Pediatric Brain and Spinal Tumor Program
The pediatric brain and spinal tumor program at City of Hope offers comprehensive, family-centered, innovative treatment for children, adolescents and young adults with malignant and benign tumors of the brain and spinal cord.
For nearly two decades, City of Hope has provided lifesaving treatments by bringing basic laboratory research to the patient’s bedside. Gene therapy and stem cell therapy trials are being developed by City of Hope researchers to treat some of the deadliest forms of brain cancer.
City of Hope is also a member of the Children’s Oncology Group, which provides access to the nation’s largest group of pediatric and adolescent clinical trials. In addition, our team of neurosurgeons offers world-class neurosurgical techniques for tumors of both brain and spine.
City of Hope was also the first hospital in Southern California to provide helical TomoTherapy, which dramatically decreases the side effects of radiation treatment.
Our board-certified experts in pediatric oncology, radiation therapy and neurosurgery provide treatment for a wide variety of brain and spine tumors including:
- Glioblastoma multiformae
- Medulloblastoma/primitive neuroectodermal tumor
- Brain stem glioma
- Astrocytoma
- Retinoblastoma
- Ependymoma
- Optic glioma
- Germ cell tumors of the brain and spine
- Rare brain tumors
- Childhood and young adult tumors that have metastasized to the brain
In addition to the best medical care available, the brain and spinal tumor program at City of Hope also provides you access to several programs that include:
- Unique support programs for adolescents and young adults to assist with the often difficult transition into adulthood at the time of illness
- Late effects/survivor clinic follows patients long after their treatment to identify, counsel and treat any issue that can arise related to their lifesaving treatment
Our physicians are leading research to find better treatments for children, adolescents and young adults with brain and spinal tumors. For more information on our pediatric cancer research, including ongoing trials, visit City of Hope’s Clinical Trials Online website.
Pediatric brain tumors team
- Behnam Badie, M.D.
- Michael Chen, M.D., Ph.D.
- Leo Wang, M.D., Ph.D.
- Lisa Gutierrez, P.N.P.
- Alison Bell, C.P.N.P.