Our Services

Medical Services

Adolescents and young adults need a framework of medical and psychological support that is not available at adult hospitals. Our Adolescent and Young Adult (AYA) Oncology Program gives patients access to the most advanced cancer care while taking a family-centered approach that keeps patients and those who love them actively involved.

Patients of the AYA Oncology Program at Children’s Hospital receive professional, specialized medical support that adult oncology programs simply don’t have and can’t offer, including:

Adolescent Medicine Specialist Approach. Our well-established Adolescent Medicine Division collaborates with the oncology team to manage the health issues unique to the adolescent and young adult population.
Care Coordination. Professionals coordinate all aspects of care, including procedure and radiology study scheduling, patient and family education; pain and symptom management, and end-of-life (hospice) patient care, both in the hospital and at home.
Fertility Preservation. In collaboration with Magee-Womens Hospital Hospital of UPMC, we are conducting fertility studies on young adult cancer patients. A fertility specialist from Magee can also facilitate sperm banking and consult on female fertility issues, to preserve future fertility patients undergoing cancer treatment. Learn more.
Late Effects of Cancer Therapy and Long-Term Follow-Up Care. As more and more pediatric cancer patients are cured, the appearance of late effects of their disease increases as they age. Our staff is involved on the national level of Children’s Oncology Group (COG) in examining and addressing these issues.
Collaboration with University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute (UPCI). Pediatric oncologists on the AYA team work in conjunction with adult oncologists at UPCI to care for patients ages 16 to 21 with Hodgkin’s disease, non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, acute lymphoblastic leukemia, Ewing’s sarcoma, osteosarcoma, rhabdomyosarcoma, acute myelogenous leukemia, chronic myelogenous leukemia and brain tumors.