Last year, the Aflac Cancer Center and Blood Disorders Service of Children's Healthcare of Atlanta diagnosed nearly one new cancer patient each day. Some patients had cancers rarely seen outside of the top pediatric cancer centers. Others were the most common cancers that affect children. When comparing pediatric cancer centers, families should not be afraid to ask questions.
Questions families should ask their oncologist:
- What happens when the frontline treatment doesn’t work?
- What are my options?
- How many pediatric blood and marrow transplants (BMTs) are performed at the center?
- What is the 100-day mortality rate after pediatric blood and marrow transplant?
- What is the survival rate at the center for the child’s cancer type?
- How does it compare to the national average?
A pediatric cancer center’s outcomes reveal much about their approach to therapy and their experience with a variety of cancers. Which center a family chooses to care for their child will shape the course of their treatment and their possibilities.