Chicago Center for Childhood Cancer and Blood Diseases

A diagnosis of cancer can be devastating for a child and his or her family. But there is cause for hope. Advances by specialists at Comer Children's Hospital at the University of Chicago and other pediatric hospitals have greatly improved outcomes over the years. Today, nearly 80 percent of children diagnosed with cancer become long-term survivors, and the majority of them are considered cured. Fifty years ago, less than 10 percent of childhood cancer patients could be cured. 

Our pediatric specialists are at the forefront of cancer care, providing the latest investigational therapies as well as proven, conventional treatments. But our physicians and nurses are not only experts in cancer--they are experts in cancer in children and teenagers. This distinction is significant for both medical and developmental reasons. Our specialists have a thorough understanding of how cancer can affect a child's growing body. When determining the best treatment, our pediatric specialists do everything possible to minimize the effects of chemotherapy, radiation, and other therapies on a child's development.