Neuro-Oncology
Enhancing Brain Tumor Education and Research in Order to Improve Treatments, Cures and Quality of Survival
Pediatric Brain Cancer | When All That Matters is Now
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Neuro-Oncology
Learning that your child has a brain or spinal cord tumor can be overwhelming for everyone in your family. When you turn to Nationwide Children’s Hospital to treat your child’s tumor, our highly experienced and internationally recognized team of pediatric neuro-oncologists, neurosurgeons and neuroradiologists will care for your child by providing the most advanced and innovative treatments, while at the same time, paying careful attention to all the needs and concerns of your child and family.
Led by Maryam Fouladi, MD, Nationwide Children’s Neuro-Oncology Program is an international destination for pediatric, adolescent and young adult patients with malignant brain and spinal cord tumors. Dr. Fouladi’s innovative approaches all share the same goals and passion; enhancing brain tumor education and research in order to improve treatments, cures and quality of survival for your child.
About
Nationwide Children's is focused on:
- Prevention/Early Diagnosis of Childhood Brain Cancer: Nationwide Children’s and The Ohio State University have established the first Predisposition to Brain Cancer Family-Centered Clinic for the most at-risk families. This unique collaboration will focus on new approaches to brain tumor screening, diagnosis and treatment. In addition-an Ohio-wide program aimed at shortening the time from symptom onset to diagnosis of childhood brain and spinal cord cancer is being developed.
- Development of New Treatment Programs (Clinical Trials): The first ever prospective clinical trial for adolescents and adults with newly-diagnosed medulloblastoma, is being started at Nationwide Children’s in conjunction with The Ohio State University and many other centers throughout North America. In addition, our Clinical Trials office is directing the fourth “Head Start” Consortium clinical trial (HS-4), the latest of three trials led by Dr. Finlay with more than 40 centers participating from around the world. These trials are improving survival and quality of life for the youngest children with malignant brain tumors. Dr. Finlay is also co-principal investigator in a series of limited-institution innovative trials using cellular therapies to treat recurrent medulloblastoma and malignant gliomas, as well as newly-diagnosed gliomas of childhood.
- Leaders in Discovery: Nationwide Children’s is proud to be the home institution for the CONNECT Consortium. Led by Dr. Maryam Fouladi, The Collaborative Network for Neuro-oncology Clinical Trials (CONNECT) includes over 18 international partners designed to provide the most promising therapies to children with the poorest prognoses. Learnings from CONNECT are passed along to larger consortia to help speed up bigger trials.
- Education: Nationwide Children’s has established a one year Pediatric Clinical Neuro-Oncology Fellowship training program, to train the next generation of leaders in the management of childhood brain and spinal cord cancer. In addition, Nationwide Children's has developed the first Global Outreach Program in pediatric Neuro-Oncology focused upon improving the outcome for children with brain cancer in the low-middle income developing countries of Central and South America. This program includes weekly multi-national teleconferencing with discussion and guidance in management of real time children with brain cancer in these countries, as well as training fellowships for pertinent specialist physicians and nurses at Nationwide Children's.
Programs & Clinics
The Neuro-Oncology Program is led by:
Maryam Fouladi
Maryam Fouladi, MD, MSc, FRCP, is a pediatric neuro-oncologist, co-executive director of the pediatric neuro-oncology program at Nationwide Children’s Hospital, and a professor of Pediatrics at the Ohio State University College of Medicine.
Jeffrey R. Leonard
Jeffrey R. Leonard, MD is the Chief of Neurosurgery and the Surgical Director of the Neuro-Oncology Program.
Neuro-Oncology Consortiums
If there is a collaborative effort to find new discoveries for pediatric brain and spinal cord tumors, our team is a part of it.
Speak With Our Team
We’re all about coordinated care. Experts in every area (not just in disease treatment) working together to care for the body, mind, and overall quality of life. Together, these experts dedicate their lives to a single mission: finding the solutions to treat brain tumors in children and adolescents.
Refer a Patient
Our physicians in the Neuro/Oncology Program at Nationwide Children’s Hospital are experts in the management of pediatric brain tumors in children and young adults. We offer face-to-face new patient visits with a physical examination and review of medical information as well as a remote consultation and second opinion service to physicians, patients and families throughout the world by reviewing medical records, MRI imaging and pathology to confirm diagnosis and offer treatment recommendations. Please contact us for more information.
- Maria Smith, Project Manager at Maria.Smith@NationwideChildrens.org or via phone at (614) 722-5456.
- To reach our clinic, nurse navigators or nurse practitioner please call (614) 722-8860.
