Pediatric Blood Cancer: Leukemia and Lymphoma

Harold C. Simmons Comprehensive Cancer Center

UT Southwestern Medical Center, in partnership with Children’s Health, which is located on the same Dallas campus, has an excellent team of pediatric oncologists who treat pediatric blood cancers such as leukemia and lymphoma with the latest techniques. U.S. News & World Report’s Best Children’s Hospital 2022-2023 list ranks our pediatric cancer program No. 16 in the nation.

As the only National Cancer Institute-designated comprehensive cancer center in North Texas, we deliver the best cancer care available today and push to discover new treatments. NCI designation means we offer patients the ability to participate in the broadest possible range of clinical trials, with access to potential therapies not available at other facilities.

Harold C. Simmons Comprehensive Cancer Center

Cancer Care at the Highest Level. Anywhere.

Our team of hundreds of leading cancer physicians and oncology-trained support staff is a trusted partner in returning patients with cancer to good health.

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Treating All Types of Blood Cancer with Special Expertise

Pediatric blood cancer is typically leukemia or lymphoma. Leukemia is the most common childhood cancer. At UT Southwestern and Children’s Health, we treat every type of leukemia in children and adolescents, from the most frequently occurring forms of the disease to the most rare. These include:

T- and B-precursor acute lymphoblastic leukemias
Infant leukemia
Transient myeloproliferative disease
Acute and chronic myeloid leukemias
Burkitt leukemia
Rare histologies, such as acute blastic plasmacytoid dendritic cell neoplasms

Lymphoma is a cancer of the immune system and lymphoid tissues. We treat all forms of pediatric Hodgkin and non-Hodgkin lymphomas. As a group, lymphomas represent the third most common childhood cancer.

Pediatric Blood Cancer Program Highlights

Our large program treats many children, giving us a level of expertise and experience that’s unmatched in the area.

Through our relationship with the Children’s Oncology Group (COG), a National Cancer Institute-supported clinical trials group, we have access to the latest treatments, information, and support from all over the world. In addition, we have access to new agent trials through the Therapeutic Advances in Childhood Leukemia and Lymphoma (TACL) consortium, and we offer CAR T-cell therapy for eligible children with relapsed or refractory acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL).

Our own Naomi Winick, M.D., Professor of Pediatrics, has held several leadership positions with COG and is involved in clinical trials for pediatric leukemia.

Patients with pediatric blood cancer treated at UT Southwestern and Children’s Health also have access to:

A multidisciplinary team that meets weekly to review each current patient’s status
Molecular diagnostics performed at the time of diagnosis to check for treatable genetic abnormalities in the malignant cells
Constant assessment of maintenance phase treatments through blood count analysis
Multiple therapies for relapsed or recurring disease
A clinical trial involving immunotherapy treatment for acute lymphoblastic leukemia – research that is not available anywhere else in Texas or the surrounding states

Support Services

Simmons Cancer Center offers an array of support services for children undergoing treatment at UT Southwestern for cancer – and for their families, too. These services range from nutrition counseling to support groups.

Clinical Trials

UT Southwestern’s Simmons Cancer Center conducts clinical trials aimed at improving the care and outcomes of children with cancer. Parents can speak with their cancer physicians to determine if a clinical trial is available.