Cancer (Oncology) & Hematology

Yale New Haven Children’s Hospital’s Adolescent Young Adult (AYA) Oncology Program is exclusively dedicated to supporting adolescents and young adults, ages 13 and up. Integrating the resources of Yale New Haven Children’s Hospital and Smilow Cancer Hospital, patients receive coordinated care, including fertility counseling, education, insurance, and social and emotional support.

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The Pediatric Bone Marrow Failure Program provides evaluation and management of one marrow failure (BMF) in children and young adults caused by genetic disorders, such as Fanconi Anemia or Dyskeratosis Congenita, or acquired conditions, such as idiopathic Aplastic Anemia. For many patients, the cause of the BMF is not easily identified; however, our team offers a variety of testing modalities, including peripheral blood analyses, bone marrow examination/biopsy, and genetic testing to evaluate patients with suspecte3d bone marrow failure. Patients with identified genetic disorders can benefit from consultation with our genetics and genetic counselors. Some BMF syndromes are associated with an increased risk of leukemia or other cancers over time. Our team works to provide continuity of care with ongoing screening and supportive care measures to improve quality of life. For patients who are dependent on blood product transfusions, our team works closely with our Pediatric Stem Cell transplantation service to provide bone marrow or stem cell transplant when needed to cure the disease.

The Pediatric Stem Cell Transplantation and CAR T-Cell Therapy Program cares for a wide range of children, adolescents and young adults with malignant and non-malignant conditions in need of bone marrow, peripheral blood stem cell and cord blood transplants. The pediatric CAR-T Cell Therapy Program offers an innovative new cellular treatment option to patients with certain blood cancers. Historically bone marrows, or stem cell, transplantation has been used as a curative therapy for man hematologic cancers (such as leukemia or lymphoma) after treatment with high-dose chemotherapy and radiation therapy. Transplants may also benefit patients with non-malignant (non-Cancerous) diseases including severe immune system disorders, inherited red blood cell disorders including Sickle Cell and Thalassemia, bone marrow failure syndromes and metabolic diseases.

Our Pediatric Immune Disorders Program offers comprehensive care for children, adolescents and young adults with a variety of disorders involving the immune system, including immune deficiency syndromes, such as Severe Combined Immunodeficiency, Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome and others. In addition, we care for patients with immune dysregulation conditions, autoimmune disorders, and hyperinflammatory disorders. We seek to identify genetic triggers for these diseases when possible and to coordinate multidisciplinary care from hematology/oncology, rheumatology, immunology, infectious disease, gastroenterology, pulmonology, and clinical genetics. Once a diagnosis is made, our team of specialists will develop a unique care plan for every patient that may include medications to regulate the immune system, or when severe, consider replacing the immune system through bone marrow/stem cell transplantation.

Our specialists diagnose and treat infants, children, adolescents and young adults with blood cancers including Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia, Acute Myeloid Leukemia, Chronic Myeloid Leukemia, Down Syndrome associated Leukemia, Hodgkin and non-Hodgkin Lymphoma. The interdisciplinary team of physicians, advanced practice providers, nurses, psychologists, social workers and child life therapists provide individualized cancer therapies for pediatric patients with hematologic malignancies. These interventions include chemotherapy, immunotherapy and cellular therapy as well as supportive care strategies with the goal of returning children to wellness.

Our Pediatric Hemostasis, Hemophilia and Thrombosis Program is a federally designated hemophilia treatment center with years of experience caring for those with hemophilia, von Willebrand disease and rare bleeding disorders. Yale School of Medicine participates in the CDC’s national hemophilia clinical research study—the universal data collection study that tracks long-term complications and quality of life in individuals with hemophilia and other bleeding disorders.

The HEROS Clinic for Childhood Cancer Survivors is the first cancer survivor clinic in Connecticut and one of the first in the United States. Established in 2003, the HEROS Clinic provides individualized screening for children, adolescents, and adults for late complications of past chemotherapy, radiation and surgery. Problems can include hormone deficiencies, decreased heart function, decreased bone mineral density, learning problems and development of new cancers. Patients are eligible for HEROS if they were diagnosed with a cancer condition under the age of 21 and are now off therapy.

Many of Yale New Haven Children’s Hospital’s Pediatric Specialty Centers offer infusion services (intravenous therapy) for treatment or diagnostic needs closer to home. This includes chemotherapy, blood products, medication infusions and more. The infusion centers offer a comfortable environment with an array of children’s amenities and activities during treatments. Spaces are equipped with recliner chairs, TVs, and computer or gaming devices. Child life specialists are available to support children during their therapies through developmentally appropriate play, games and crafts.

The Neuro-Oncology Program advances the effective treatment of brain tumors, which are among the most common type of childhood cancers. Our program at Smilow Cancer Hospital is the only one of its kind in Connecticut and includes a collaboration of pediatric oncologists, neurologists, endocrinologists, neurosurgeons, psychologists, and social workers to care for this special group of patients.

The Pediatric Benign Hematology program diagnoses, treats, and manages the heath care for newborns, children and teens who have conditions involving abnormal levels of red blood cells, white blood cells and/or platelets. Some of these conditions are inherited while other conditions arise from a variety of causes. Some people with these conditions have few symptoms while others could have severe complications. Some of these conditions resolve quickly and some may continue into adulthood. Blood testing and other investigations help the health care team discover and monitor these conditions to provide every child and their family up-to-date information to maintain healthy lifestyles.

The Pediatric Palliative Care Program is dedicated to the care and comfort of children with serious illnesses and their families. Palliative care focuses on the relief of pain and other distressing symptoms, enhances communication among patients, families and providers and addresses quality-of-life issues among children with complex, chronic conditions at any stage of illness. Pediatric patients receive comprehensive individualized care. Each consultation includes a thorough review of the medical history, recommendations for pain and symptom management and a discussion of patient and family’s goals of care. Our palliative care team also specializes in end-of-life care and addresses both physical and psychosocial issues associated with death. The interdisciplinary team includes a physician, advanced practice provider, nurse coordinator/case manager, social worker, child life specialist and spiritual care provider. The team provides inpatient and outpatient consultative services as well as home visits.

Infants, children and adolescents with pediatric sickle cell and thalassemia diseases are treated by a multidisciplinary team of board-certified pediatric hematologists, advanced practice providers, a psychologist, pediatric pain specialists and social workers. In collaboration with the Pediatric Blood and Marrow Transplantation Program, we offer bone marrow transplants to patients with sickle cell disease.

The specialized team partners with the patient and their family in self-care education, as well as prevention, surveillance, and management of the disease’s complications. They work closely with Smilow Cancer Hospital’s adult hematology specialists to ensure a smooth transition from pediatric to adult care.

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The pediatric Solid Tumor Program offers comprehensive care to children with a wide variety of tumors, including bone and soft-tissue sarcomas, liver and kidney tumors, neuroblastoma, retinoblastoma and other rare tumors.