Additional counseling is available from social workers, psychiatrists, nutritionists, and play therapists. Cancer Treatment Treatment for hematologic and solid malignancies may incorporate surgery, radiation, chemotherapy, and occasionally, stem cell transplants. Modern pediatric chemotherapy protocols are aggressive, often requiring intensive treatment of side effects, including bleeding and infections. Investigational chemotherapies are offered to appropriate patients. Stem cell transplants may be performed early in the course of some cancers or deferred until relapse has occurred.
Autologous transplants are appropriate for some patients with solid tumors.
Allogeneic transplants are obtained from related matched donors, or alternatively, from unrelated donors through the National Marrow Donor Program and Cord Blood Repositories. UCLA's bone marrow transplant unit, established in 1973, was the first in California and functions today as a key component to successful treatment of hematologic neoplasms. As an alternative to bone marrow transplants, utilization of umbilical cord blood cells has been initiated across the country on an investigational basis. Cord blood transplants have several potential advantages over bone marrow transplants, including a decrease in the time to complete a successful search for a compatible donor. Also, preliminary experience has revealed less graft versus host disease after cord blood transplants.