Pediatric Cancer Second Opinions at CHOP
Receiving a cancer diagnosis for your child can be devastating but, armed with information, you can take the first important steps toward finding the right care for your child.
Here is some information about the types of second opinions we offer and how to request one.
The Cancer Center at The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia is available to consult with you or your physician on pediatric cancer second opinion requests. We work with both families and pediatric specialists from all over the country and around the world to confirm diagnoses or to provide second opinions. Also, our specialists have a long-history of experience treating a wide variety of unusual cancers.
The following questions will help you decide whether to request a second opinion and will show you how to prepare for one. We also recommend watching our second opinion overview video to learn more about getting a second opinion at CHOP.
Should I get a pediatric cancer second opinion for my child?
When your child has been diagnosed with cancer, a second opinion will give you the information you need to make an informed and educated decision about your child’s treatment. A second opinion can also provide reassurance as you make decisions about your child's care. Families often seek second opinions for a variety of reasons, including:
Feeling uncomfortable with your child’s diagnosis or needing confirmation
When your child is diagnosed with cancer, you experience many feelings, including the desire to begin treatment as soon as possible. After allowing yourself a few days to come to terms with your child's diagnosis, you may find that getting a second opinion can clear up any doubts you may have or can provide you with the confirmation you need to proceed with treatment.
Seeking the medical opinion of a pediatric specialist with experience treating a child’s specific type of cancer
While your child’s pediatric oncologist may have treated the type of cancer your child has, he or she may wish to obtain a second opinion from a pediatric oncologist who is highly experienced in working directly with a particular type of cancer. CHOP specialists may be aware of other new treatment methods or clinical trials and can make that known during a second opinion.
When should I get a pediatric cancer second opinion?
The best time to get a second opinion is before your child starts therapy or during the first few weeks of therapy. Another common time to get a second opinion is when a change in therapy, such as adding radiation therapy, surgery or new chemotherapy has been recommended.
What questions can a second opinion answer for me?
The following list of questions can guide your discussions when seeking a second opinion.
- What type of cancer does my child have?
- How many children like this have you or your program treated?
- What are the treatment choices?
- What are the other specialty services that will be involved in my child’s care?
- Which treatment do you recommend and why?
- How will this cancer and its treatment affect the length and quality of my child's life?
- How long will the treatment last?
- What clinical trials is my child a candidate for, and what’s your experience with those trials?
- What support programs do you offer cancer patients and their families?
- What are the chances that this treatment will be successful?
- How will we know if it is successful?
- What are the risks of this treatment (short-term and long-term)?
- What other treatment approaches are available for my child?
- Are professionals such as pediatric psychologists, social workers and nutritionists on your staff?
- What resources do you offer to help patients and families cope with the emotional, financial and physical issues they may experience?
What information do I need to request a second opinion at the Cancer Center at CHOP?
To help us perform a thorough pediatric cancer second opinion evaluation, we would like to have a full summary of your child's evaluation, treatments and studies up to this point. It’s important for you to provide as much of the following information as possible to allow our teams to make the best second opinion recommendation.
Patient summary
- Age
- Address
- Parent or guardian contact information
- Insurance information
Complete clinical summary
- Physician's name and contact information
- Diagnosis, or working diagnosis, and list of presenting symptoms
- Diagnostic materials (tumor biopsy slides/tissue blocks)
- Diagnostic scans (X-ray, CT, MRI, bone scan, PET scan, MIBG scan) including actual scans or biopsy slides when available
- All clinical reports available, including:
- Laboratory
- Pathology
- Surgery
- Radiation therapeutic summary
- Copy of any existing treatment plan
To obtain a second opinion or consultation, please call us at 215-590-2810.
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
