Leukemia and Lymphoma Program

Leukemia is a cancer of the white blood cells. Normally, white blood cells protect against disease and provide immunity, but when your child has leukemia, this normal function is lost.

Lymphoma is a cancer that starts in your child’s lymphatic tissues, including lymph nodes, thymus, spleen, tonsils, or adenoids, and can involve the bone marrow.

The Aflac Cancer and Blood Disorders Center of Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta has a large team of providers with specialized expertise in treating all forms of childhood leukemia and lymphoma. We routinely see over 170 new patients every year and the types of leukemia and lymphoma we diagnose and treat include:

• Acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL)
• Acute myeloid leukemia (AML)
• Chronic myeloid leukemia (CML)
• Hodgkin lymphoma (HL)
• Non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL)
• Juvenile Myelomonocytic Leukemia (JMML)
• Other rare pediatric leukemias and lymphomas

Our Leukemia and Lymphoma Program at the Aflac Cancer and Blood Disorders Center at Children’s is one of the largest pediatric leukemia and lymphoma programs in the country. Our Cancer Center is consistently ranked as one of the top pediatric cancer programs in the country by U.S. News & World Report. Here are some highlights of our program:

• Expertise in treatment: We provide exceptional care for more than 800 patients with leukemia and lymphoma each year with our team of dedicated and knowledgeable professionals. Your child will receive care from oncologists that are nationally and internationally recognized for their knowledge and contribution to the field. They make it their mission to ensure that your child receives the care they deserve.
• Comprehensive care for your child and you: In addition to the physicians, care is provided by a dedicated team of advanced practice providers, nurses, social workers, child life specialists, nutritionists, psychologists, physical therapists and case managers who understand the impact the cancer has on your family. Not only are you a vital member of your child’s healthcare team—you are a source of security and comfort. Our highly skilled and well-rounded team combines the latest proven therapy with a caring, family- and child-friendly approach.
• Personalized approach to therapy: We know that every patient with leukemia and lymphoma is not the same. Your child’s disease may be harder to treat (refractory) or may have come back despite treatment (relapse). We have specially assembled a team of core professionals who focus on personalized therapy for those children and young adults. Our High-Risk Leukemia and Lymphoma Program brings in experts from the leukemia-lymphoma team, stem cell transplant team, cancer predisposition team and precision medicine team to provide state-of-the-art care for this group of patients.
• Access to clinical trials: Our center an important part of Children’s Oncology Group (COG) which is the largest pediatric cooperative group for pediatric cancer trials in North America. We are one of the few centers in the Southeast region to have access to several early stage (Phase 1 and 2) clinical trials through our involvement in Pediatric Early Phase Clinical Trials Network (PEP-CTN) and Therapeutic Advances in Childhood Leukemia (TACL) Consortium, as well as our collaborations with other national institutions. Many of the brilliant minds involved in the research and leadership within all these groups are members of our team at Children’s.
• Support for life beyond cancer: Receiving a cancer diagnosis for your child can be an emotional and overwhelming experience. It is our goal to provide the best care during therapy and beyond. Our world class Cancer Survivor Program provides multi-disciplinary care focused on your child’s needs.

The Aflac Cancer and Blood Disorders Center is committed to excellence and innovation in pediatric cancer and blood disorders research. As Georgia’s top pediatric cancer research center, we are home to one of the largest clinical trial programs in the country, through which we offer our patients access to novel childhood cancer and blood disorders treatment options. Our team continues to advance research and medicine by developing new techniques, treatment and cures for children and young adults with leukemia and lymphoma.

Receiving a cancer diagnosis for your child can be an emotional and overwhelming experience. At the Aflac Cancer and Blood Disorders Center, we are here to support you and your family. Whether treating a toddler during an emergency or helping a teen through chemotherapy treatments, we make it our mission to provide the best care—and best experience—for every child. Family is a big part of your child’s well-being. Not only are you a vital member of your child’s healthcare team; you are a source of security and comfort.

Physicians (Laboratory and Clinical Researchers)

• Sharon Castellino, MD, MSc, Director, Leukemia Lymphoma Program
• Himalee Sabnis, MD, MSc, Clinical Director, Leukemia Lymphoma Program
• Melinda Pauly, MD, Medical Director, Oncology
• Douglas K. Graham, MD, PhD, Chief, Aflac Cancer and Blood Disorders Center
• Daniel S. Wechsler, MD, PhD, Director, Oncology
• Waitman Aumann, MD
• D. John Bergsagel, MD
• Diana Fridlyand, MD
• Frank Keller, MD
• Tamara Miller, MD, MSCE
• Christopher Porter, MD
• Sunil Raikar, MD
• Lauren Raney, MD
• Ryan Summers, MD

Laboratory Based Researchers

• Kevin Bunting, PhD
• Deb DeRyckere, PhD
• Lubing Gu, MD
• Cheng-Kui Qu, MD, PhD
• Zhengqi Wang, PhD
• Dan Yan, MD, PhD
• Muxiang Zhou, MD

Health Services Researchers

• Xu Ji, MD, PhD

Advanced Practitioners

• Anna Bennett, CPNP
• Stephanie Bernardo, CPNP
• Lois Chukoian, CPNP
• Katie Kaspar, CPNP
• Amy Lahey, CPNP
• James Ludemann, CPNP
• Kelly MacDonald, CPNP
• Melissa Mecher, CPNP
• Jacqueline Schlesinger, CPNP

Social Workers

• Patricia Cornwell, LCSW
• Catherine DelaRosa, LCSW
• Kristin Frazier, LCSW