Each year, more than 15,000 children in the U.S. are diagnosed with cancer. If your child has just received a difficult cancer diagnosis, know that the Jonathan Jaques Children’s Cancer Institute is a leader in expert comprehensive cancer care. Our board-certified pediatric hematologists/oncologists, in partnership with Mattel Children’s UCLA, are available 24/7, along with other integrated experts, to provide comprehensive, family-centered care to children with cancer. 

Family-Centered Care is the Focus

Understanding that children need to be cared for differently than adults is a cornerstone of our program. We are committed to providing support for both patients and their families. Our specially trained multi-disciplinary care team is available for patients from the day of admission, to their time in the hospital and through follow-up treatment.

Caring for Children with Cancer Throughout Their Journey

When a young patient is diagnosed with cancer, our health care team creates a care plan that is patient and family-centered — focusing on the child’s needs as well as the families — and follows them throughout childhood and into adulthood. This continuity ensures that the highest quality of care is provided to patients and their families every step of the way. Patients and families gain peace of mind as they become familiar with the health care team and establish relationships that will last throughout their journey.

Leukemia & Lymphoma Program

The Leukemia & Lymphoma Program at Jonathan Jaques Children’s Cancer Institute is dedicated to the comprehensive care of children, teens and young adults affected by leukemias and lymphomas. Leukemias and lymphomas account for 40 percent of all childhood cancers.  Our multi-disciplinary team approach, with pediatric oncologists, nurse care managers, social workers, and psychologists provide treatment not just to the patient, but also provide supportive care to the whole family. Leukemia and lymphoma types that we treat includes: 

Leukemias

These leukemias can cause bone and joint pain, fatigue, weakness, pale skin, bleeding or bruising, fever, weight loss, and other symptoms. Acute leukemias can grow quickly, so they need to be treated (typically with chemotherapy) as soon as they are found.

Lymphomas
  • Anaplastic large cell lymphoma
  • Burkitt lymphoma
  • Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma
  • Hodgkin lymphoma
  • Lymphoblastic lymphoma
  • Non-Hodgkin lymphomas
  • Primary mediastinal B-cell lymphoma
  • Rare non-Hodgkin lymphomas

In addition to leukemia and lymphoma treatment needs, Jaques Children’s Cancer Institute also is heavily involved in research to help find cures and discover new treatments for cancer.

Neuro-Oncology Program

Neuro-Oncology Program provides specialty oncology care to children from birth through young adulthood. Brain and central nervous system tumors are the second most common cancers in children, making up about 26 percent of childhood cancers. 

Brain and Spinal Cord Tumors 

There are many types of brain tumors, and the treatment and outlook for each is different. Brain and spinal cord tumors in children tend to be different from those in adults. They often form in different places, develop from different types of cell types and may have different treatment and prognosis (outlook). 

Most brain tumors in children often start in the lower parts of the brain, such as the cerebellum or brain stem. They can cause headaches, nausea, vomiting, blurred or double vision, dizziness, seizures, trouble walking or handling objects, and other symptoms. 

Spinal cord tumors are less common than brain tumors in both children and adults.

Multi-Specialty Neuro-Oncology Care Team 

Our neuro-oncology care team offers multi-specialty medical care, including assessment, consultation, treatment and preventative care.

Our Neuro-Oncology Program is comprised of specialists who know the differences between cancers in adults and those in children and teens, as well as the unique needs of younger people with cancer. Our Neuro-Oncology Program care team includes: 

  • Pediatric neurosurgeons: doctors who use surgery to treat brain and nervous system tumors in children
  • Pediatric neurologists: doctors who treat brain and nervous system diseases in children
  • Radiation oncologists: doctors who use radiation to treat cancer
  • Pediatric oncologists: doctors who use chemotherapy and other medicines to treat children’s cancer
  • Endocrinologists: doctors who treats diseases in glands that secrete hormones

Our doctors provide quality, compassionate care and plan each child’s treatment individually to give them the best chance of a cure while limiting side effects as much as possible.

Treatment

The neuro-oncology care team meets to review clinical cases and make recommendations on the type of therapy and other care that is most appropriate for each patient’s unique condition. Neuro-oncology patients often receive a combination of treatments, which may include: 

  • MRI and CT scans of brain and spine
  • Surgery, if needed
  • Chemotherapy
  • Radiotherapy 

In addition to neuro-oncologic treatment needs, Jaques Children’s Cancer Institute also is heavily involved in research to help find cures and discover new treatments for cancer.

Soft Tissue & Bone Tumor Program

To treat patients with malignant (cancerous) bone tumors, the Jonathan Jaques Children’s Cancer Institute care team collaborates seamlessly with the Orthopedic Center. The Orthopedic Center has a specialized Soft Tissue & Bone Tumor Program dedicated to the diagnosis, removal and treatment of benign and malignant bone tumors and soft tissue sarcomas throughout the body. Our experts are invested in preserving the overall health and quality of life of children affected by bone tumors and soft tissue sarcomas.  In addition to soft tissue and bone tumor treatment needs, Jaques Children’s Cancer Institute also is heavily involved in research to help find cures and discover new treatments for cancer.

