Pediatric Leukemia and Lymphoma Program
The leukemia and lymphoma treatment group at the Cancer Center at The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia offers children unrivalled access to disease experts who are also researchers with access to the most current research data to inform their clinical decisions.
The group is comprised of six pediatric oncologists who are nationally recognized for their expertise in the following cancers:
A unique treatment approach
In the clinical setting, each member of our pediatric leukemia and lymphoma group is intensively involved in all aspects of our patients' care planning, treatment and follow up. Our unique approach to care includes:
- Using a monitoring process to track patients through important milestones in their treatment
- Reviewing the progress of all patients on therapy each week to ensure that they receive optimal care
- Discussing challenging clinical issues each week and reaching consensus on decisions
- Applying a set of data-driven treatment guidelines we've developed to newly diagnosed and relapsed patients who are not participating in treatment protocols to standardize their treatments wherever possible
Our research
T cell therapy to treat ALL and other B cell cancers (CTL019)
CTL019, a clinical trial of T cell therapy for patients with B cell cancers such as acute lymphoblastic leukemia, B cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL), and the adult disease chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), has shown exciting early results for the first patients to be treated.
This clinical trial, formerly referred to as CART19, uses immune cells taken from a patient's own blood, called T cells. These cells are genetically modified to express a protein which will recognize and bind to a target called CD19, which is found on cancerous B cells. Learn more about CTL019 »
Crizotinib targets ALK-driven cancers in pediatric trial
A phase 1 trial of the drug crizotinib achieved remissions, with minimal side effects, for 10 of the children participating in a clinical study carried out by the multicenter Children’s Oncology Group (COG). Some of these children had a diagnosis of anaplastic large cell lymphoma (ALCL). CHOP researcher Yael Mossé, MD, led the trial. Watch Dr. Mossé discuss this study, which was the result of nearly two decades of work by collaborating researchers, in the video below. Learn more about the trial »
Other research focuses
Our group has several areas of research focus but one that is shared by the entire group is the use of administrative data sets to answer research questions about patterns of illness and the relative effectiveness of various treatments. By studying large databases of information about disease incidence and treatment in hospitals, our researchers can gain insights that cannot be found by looking at data from a single institution.
Some other individual areas of research interest related to leukemia and lymphoma include:
- Exploring how the inherited differences that make each person unique determine a patients' side effects from cancer treatment. These studies are expected to lead to individualized treatments for each patient based on his or her genetic make-up.
- Studying the B cells that normally make immunoglobulins (antibodies). When these cells do not mature properly, ALL is the result.
See all clinical trials available at the Cancer Center.
Appointments
To make an appointment or request a second opinion at the Cancer Center, please call 267-426-0762.
Learn more about second opinions at the Cancer Center.
Meet Our Team
Pediatric oncologists dedicated to treating leukemia and lymphoma
- Richard Aplenc MD, MSCE
- L. Charles Bailey MD, PhD
- Leslie Kersun MD,MSCE
- Anne Reilly MD, MPH
- Susan Rheingold MD
- Alix Seif MD, MPH
Contact Us
Existing patients or family members, please call
215-590-3025
To schedule an initial appointment or request a 2nd opinion
267-426-0762
