Pediatric Brain Tumors
A brain tumor diagnosis is difficult for the entire family. At Cedars-Sinai, your child is in caring and capable hands. Our expertise helps many children recover from tumors that were previously considered inoperable.
Our Approach to Pediatric Brain Tumors
We have one of the largest brain tumor programs for adults and children in the L.A. area. Our experts offer comprehensive services for spinal cord and brain tumors in children, including testing, genetic counseling and the latest treatments.
We treat all forms of pediatric brain tumors, including rare conditions such as neurofibromatosis. Learn more about brain tumors in children.
Your child will receive care from some of the brightest minds in pediatric brain tumor research and treatment. Our team includes world-renowned neurosurgeons, some of whom developed techniques that make treatments safer and more effective.
Personalized Treatments for Brain Tumors in Children
At Cedars-Sinai, our doctors take time to get to know your child. Clinic visits may include exams from multiple specialists, such as a pediatric oncologist and neurosurgeon. Our experts gather regularly in meetings called tumor boards. During these meetings, as many as 30 doctors review test results and tailor treatment plans for complex cases.
Specialties represented in our pediatric tumor board meetings include:
- Brain tumor research
- Neurology
- Neurosurgery
- Oncology
- Pathology
- Pediatric genetics
- Radiation oncology
Neurofibromatosis Specialists
Neurofibromatosis is a lifelong condition that causes nerve pain, spine problems and noncancerous tumors on the brain and spinal cord. We offer a level of neurofibromatosis care that's not widely available in the L.A. area. Find out more about neurofibromatosis.
Our services include access to national clinical trials testing new treatments. We also offer pediatric-focused pain support and sophisticated surgical techniques for removing tumors. Our expertise spans pediatric and adult care, so your child can continue receiving specialized, age-appropriate care in one program.
Pediatric Brain Tumor Research at Cedars-Sinai
If standard treatments are not successful, your child may benefit from a clinical trial. We participate in prestigious clinical trial networks, such as the Children's Oncology Group, the world's largest organization for pediatric cancer research. Your child may receive new care options before they become widely available.
Additional research efforts include:
Developing New Neurosurgery Techniques
Our doctors have developed new care techniques to make brain tumor surgery safer. Our contributions include innovative approaches for accessing skull base tumors. We were among the first in the world to access these tumors through the opening in the nose. Get more information about pediatric brain surgery at Cedars-Sinai.
Creating Brain Tumor Models to Test Targeted Therapies
Brain tumors such as gliomas have genetic abnormalities (mutations) that make it difficult to prevent them from coming back. Targeted therapies may help because they interfere with cancer cells' ability to grow.
There are many types of targeted therapy drugs, so testing is necessary to find out which one will be most effective. Our experts are creating brain tumor models so we can test a child's response to targeted therapy drugs. These models will enable us to determine the best care approach in less time than standard methods.
Have Questions or Need a Second Opinion?
Call us or send a message to our pediatric neurosurgery care team. You can also have us call you back at your convenience.