St. Jude Children's Research Hospital
St. Jude Children's Research Hospital
262 Danny Thomas Place
Memphis, TN 38105
1-866-2ST-JUDE (1-866-278-5833)
Fax (901) 595-4011
Why St. Jude for Your Child’s Leukemia Treatment?
* Our experienced team of physicians and researchers have dedicated their lives to finding cures for children just like yours -- children who suffer from leukemias and lymphomas such as acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), acute myeloid leukemia (AML), acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL), and Hodgkin lymphoma, among others.
* St. Jude’s groundbreaking development of combination therapy for children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia, the most common form of childhood cancer, revolutionized leukemia therapy worldwide and increased the survival rate from 4 percent, when St. Jude opened in 1962, to 80 percent today.
* The cure rate for the following leukemias/lymphomas has also increased:
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Hodgkin lymphoma from 50 percent in 1962 to 90 percent in 2003
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Non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) from 7 percent in 1962 to 80 percent in 2003
* In addition, contemporary leukemia treatment strategies at St. Jude have doubled the survival rate of childhood NHL from about 40 percent 20 to 30 years ago to the current rate of 80 percent, without increasing the risks of developing other cancers.
* At St. Jude, a comprehensive team including hematologists/oncologists, radiation treatment specialists and pharmacokineticists/pharmacogeneticists form one of the largest groups dedicated to the treatment of both common and rare forms of childhood leukemia.
* St. Jude has the only protocol in existence for cancer in children with ataxia telangiectasia (AT). This protocol, AT-1, attempts to cure cancer in children with AT, instead of only minimizing cancer’s devastating effects.
* With support from basic scientists we are uncovering the genetic fingerprints of the major subtypes of childhood ALL. This could lead to enhanced ability to diagnose ALL more accurately, improved ability to monitor a patient's response to therapy, and eventually, to develop more effective and less-toxic drugs to treat this cancer.
* St. Jude researchers discovered that survivors of childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) who have not received radiation treatments as part of their therapy have virtually the same long-term life experiences as the general population.
Treatment at St. Jude
Enrollment and Initial Therapy
At the initial visit, or on completion of diagnostic studies, a member of the St. Jude medical staff will describe the treatment in detail, answer any questions, and obtain informed consent according to federal guidelines. Families will be provided with information on travel, lodging, and what to expect from the treatment experience before or upon their arrival. Although most treatment is done on an outpatient basis, patients typically must remain in Memphis for their initial therapy (see Patient Info), and some may require hospitalization. Some treatment may be given at a St. Jude affiliate medical center. Local facilities and community physicians will participate in or administer treatment when possible.
Monitoring and Follow-Up
Referring physicians will receive regular updates on the child's progress and are welcome to call at any point with questions regarding the child's therapy or side effects. After successful treatment, all patients are examined one or more times yearly for five to 10 years in the After Completion of Therapy (ACT) Clinic. Survivors are screened for any residual disease effects or treatment sequelae, including physical, psychological, and social problems. The ACT Clinic emphasizes education of survivors about the importance of maintaining a healthy lifestyle and remaining alert for possible late effects. Also, the growing population of childhood cancer survivors enables the clinic to gather unique epidemiologic and treatment follow-up data. These findings are valuable in improving therapeutic protocols at St. Jude and in advancing pediatric cancer care in the larger community.
Referrals, Consultations, and Treatment Policy
St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital welcomes referrals of children and adolescents with newly diagnosed or suspected leukemia. Patients are treated on clinical trials designed to provide the best available care while answering important research questions. We can accept only patients who are eligible for ongoing St. Jude clinical trials. Patients who have received treatment elsewhere will be considered on an individual basis, if they are eligible for a St. Jude clinical trial.
For patient referrals please contact us
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