Cancer and Blood Diseases Institute

Our top priority is to deliver the latest care and best outcomes.  Our nationally recognized faculty and comprehensive teams, along with our deep commitment to research, ensure that the research advances to increase cure and minimize side effects are integral parts of a patient’s care plan.  We are one of the nation’s largest centers for new pediatric and young adult anticancer drug research and stem cell transplant.  We were the first to pioneer tumor and leukemia precision medicine DNA sequencing to guide the care of our high-risk and relapsed patients.  We also have a leading program to target cancers and leukemias with immune and cellular therapies.

Adolescence and early adulthood is a time of life when things are changing fast. Our psychologists, social workers, child life specialists, chaplains, music therapists and holistic health specialists are trained to provide age-appropriate support to patients with cancer whose lives have become even more complicated.

Specially trained survivor volunteers in our peer-to-peer program reach out to newly diagnosed adolescents and young adults and talk about “tricks” of surviving inpatient stays, treatments, friends and general coping.

Care is provided in spaces created with the help of adolescents and young adult patients that were treated at the Cancer and Blood Diseases Institute and Cincinnati Children’s. The patient rooms, artwork and lounge were designed with the adolescent and young adult patient in mind.

Our licensed professional educators help adolescents and young adults work toward their educational goals and maintain academic skills while receiving treatment. We collaborate with high schools and universities to obtain assignments and materials, and offer individualized lessons year-round.

John Perentesis, MD, is vice chair of the national Children’s Oncology Group (COG) Adolescent and Young Adult Steering Committee and co-author of the group's blueprint for research: Adolescent and young adult oncology. Perentesis, along with Joseph Pressey, MD, and Jennifer Mangino, MD, lead our team of experts in adolescent and young adult oncology.