Solid Tumor Program

Children’s National Solid Tumor Program: Why Choose Us?

Pediatric solid tumors can form in many areas, including a child’s liver, kidney, muscle or bone. Solid tumors account for approximately 30 percent of all childhood malignancies and can be aggressive. This is why it’s important to receive care at a high volume center such as Children’s National. 

Pediatric Solid Tumor Research and Clinical Trials

At Children’s National, our expertise goes beyond diagnosis and treatment. Our physicians lead some of the most prestigious pediatric solid tumor research in the country. Through this work, we are improving care for children of all ages. 

Our research interests include:

• Molecular analysis: Our pathologists lead research exploring our solid tumor malignancies at a molecular level, which helps us diagnose your child and plan treatments with a high degree of accuracy and personalization.
• Novel therapies: As one of the select institutions in the Children’s Oncology Group (COG) consortium, we offer patients access to the most innovative therapies available today.
• Improving outcomes: We are one of only two children’s hospitals in the mid-Atlantic region participating in the Sarcoma Alliance for Research through Collaboration (SARC). This work includes helping sarcoma patients live longer with a good quality of life.

When you visit our clinic, we discuss with you the possibility of enrolling your child in one of our clinical research programs. Physicians and dedicated research nurses help you understand the risks and benefits of participating. Learn more about our cancer research and clinical trials.

We pride ourselves in delivering the latest treatments and offering clinical trials that are not widely available. These include:

• Magnetic resonance-guided high-intensity focused ultrasound (MR-HIFU): Children’s National was the first in the United States to treat osteoid osteoma, a benign but painful bone tumor that commonly occurs in children and young adults, using this experimental, noninvasive method. Learn more.
• Experimental therapeutics: We offer patients who have not had success with other treatments access to the newest anticancer medications. Learn more about our Experimental Therapeutics Program.
• Ablation: Using a focused beam of hot or cold energy, ablation destroys cancer tissue. This treatment is only available in the country’s top programs.
• Innovative surgical techniques: We specialize in the limb-sparing techniques that preserve as much health tissue as possible and help your child avoid amputation. Learn more about sarcoma surgery.