Neuro-Oncology Program at Children’s Hospital New Orleans
About the program
The Neuro-Oncology Program at Children’s Hospital New Orleans provides
hope and healing for families facing pediatric brain and spinal cord tumors.
Committed to your child’s well-being, our expert team provides exceptional
care that goes beyond medical treatment. We understand the impact of such
diagnoses for both the child and family, and our compassionate approach
ensures every aspect of care is tailored to the unique needs of each child,
adolescent and young adult.
We specialize in treating tumors of the central nervous system (CNS) or
brain and spinal cord tumors but also the complexities of neurofibromatosis
and other cancer predisposition genetic conditions and their associated
tumors. Our program’s reputation is nationally and internationally
recognized, attracting a large number of new referrals annually from around
the world, a testament to our expertise.
Multidisciplinary care
By embracing a multidisciplinary approach to care, our team of pediatric
specialists, including
neuro-oncologists,
neurosurgeons, radiation oncologists, endocrinologists, geneticists, radiologists, pathologists,
rehabilitation specialists and our oncology nursing team, collaborates seamlessly to develop the
most effective and personalized treatment strategies. Our commitment to
innovation means our patients gain access to cutting-edge therapies for
central nervous system-related cancers through participation in national
research consortia, ensuring patients receive the most advanced care possible.
Furthermore, the neuro-oncology team at Children’s Hospital cares
about the total well-being of patients and their families. We offer support
beyond cancer care. In collaboration with physicians, you and your child
will have access to a comprehensive health care team. Our team consists of
counselors,
nurses, nutritionists, nurse practitioners,
behavioral health specialists,
child life specialists, social workers,
physical therapists,
occupational therapists and
speech language pathologists.Fertility preservation is also a key component of our specialized care approach. Our fertility
preservation team ensures your child’s fertility concerns are addressed
and supported throughout their cancer treatment journey. This level of
support exemplifies the unique environment of healing and optimism that
defines our program.
What makes us different
In our pursuit of excellence in patient care, our Neuro-Oncology Program
goes above and beyond to provide unmatched care and support for our patients
and their families:
We are the largest and only neuro-oncology program serving Louisiana and
southern Mississippi and Alabama.
We provide comprehensive services right near the child’s home close
to siblings, relatives and friends, allowing them to receive care without
the inconvenience of traveling far.
Through our partnership with
Ronald McDonald House Charities of South Louisiana, we provide housing accommodations free of charge for families with children
undergoing extended hospital stays, ensuring they can remain close to
both their loved ones and the essential medical care their child requires
Our on-campus
Hogs for the Cause Family Center offers housing for families living outside New Orleans with children receiving
ongoing care at our hospital
Walker’s Imaginarium, a unique 12,000-square-foot center expected to be completed by 2025,
will provide an enriching and healing place for our patients and their
families, setting a regional standard for a child’s developmentally
appropriate space within the hospital. It will be one of the largest and
most comprehensive hospital-based child enrichment spaces in the U.S.
Our access to cutting-edge diagnostic tests and treatment modalities is
unparalleled and can only be found at specialized cancer centers like
Children’s Hospital New Orleans.
Our patients have the opportunity to participate in a robust clinical trials
program. We work closely with the
Children’s Oncology Group (COG) and other national consortia to ensure our patients have access to innovative
treatments and therapies.
Conditions we treat
Our Neuro-Oncology Program team provides comprehensive care and treatment
for a broad range of brain and spinal cord tumors in children, adolescents
and young adults. Our physicians have expertise and vast experience in
treating all pediatric tumors of the central nervous system, including
but not limited to
Treatment options for pediatric brain and spinal cord tumors
Within the Neuro-Oncology Program, we adopt a collaborative team strategy
to carefully assess various treatment options. Once a diagnosis is confirmed,
our neuro-oncology team thoroughly evaluates the type of tumor and location,
laying the foundation for the most suitable treatment option.
Our patients have access to the best and most advanced treatment modalities
available. Our neuro-oncology team is devoted to making a complete treatment
plan for patients with brain or spinal cord tumors. We combine different
tumor therapies to get the best results in your child’s care.
Treatment modalities include:
Chemotherapy treatment: This involves medications that stop tumor cell growth eliminating further
spread of cancer cells.
Targeted therapy: These drugs target or aim the genes and proteins that regulate the growth,
division and dispersion of cancer cells. Targeted therapies can inhibit
or stop the signals that tell cancer cells to grow and divide, prevent
cancer cells from living too long, and/or destroy cancer cells entirely.
Immunotherapy: This treatment stimulates the immune system to recognize and destroy tumors.
Unlike traditional chemotherapy and radiation, immunotherapy uses the
body’s natural defense system to identify and combat cancer cells,
and potentially resulting in fewer side effects.
Radiation treatment: X-ray beams stop the ability of cancer cells to multiply, causing the
tumor to shrink and die. Radiation targets the specific area where cancer
cells are located.
Surgical treatment: Various innovative surgical techniques are available to remove central
nervous system-related tumors through minimally invasive procedures. When
operating on these tumors, the main goal of our neurosurgery team is to
be aggressive in removing as much of the cancer as possible while protecting
the central nervous system’s delicate structures.
Research and Clinical Trials
Children’s Hospital is at the forefront of pioneering research and
clinical trials focused on the diagnosis and treatment of various types
of pediatric brain and spinal cord tumors. We are dedicated to offering
our patients the opportunity to engage in numerous distinctive trials
that align with the cutting-edge research underway at our institution.
In addition to being a member of the
Children’s Oncology Group (COG), the Neuro-Oncology Program also has access to research from other national
consortia involved in conducting innovative early phase clinical trials
for patients.
For questions about current clinical trials, please contact us at 504-896-9740.
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