.
We evaluate and assist in the management of congenital and acquired causes of neutropenia, including benign neutropenia of childhood, congenital agranulocytosis and drug-induced neutropenia.
We evaluate and manage patients with ITP and other causes of thrombocytopenia.
Our staff will diagnose and aid in the care of patients with bleeding disorders, such as hemophilia and Von Willebrand's disease. We also perform specialized evaluations of individuals predisposed to thrombosis.
We will diagnose and manage patients with acute and chronic leukemia, Hodgkin's disease and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. We are active participants in Children's Oncology Group (COG) protocols for treatment of these malignancies.
We assist in the management of patients with brain tumors, Wilms tumor, rhabdomyosarcoma, neuroblastoma, osteosarcoma and other solid tumors. Members of the division work closely with neurosurgeons, pediatric surgeons and pediatric radiation therapists at the School of Medicine to provide optimal multi-modality care for these patients. Our center also participates in trials of new phase I chemotherapeutic agents in patients with refractory malignancies.
The six-bed Pediatric Bone Marrow Transplant unit is conveniently located adjacent to the The Hale Irwin Center for Pediatric Hematology/Oncology. It is responsible for approximately 35 to 40 pediatric transplant procedures each year. The program admitted its first patient in September 1991, as the first children’s hospital to perform this procedure in Missouri. It offers state-of-the-art care for the children of this region and provides an environment conducive to clinical investigation with programs developing innovative therapies for malignant and genetic diseases. Our multidisciplinary team is designed to provide comprehensive, pediatric-specific care to our patients and families to address not only medical, but also emotional, social and spiritual needs. Our team of highly skilled nurses, nurse practitioners, psychologists, social workers, child life, chaplain and school liaison cover every aspect of the transplant experience. In addition, a group of specially trained volunteers provides respite for parents and social interaction for the children.
Patients eligible for transplantation include those with relapsed ALL, AML, relapsed or refractory lymphoma, aplastic anemia, myelodysplastic syndromes, SCIDS, solid tumors, sickle cell disease and lysosomal storage diseases.
For more detailed information regarding the BMT program, please see the relevant section of the Saint Louis Children's Hospital web site or take a virtual tour.
Introduction
Specialized Clinical Services
Clinical Phone Numbers
(314) 454-6018 (Voice)
(314) 454-2780 (Fax)
Introduction
The division offers a full range of clinical services for pediatric patients and draws from a population of more than 2 million in the greater St. Louis area, with additional referrals from surrounding Missouri, Illinois and throughout the Midwest. We care for more than 140 new oncology patients each year and evaluate more than 300 new hematology patients per year, resulting in more than 600 children who are actively followed by the division.
Care for our patients is provided at St. Louis Childrens’ Hospital, one the top pediatric facilities in the country. The outpatient Hematology/Oncology unit meets regularly five days per week, and generally 25 to 30 patients are seen per day (more than 7,000 outpatient visits per year). Each clinic day is supervised by a senior hematology/oncology physician. In addition, two clinical fellows and three to four pediatric advanced practice nurses participate in each outpatient clinic session. Therapy for diseases, complications thereof, and other general medical problems, and social and psychological problems, are addressed by the team of care providers (attending physicians, fellows, nurses, social workers, psychologists, dieticians and others) providing comprehensive pediatric care for the patients and their families. Our nursing staff includes individuals with advanced training and extensive experience in the management of cancer and hematology patients. In addition, support services include an educational-liaison specialist and a child life specialist.
We are a major member of the Children's Oncology Group and actively participate in new clinical trials, including the use of new drugs in the fight against childhood cancers. We also follow more than 450 patients with sickle cell disease and are actively participating in national trials striving to improve the treatment of this condition. Weekly clinical conferences include Tumor Board, a hematology/oncology case discussion integrated with the adult hematology/oncology service, as well as the Pediatric Research Seminar and Pediatric Grand Rounds.
The inpatient service consists of a daily average of 25-35 patients hospitalized for diagnostic evaluation, therapy, complications of therapy, or other pathological processes. The inpatient team consists of a full-time attending physician in hematology/oncology, one clinical fellow, four clinical nurse specialists, one clinical psychologist, two social workers, two child life specialists and a hospital chaplain.
All of the activities of the division are supported by expert pediatric-dedicated clinical laboratories, hematology laboratories, and a blood bank located on site providing prompt diagnostic and therapeutic support, thus optimizing patient care.
The unit prides itself on the interactive environment and team approach to the care of its patients. The nurse specialists, psychologists, social workers and educational specialist function as integral members of the management team for both acutely ill patients and patients undergoing long-term care. The terminally ill child is one who deserves special and concentrated attention provided by all members of the care team, as the unit also provides medical support for the only pediatric hospice service in the region.
Our service aids in the diagnosis and management of anemia. We offer consultation on the management of patients with congenital anemias, including sickle cell disease, hereditary spherocytosis and Diamond-Blackfan anemia. We are a leading NIH-funded center for clinical trials on the natural history and management of pediatric sickle cell disease, including novel therapies such as Hydroxyurea. Chronic transfusion therapy and erythrocytopheresis are provided to selected patients.
We evaluate and assist in the management of congenital and acquired causes of neutropenia, including benign neutropenia of childhood, congenital agranulocytosis and drug-induced neutropenia.
We evaluate and manage patients with ITP and other causes of thrombocytopenia.
Our staff will diagnose and aid in the care of patients with bleeding disorders, such as hemophilia and Von Willebrand's disease. We also perform specialized evaluations of individuals predisposed to thrombosis.
We will diagnose and manage patients with acute and chronic leukemia, Hodgkin's disease and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. We are active participants in Children's Oncology Group (COG) protocols for treatment of these malignancies.
We assist in the management of patients with brain tumors, Wilms tumor, rhabdomyosarcoma, neuroblastoma, osteosarcoma and other solid tumors. Members of the division work closely with neurosurgeons, pediatric surgeons and pediatric radiation therapists at the School of Medicine to provide optimal multi-modality care for these patients. Our center also participates in trials of new phase I chemotherapeutic agents in patients with refractory malignancies.
The six-bed Pediatric Bone Marrow Transplant unit is conveniently located adjacent to the The Hale Irwin Center for Pediatric Hematology/Oncology. It is responsible for approximately 35 to 40 pediatric transplant procedures each year. The program admitted its first patient in September 1991, as the first children’s hospital to perform this procedure in Missouri. It offers state-of-the-art care for the children of this region and provides an environment conducive to clinical investigation with programs developing innovative therapies for malignant and genetic diseases. Our multidisciplinary team is designed to provide comprehensive, pediatric-specific care to our patients and families to address not only medical, but also emotional, social and spiritual needs. Our team of highly skilled nurses, nurse practitioners, psychologists, social workers, child life, chaplain and school liaison cover every aspect of the transplant experience. In addition, a group of specially trained volunteers provides respite for parents and social interaction for the children.
Patients eligible for transplantation include those with relapsed ALL, AML, relapsed or refractory lymphoma, aplastic anemia, myelodysplastic syndromes, SCIDS, solid tumors, sickle cell disease and lysosomal storage diseases.
For more detailed information regarding the BMT program, please see the relevant section of the Saint Louis Children's Hospital web site or take a virtual tour.