This is the current release of the guideline.

American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) Policies are reviewed every 3 years by the authoring body, at which time a recommendation is made that the policy be retired, revised, or reaffirmed without change. Until the Board of Directors approves a revision or reaffirmation, or retires a statement, the current policy remains in effect.

Pediatric cancer

Management
Treatment

Family Practice
Hematology
Internal Medicine
Neurological Surgery
Neurology
Oncology
Orthopedic Surgery
Pathology
Pediatrics
Radiation Oncology
Radiology
Surgery
Urology

Advanced Practice Nurses
Allied Health Personnel
Managed Care Organizations
Pharmacists
Physician Assistants
Physicians
Social Workers

To delineate personnel and facilities that are essential to provide state-of-the-art care for children and adolescents with cancer

Children and adolescents with cancer

Referral of pediatric and adolescent cancer patients to a pediatric cancer care center with appropriate personnel, facilities, and capabilities

Effectiveness of pediatric cancer centers in treating children and adolescents with cancer

Searches of Electronic Databases

Not stated

Not stated

Not stated

Not applicable

Review

Not stated

Expert Consensus

Not stated

Not applicable

A formal cost analysis was not performed and published cost analyses were not reviewed.

Peer Review

Not stated

On the basis of the effectiveness of pediatric cancer centers in treating children and adolescents with cancer, the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends the following:

• Children and adolescents with newly suspected and/or recurrent malignancy should be referred to a pediatric cancer center for prompt and accurate diagnosis and management.
• Children and adolescents with newly diagnosed and/or recurrent malignancies should have their treatment coordinated by a board-certified pediatric hematologist/oncologist; treatment should be prescribed and initiated at a pediatric cancer center but may be continued at a center not specialized in the care of the pediatric oncology patient under the continuing oversight of the center’s multidisciplinary team.
• Multidisciplinary team members should have pediatric expertise within their specialty area.

The original guideline document also details personnel, facilities, and capabilities that should be provided in a pediatric oncologic care center.

None provided

The type of supporting evidence is not specifically stated for each recommendation.

The clinical results in children with cancer have been shown to be superior when specialized diagnostic, supportive, and specific care is given at a pediatric cancer center.

Not stated

An implementation strategy was not provided.

Getting Better
Living with Illness

Effectiveness
Patient-centeredness

Not applicable: The guideline was not adapted from another source.

2004 Jun

American Academy of Pediatrics - Medical Specialty Society

American Academy of Pediatrics

Section on Hematology/Oncology

Section on Hematology/Oncology 2003–2004: Roger L. Berkow, MD, Chairperson; *James J. Corrigan, MD; *Stephen A. Feig, MD; F. Leonard Johnson, MD; Peter A. Lane, MD; John J. Hutter, Jr, MD

Liaisons: Edwin N. Forman, MD, Childhood Cancer Alliance; Naomi L. Luban, MD, American Association of Blood Banks

Staff: Laura Laskosz, MPH

*Lead authors

Not stated

This is the current release of the guideline.

American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) Policies are reviewed every 3 years by the authoring body, at which time a recommendation is made that the policy be retired, revised, or reaffirmed without change. Until the Board of Directors approves a revision or reaffirmation, or retires a statement, the current policy remains in effect.

None available

None available

This NGC summary was completed by ECRI on August 9, 2004. The information was verified by the guideline developer on September 27, 2004.

This NGC summary is based on the original guideline, which is subject to the guideline developer's copyright restrictions. Please contact the Permissions Editor, American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), 141 Northwest Point Blvd, Elk Grove Village, IL 60007.