The team of pediatric specialists within the Department of Neurosurgery at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center provide complete, state-of-the-art testing, therapy and genetic counseling for tumors of the brain and spinal cord.

The goal of the Pediatric Brain Tumor Program is to be a resource for physicians and their patients with nervous-system tumors. We seek to provide personalized management and treatment for patients with these disorders and to apply the newest information and treatments to clinical practice.

• Patients who want doctors with the necessary skills to provide successful tumor removal and to lower the risk of harmful side effects
• Infants, children and young adults with tumors of the brain and spinal cord
• Patients whose tumors have spread to the central nervous system
• Individuals with a family history of cancer

The Program's services extend from testing through therapy and beyond, including active partnership with the patient's primary care physician, help returning to school and long-term follow-up.

At the Department of Neurosurgery, Moise Danielpour, MD, the Director of Pediatric Neurosurgery, works in close association with Keith L. Black, MD, Director of the Department of Neurosurgery, and the Lawrence Harvey Chair in Neuroscience, to ensure the best possible outcomes.

The Program's pediatric specialists are experts in every area of these tumors and their long-term effects.

The Program's doctors use the most advanced imaging and scanning equipment and techniques.

Cedars-Sinai is very active in front-line research programs that apply new approaches to treatment of pediatric central nervous system tumors.

The Maxine Dunitz Neurosurgical Institute is actively involved in leading-edge clinical studies to provide patients with the latest treatment options. These studies include:

• Participation in clinical trials sponsored by the National Institutes of Health (NIH)
• Access to the National Children's Cancer Study Group clinical trials
• The Maxine Dunitz Neurosurgical Institute's Tumor Vaccine Program, which focuses on using the patient's own immune system to control and destroy tumor growth
• Phase one and two drug studies, developed at the Institute
• A bone marrow transplant and rescue program for patients with recurrent tumors

To ensure that every treatment option is explored, cases are presented to the Brain Tumor Board, a weekly meeting of a group of 30 specialists. Patients may also receive a referral for a second opinion.

For an appointment, a second opinion or more information, please call 1-800-CEDARS-1 (1-800-233-2771) or e-mail us.