A Devastating Diagnosis

The American Cancer Society estimates that 15,190 children and adolescents will be diagnosed with cancer in 2023. In the same year, an estimated 1,590 will die from the disease.

Despite major treatment advances over the past five decades, cancer remains the leading cause of disease-related death among both children and adolescents. In fact, it is responsible for more child and adolescent deaths than all other diseases combined. Yet only 4% of National Cancer Institute research funding is allocated specifically to pediatric cancers.

At Phoenix Children's Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders (CCBD), we're working to change that. It won’t be easy, but we’re committed to reaching the day when no family ever loses a child to cancer.

2022 at CCBD

5.3k+

unique patients treated

180+

clinical trials

385

newly diagnosed cancer patients

300

patients participating in clinical trials

A Sanctuary of Hope

As Arizona's largest pediatric cancer program, CCBD treats the majority of the state's young cancer patients. It’s our mission to ensure that they get the best care from the moment of diagnosis to the completion of treatment and beyond.

Led by world-renowned pediatric cancer researcher Mario Otto, MD, PhD, CCBD is at the forefront of pediatric oncology—a sanctuary of hope where expert clinicians provide compassionate care to children and families, and where trailblazing researchers are advancing the next generation of lifesaving therapies and technologies.

World-class patient care

Ranked by U.S. News & World Report as one of the nation’s top pediatric cancer centers, CCBD treats thousands of patients each year, providing comprehensive, personalized care to every child.

State-of-the-art treatments

Phoenix Children’s is one of the few U.S. institutions approved to treat children using chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cell therapy, a treatment in which a patient’s T cells—a type of immune system cell—are altered in the lab so they will attack cancer cells.

Lifesaving breakthroughs

In 2022, Roberta Adams, MD, CCBD's chair of clinical operations, led the development of a protocol for an experimental gene therapy that will drastically improve outcomes and decrease complications of bone marrow transplant.

Innovating to Save Lives

At CCBD, we're advancing translational research that can change the lives of children now and in the future. Our 180+ clinical trials include Phase I and II studies of medications to treat acute leukemias, solid tumors, lymphomas, hemophilia and sickle cell disease.

Taking aim at AML relapse

Though remission rates for acute myeloid leukemia (AML) are between 85% and 90%, relapse is all too common: AML returns in about 30% to 40% of children. Phoenix Children’s hematologist-oncologist Alexander Ngwube, MD, is leading a clinical trial of an innovative treatment aimed at reducing the AML relapse rate.

Renewed hope for children with ALL

In 2017, CCBD became one of the few pediatric oncology programs in the nation approved to administer chimeric antigen receptor T cell therapy, or CAR-T cell therapy, to children with relapsed or treatment-resistant B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). The next step? Building an on-site cellular therapy lab.

Stories of Hope

CCBD Advisory Board

Mike DeSoto
 COO & VP, MITER Brands

Lewis “Buzz” David Ghiz
Former President, Paramount Pool & Spa Systems

Erin Lewin
Former Senior Vice President & General Counsel, Avnet

Kris Pickel
Primetime Anchor, KPHO CBS 5

David Romanelli
Author

Aaron Stead
Chief Revenue Officer, Mindbody

Doug Tymins
President and CEO, AIG, New York

Support One of the Nation's Top Cancer Centers

Your gift helps the Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders provide world-class patient care, offer state-of-the-art therapies, and conduct research that leads to lifesaving breakthroughs.

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