Specialities
Pediatric Oncology Surgery
CONDITIONS:
- Brain Tumors: These can include medulloblastomas, gliomas, ependymomas, and other types of brain tumors.
- Leukemia: Acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) and acute myeloid leukemia (AML) are the most common types in children.
- Neuroblastoma: A cancer that develops from immature nerve cells, usually found in the adrenal glands or nerve tissue in the abdomen, chest, or pelvis.
- Wilms Tumor: A kidney cancer that primarily affects children, usually diagnosed around age 3 or 4.
- Lymphoma: Hodgkin lymphoma and non-Hodgkin lymphoma can affect children, typically manifesting as swollen lymph nodes.
- Rhabdomyosarcoma: A cancer that forms in soft tissue, often in the muscles of the head and neck, urinary bladder, or reproductive organs.
- Osteosarcoma: A type of bone cancer that commonly affects the long bones, such as those in the legs and arms.
- Ewing Sarcoma: Another type of bone cancer, often found in the pelvis, chest wall, or long bones.
PROCEDURES:
- Tumor Resection: Surgical removal of tumors, often followed by chemotherapy and/or radiation therapy.
- Bone Marrow Biopsy and Transplantation: In cases of leukemia or other blood-related cancers, bone marrow may need to be biopsied for diagnosis or transplanted after intensive chemotherapy.
- Craniotomy: Surgical procedure to remove brain tumors or access tumors in the skull.
- Lymph Node Biopsy: Removal and examination of lymph nodes to determine if cancer has spread.
- Limb-Sparing Surgery: Surgical removal of bone tumors while preserving as much limb function and length as possible.
- Central Venous Access Device Placement: Insertion of a port or central line for chemotherapy administration and blood draws.
- Intrathecal Chemotherapy: Delivery of chemotherapy directly into the cerebrospinal fluid via a lumbar puncture or an Ommaya reservoir to treat brain tumors or prevent leukemia spread to the central nervous system.
- Radiation Therapy Planning and Treatment: Though not strictly surgical, radiation therapy is often a part of treatment planning in pediatric oncology and may require anesthesia for precise positioning in young children.
Each case is unique, and treatment plans may involve a combination of surgery, chemotherapy, radiation therapy, and other interventions tailored to the specific type and stage of cancer.