OHSU Doernbecher Children’s Hospital’s comprehensive pediatric oncology program ranks 28th out of 200 children’s cancer programs nationwide. This is the first year OHSU Doernbecher has applied to be ranked.

“We are extremely proud of the care our cancer team provides on a daily basis. This dedication and commitment to excellence is representative of the many programs at Doernbecher,” said Stacy Nicholson, M.D., M.P.H., Physician-in-Chief at OHSU Doernbecher Children’s Hospital and Credit Unions for Kids Professor and Chair of Pediatrics in the OHSU School of Medicine. “While we celebrate this achievement, we will continue to work to deliver even better care to the children of Oregon, southwest Washington and beyond.”

U.S. News & World Report ranks children’s hospitals in 10 pediatric specialties. To calculate the cancer specialty rankings, U.S. News surveyed hundreds of pediatric cancer specialists at children’s hospitals nationwide. The specialists were asked to rank programs in their specific area of expertise based on a number of criteria, including quality of care, reputation, infection-prevention activities, patient volume, nonsurgical procedure volume, nurse-patient ratio, Nurse Magnet hospital status, advanced clinical services and clinical support services.

The cancer rankings also are based on the hospital’s level of participation in pediatric clinical trials. OHSU Doernbecher is one of just 21 National Cancer Institute-designated Phase I clinical trial sites for children’s cancer research in the country. It is also one of 200 children’s hospitals nationwide invited to participate in the Children’s Oncology Group, a consortium of childhood cancer research programs sponsored by the National Childhood Cancer Foundation.

“This recognition reflects the commitment of more than 150 dedicated providers and staff who care for children and adolescents with cancer and blood disorders,” said Linda Stork, M.D., head of the Division of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology and director of the Leukemia and Lymphoma Program at OHSU Doernbecher Children’s Hospital. “Of course, our comprehensive team spans all of Doernbecher and OHSU. It is a privilege for me to lead a program that educates clinicians, conducts innovative research, and provides such a high standard of care.”

To be ranked among U.S. News’ best pediatric cancer programs, children’s hospitals also must submit data on their stem cell transplant survival rates, specifically, the survival rates of cancer patients at 100 days and one year post cord-blood or bone-marrow stem cell transplant, as well as the survival rates of their cancer patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia five years after beginning treatment.

Based on data compiled by U.S. News, the survival rates of stem cell transplant patients at OHSU Doernbecher parallel those of the No. 1-ranked pediatric cancer program in the nation, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in Memphis.

OHSU Doernbecher is the only hospital in Oregon to provide pediatric bone marrow/stem cell transplant services.

In addition to its Pediatric Stem Cell/Bone Marrow Transplant Program, OHSU Doernbecher’s comprehensive cancer program comprises the entire range of medical and surgical cancer disciplines, including brain tumors, leukemia and lymphoma, pediatric solid tumors, adolescent and young adult cancer, cancer survivors, and palliative care. It also has a robust educational effort, training the next generation of pediatric specialists and sub-specialists.

“All of the pediatric surgical specialists and our outstanding team of professionals in perioperative services at Doernbecher Children's Hospital are proud to be part of this outstanding and growing pediatric oncology program,” said Mark Silen, M.D., M.B.A., Surgeon-in-Chief at OHSU Doernbecher Children’s Hospital and head of the Division of Pediatric Surgery in the OHSU School of Medicine.

About the OHSU Doernbecher Kenneth W. Ford Northwest Cancer Center
The Kenneth W. Ford Northwest Children’s Cancer at OHSU Doernbecher Children’s Hospital is a comprehensive children’s cancer center that each year treats more than 1,000 children and adolescents with cancer and other life-threatening blood disorders, including aplastic anemia, hemophilia and sickle cell disease. Its multispecialty teams include board certified pediatric hematology/oncology specialists, nurses specially trained in pediatric hematology/oncology and a support team that includes the entire range of pediatric and surgical subspecialties supported by social workers, child life specialists, pediatric nutritionist and pediatric pharmacists.

About OHSU Doernbecher Children’s Hospital (www.ohsudoernbecher.com)
OHSU Doernbecher Children's Hospital is a world-class facility that each year cares for tens of thousands of children from Oregon, southwest Washington and around the nation, including national and international referrals for specialty care. Children have access to a full range of pediatric care, not just treatments for serious illness or injury, resulting in more than 147,000 outpatient visits, discharges, surgeries and pediatric transports annually. In addition, nationally recognized physicians ensure that children receive exceptional care at OHSU Doernbecher, including outstanding cancer treatment, specialized neurology care and highly sophisticated heart surgery in the most patient- and family-centered environment. Pediatric experts from OHSU Doernbecher travel throughout Oregon and southwest Washington to provide specialty care to some 3,000 children at more than 150 outreach clinics in 13 locations. The knowledge of all for the care of one, OHSU Doernbecher Children’s Hospital