Pediatric Leukemia

Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders provides advanced diagnosis and comprehensive treatment for various types of childhood leukemia, including acute myelogenous leukemia (AML) and acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL), the most common forms of childhood acute leukemia.

When pediatric patients and their families seek treatment here, all of their diagnostic tests are interpreted by board-certified hematopathologists, specially trained doctors with expertise in diseases of the blood, including blood cells and bone marrow cells.

Why Choose Us

As a proud member of the Children's Oncology Group and the Florida Pediatric Community Clinical Oncology Program, two organizations that lead the way in developing leading-edge pediatric cancer and blood disorder treatment protocols, we strongly encourage families to enroll their child in a leukemia protocol once tests determine the type of leukemia the child has. This provides our patients with access to advanced treatment protocols and allows us to design therapy based on the unique characteristics of the individual’s leukemia and their initial early response to treatment.

Our team of board-certified pediatric oncologists is experienced in treating and managing various types of childhood leukemia. Treatments vary widely and can consist of:

• Chemotherapy—Our physicians, pediatric oncology pharmacists and nurses use a system to administer the most appropriate chemotherapy to patients and also work together to assure that therapy is delivered in the safest way possible
• Biological therapy—When applicable, biological therapies are used, including open protocols for children’s whose leukemia has relapsed
• Radiation therapy—Although rarely used in the treatment of leukemia, in the instance where radiation is necessary, it is performed on site by board-certified radiation oncologists
• Targeted therapy—This type of therapy uses the patient’s own immune system to target the cancer cells themselves
• Outpatient procedures—Board-certified pediatric oncologists perform all of the necessary procedures, with the assistance of board-certified critical care physicians to provide sedation as needed
• Other multidisciplinary services are available, including neuropsychological testing to assess a patient’s potential cognitive and psychological needs during treatment. Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation specialists are on site to help those experiencing physical side effects from therapy and post-operative procedures.

Support Services

In addition to our medical services, we provide patients and their families with comprehensive pediatric cancer support services, including access to Child Life specialists, pastoral care and image enhancement services, to provide the physical, psychological, emotional and/or spiritual support you need.