Solid Tumor Program

The Solid Tumor Program at the Jonathan Jaques Children’s Cancer Institute treats children and teens with a variety of solid tumors. Solid tumors account for about 30 percent of all cancers in children and teens.

Common Solid Tumor Types 

Solid tumors represent a wide variety of pediatric cancers. Solid tumors can take place in several places including the bones, muscles and organs. After brain tumors, some of the more prevalent forms of solid tumors include: 

  • Ewing sarcoma
  • Liver and germ cell tumors
  • Neuroblastoma
  • Osteosarcoma
  • Retinoblastoma
  • Rhabdomyosarcoma
  • Wilms tumor
Multi-Specialty Solid Tumor Care Team 

Our solid tumor care team offers multi-specialty medical care, including assessment, consultation, treatment and preventative care.

Our Solid Tumor Program is comprised of specialists who know the differences between cancers in adults and those in children and teens, as well as the unique needs of younger people with cancer.

Our Solid Tumor Program care team includes: 

  • Pediatric oncologists: doctors who use chemotherapy and other medicines to treat children’s cancer
  • Surgical oncologists: provide supportive surgical care, and to offer innovative surgical techniques in the management of complex tumors 
  • Radiation oncologists: doctors who use radiation to treat cancer
  • Pediatric experts from every medical subspecialty, such as orthopedics, endocrinology, ophthalmology, interventional radiology, nephrology (kidney), hepatology (liver) and radiology, among others that are all housed under the same roof at Miller Children’s & Women’s
Treatment 

The solid tumor care team meets to review clinical cases and make recommendations on the type of therapy and other care that is most appropriate for each patient’s unique condition. Solid tumor patients often receive a combination of treatments, which may include: 

  • MRI and CT scans 
  • Surgery, if needed
  • Interventional radiology 
  • Chemotherapy
  • Radiotherapy 

Our care team provides each child with a comprehensive treatment plan that is specific to their tumor type. We are proud to offer distinguished medical programs staffed by a multi-disciplinary pediatric hematology oncology care team, complete with dentists, that provides evidence-based medical care, parent support and education every step of the way.

In addition to solid tumor treatment needs, Jaques Children’s Cancer Institute also is heavily involved in research to help find cures and discover new treatments for cancer.

Surgical Oncology Program

The Surgical Oncology Program provides highly specialized surgical treatment for children with cancer diagnosis. The surgeons in this program come from a variety of surgical disciplines and are experienced in the surgical treatment of all types of pediatric cancers — from the most common to rare. They also provide surgical treatment for solid tumors affected children from birth to young adulthood.

Multi-disciplinary Surgical Oncology Care Team

The Surgical Oncology Program at Jonathan Jaques Children’s Cancer Institute is integral to the care and treatment of children with cancer. The Surgical Oncology Program brings together surgeons from a wide variety of surgical oncological specialties, including: 

  • Cardiovascular surgery
  • General and thoracic surgical oncology
  • Gynecology
  • Head and neck surgery
  • Neurosurgery
  • Oncologic transplantation
  • Ophthalmology 
  • Orthopedic oncology
  • Plastics/reconstructive surgery 
  • Urology

Our surgeons work hand-in-hand with our pediatric anesthesiologists and pain management services to provide the highest level of care for children with cancer pre- and post-surgery.

Treatment & Research

Our surgeons work alongside oncologists to determine the best surgical approach for solid tumors. Both of our surgical and oncological teams are involved in determining the most effective individual treatment plan for each child’s unique diagnosis. Surgery may be required for many reasons when it comes to cancer, including: 

  • Diagnosis: There may be instances when surgical interventions are needed, such as a biopsy or sampling of involved tissues, is required to: 
    • define the exact type of cancer 
    • determine the true nature of a tumor(s) (malignant or benign) 
    • appropriately determine if the tumor has spread to other organs or areas of the body 
  • Support treatment: Surgery may be needed to prepare patients for treatments that require chemotherapy or drugs by providing a route of access (intravenous [IV]) by placement of a central venous line or PORT-A-CATH® to administer these agents, or to help address complications of treatment, such as infections or obstructions 
  • Primary form of treatment: Sometimes surgery is the best option in the treatment of a child’s tumor, or it may be part of a combined treatment plan (that may also include a chemotherapy, radiotherapy, immunotherapy, etc.) to treat cancer. 

Our pediatric oncology surgeons are skilled in minimally invasive and open surgical procedures for removing all types of tumors and are experts in complex surgeries.In addition, Jaques Children’s Cancer Institute also is heavily involved in research to help find cures and discover new surgical oncological treatments for cancer.

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