The University of Louisville childhood cancer program is part of the national Children’s Oncology Group.  Doctors at the university are specialized to treat all forms of leukemia with the most up-to-date optimal treatments, which include the option to participate in national clinical trials.As such, our excellent cure rates for children with leukemia and lymphoma have made us one of the top 25 pediatric cancer programs in the country as reported by U.S. News & World Report.

• We are actively engaged in a number of leukemia and lymphoma clinical trials that are leading to new therapies with the goal of eventually curing these diseases.
• We follow the guidelines of the Children’s Oncology Group (COG), which is affiliated with the National Cancer Institute.
• We individualize therapy for each patient and include patients and their families at every step of the process. We work closely with families to find the right treatment for each child.
• We understand that childhood cancer affects everyone in the family. We believe it is important to help preserve quality of life during and after therapy.

Children are cared for by a team of pediatric oncologists in conjunction with a multidisciplinary team of specialists, including pediatric surgeons, pediatric oncology nurses and radiation oncologists. Experts from every pediatric medical subspecialty, including infectious diseases, cardiology, pulmonology, nephrology and endocrinology, among others, are a part of each child’s care team as needed. Other members of our care team include child psychologists, child psychiatrists, child life therapist, social worker, chaplain, physical and occupational therapists, nutritionist, pharmacists, massage therapist and expressive therapists.

Diseases we treat

Leukemia is a cancer of the blood and bone marrow, and is the most common type of malignancy in children. The most common types of leukemia include:

• Acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL)
• Acute myeloid leukemia (AML)
• Chronic myeloblastic leukemia

Lymphoma is a cancer of the lymphatic system, a part of the body’s immune system. The lymphatic system produces disease-fighting white blood cells (lymphocytes), which are found throughout the body. Lymphomas can start in almost any part of the body and spread to other tissues or organs. Lymphoma is the third most common childhood cancer. Types of lymphoma include:

• Hodgkin lymphoma
• Non-Hodgkin lymphoma, T-cell and B-cell subtypes

Treatment

We offer innovative clinical trials for children of all ages and with all forms of pediatric leukemia and lymphoma.

Our excellent cure rates for children with leukemia and lymphoma have made us one of the top twenty-five pediatric cancer programs in the country as reported by US News and World Report.  This success is attributed to our dedicated and detail focused team.

We offer a wide range of treatments for leukemia and lymphoma, including secondary treatment options, such as stem cell transplantation, for leukemia and lymphoma that has relapsed or is not responding to treatment.

The team

Ashok Raj, M.D.