Stop & Shop Family Pediatric Neuro-Oncology Outcomes Clinic
Research
Researchers are using knowledge about the outcomes of past brain tumor care to minimize the consequences of current and future treatments. For example, a current clinical trial is evaluating the use of chemotherapy injected directly into the spinal fluid as an alternative to irradiating the entire brains and spines of young brain tumor patients.
Research from the Outcomes Clinic shows that patients who receive surgery as their only treatment for brain or spinal-cord tumors may also have long-term effects. Also, the Outcomes Clinic, in collaboration with the David B. Perini, Jr. Quality of Life Clinic, is creating focus groups for survivors who experience depression.
In 2003, the Stop & Shop Family Pediatric Brain Tumor Clinic announced the opening of a quality of life clinical and research program dedicated solely to issues faced by survivors of pediatric brain tumors. An extension of programs within the Institute, including the Perini Clinic and the Bernon Family School Liaison Program, this new quality of life clinic is modeled after, and was developed with the help of, the Perini Clinic.
In addition, Dana-Farber has launched a program to assess the quality of life for pediatric brain tumor survivors, and to test different strategies for helping them cope. The team is gathering information on survivors' long-term mental and physical complications to help both patients and caregivers, now and in the future.
