Approximately one in 300 boys and one in 333 girls in the United States will develop cancer before their 21st birthday. While this rate has continued to increase for the past 50 years, the overall survival rate for children and teens with cancer has increased dramatically.

Primary Children’s Hospital is one of the nation’s top pediatric cancer centers utilizing a multidisciplinary approach that garners impressive results - our survival rate is over 85%, with some types of cancer at 100% - and also adds to our patients’ quality of life.

Inspired by the courage of our patients, Primary Children’s sterling reputation starts with the high-level expertise of our oncologists and the dedication of our researchers, who work tirelessly to develop and provide innovative treatment advances. The collaboration between our oncologists and researchers has allowed Primary Children’s to stay on the cutting edge of childhood cancer research and treatments. With more than 160 dedicated team members including nurses, social workers, pyschologists, child life specialists, and other support staff, we provide care to more than 180 new cancer patients and more than 800 previously treated patients each year, making sure that every one of them receives an array of support services and resources not always available in other centers.

Here are some of the ways Primary Children’s Hospital is leading the fight against childhood cancers:

Tailored Treatments

Research and innovation are vital to Primary Children’s successful cancer treatment plans. That’s why we are part of several national and international consortiums devoted to the advancement of research for a number of different types of childhood cancer, including:

Children’s Oncology Group (COG)
The world’s largest organization devoted exclusively to childhood and adolescent cancer research. Supported by the National Cancer Institute, this cooperative group sponsors clinical trials that have led to dramatic improvements in the treatments and survival for children with cancer.

Pacific Pediatric Neuro-Oncology Consortium (PNOC)
Works to understand how brain tumors develop in children and identify personalized treatment strategies.

Therapeutic Advances in Childhood Leukemia (TACL)
Provides a means for carrying out early studies of new drugs in children with recurrent leukemia or lymphoma.

The Neuroblastoma Consortium
Accelerates the identification of effective treatments for neuroblastoma and improves the lives of individuals and families affected by the disease.

The Sunshine Consortium
Develops new treatments for aggressive bone and soft tissue sarcomas.

Our participation in these groups and others gives us access to cutting-edge clinical trials and all the latest breakthrough treatment advances. Often, these advanced treatment protocols allow us to develop plans that eradicate cancerous cells without the sledgehammer approach of chemotherapy—making the treatment more effective with significantly fewer side effects.

Currently, 60% of our child and adolescent cancer patients are involved in clinical trials, and 100% are treated based on the advanced protocols that we’ve developed through the positive results of the trials.

Expert Staff

Primary Children’s has some of the top clinicians, researchers, and medical staff members in the country, who are all dedicated to meeting both the physical and emotional needs of our patients and their families. The hospital also offers access to world-renowned experts in multiple specialties to treat patients experiencing side effects caused by cancer treatment. Our cancer center has:

• 17 full-time pediatric oncologists to offer care for every stage of cancer, from diagnosis to treatment through follow-up care.
• 4 full-time researchers.
• 6 fellows (physicians training to become pediatric oncologists).
• 6 oncology nurse practitioners.
• 2 PhD scientists.
• 160+ staff members, including nurses, social workers, child life specialists, financial counselors, and more.

Robust Facilities

The Cancer and Transplant Unit at Primary Children’s offers cancer patients the latest equipment and technology in a comfortable setting. Every room on the unit is a private room with a bathroom, chair, television, and in-room sleeping accommodations for one parent. The hospital houses:

• 33-bed inpatient unit
• 14 clinic exam rooms
• 9 infusion bays
• 2 treatment rooms – one on inpatient and one in clinic
• Specialized laboratory testing specific for children
• Medical imaging machines designed for kids
• Pediatric specialists in surgery, neurosurgery, ophthalmology, radiology, pathology, urology, neurology, gastroenterology, nephrology, transplants, and endocrinology

The hospital also has the new Ronald McDonald family room available for use, which includes showers, a kitchen, laundry area, and business area with internet access.

Other facilities designed for patient support include:

• Children’s playroom staffed by child life specialists
• Teen recreation room
• Music therapy room
• Interfaith chapel
• Medical library

The ultimate goal in the fight against cancer is, of course, a cure. Until then, you can count on the dedicated staff at Primary Children’s Hospital continuing to use all the latest advances in technology and the knowledge we’ve gleaned from clinical trials to develop customized treatment plans that cover the physical, emotional, and pyscho-social needs of our patients and their families.