Leukemia and Lymphoma

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The board-certified and fellowship-trained specialist physicians at Norton Children’s Cancer Institute, affiliated with the UofL School of Medicine, have the skills and equipment to pinpoint a leukemia or lymphoma diagnosis and deliver precision treatment.

We provide a treatment plan tailored for your child and work with you at every step of the process so you understand what’s happening. We work closely with families to find the right treatment for each child.

Norton Children’s Cancer Institute is a long-standing member of the Children’s Oncology Group. The Children’s Oncology Group is the largest group of hospitals around the world that treat children with cancer. Our involvement means your child will have access to innovative new treatments through clinical trials. Access to these groundbreaking treatments can improve childhood cancer outcomes while decreasing long-term effects. Patients are encouraged to enroll in clinical trials to obtain the most current forms of treatment. Talk with your Norton Children’s Cancer Institute providers about clinical trials that may be available.

We take a comprehensive and holistic approach to provide the best treatment for children and adolescents with leukemia and lymphoma. A team of pediatric cancer doctors, nurse practitioners, social workers, school liaison specialists and child life therapists work together to identify and address the medical, psychological and social needs of patients and their families during the treatment of these diseases.

Although survival rates for children with leukemia have improved dramatically over the past 50 years, leukemia remains a leading cause of pediatric death. Through cutting-edge research, William T. Tse, M.D., Ph.D., is conducting bench-to-bedside collaborative studies with physician scientists at the University of Louisville.

Leukemia

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

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

Lymphoma

Lymphoma is a cancer of the lymphatic system, a part of the body’s immune system. Lymphoma can start in almost any part of the body and spread to other tissues or organs. It is the third most common childhood cancer. Types of pediatric lymphoma often include:

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

Children and adolescents who have leukemia or lymphoma may have symptoms such as pale skin, fatigue, fever, bone pain, weakness, trouble walking, bruising, bleeding and enlargement of lymph nodes.

Prompt assessment by a pediatrician and timely referral to a pediatric cancer specialist are critical. Diagnostic evaluation will include a bone marrow examination, spinal tap and radiological studies. Special histological, immunological and molecular tests will be performed. Once the diagnosis of leukemia is confirmed, a comprehensive treatment plan will be formulated and discussed with the families.

Leukemia and Lymphoma Treatments

We offer a wide range of treatments for leukemia and lymphoma, including chemotherapy, radiation therapy, immunotherapy and stem cell transplantation.

Our leukemia and lymphoma specialists are at the leading edge of developing new treatments. As they learn more about how to best apply different therapies to treat these diseases, they will use this knowledge to help your child. New stem cell approaches used at Norton Children’s Cancer Institute include immunotherapy that harnesses the patient’s own immune system to fight leukemia and lymphoma.

Meet Our Team

Our specialists include pediatric oncologists, pediatric surgeons, pediatric oncology nurses and radiation oncologists. Other members of our care team include child psychologists, child psychiatrists, child life therapists, social workers, a chaplain, physical and occupational therapists, a nutritionist, pharmacists, massage therapists and expressive therapists.

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