Division of Leukemia and Lymphoma, Division of Solid Tumor, Division of Neuro-Oncology / Division of Stem Cell Transplant and Cellular Therapy and Division of Hematology

Our mission is to provide the highest quality of care to all children with cancer. We aim to become a national leader in pediatric cancer treatment by promoting clinical trials, developing innovative treatments, and conducting long-term follow-ups of childhood cancer survivors.

The Japan Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare designated 15 hospitals as core hospitals for pediatric cancer treatment in Japan. The NCCHD was selected as a core hospital and has been functioning in this capacity since February 2013. The NCCHD was also elected to be the central organization of these core hospitals in February 2014. The Children’s Cancer Center, newly established in September 2013, plays a central role in this government-designated core hospital and central organization for pediatric cancer treatment.

The center consists of four sections: treatment, research, patient support and education. The hospital and research institute are highly integrated to provide multi-disciplinary comprehensive care to our patients and their families.

The treatment section is divided into five divisions: leukemia and lymphoma, solid tumors, neuro-oncology, stem cell transplants and cellular therapy, and hematology. Divisions of Palliative Care and Long-term Follow-Up will be launched in the near future.
Expert physicians and nurses provide childhood cancer survivors with comprehensive long-term follow-up care through the use of treatment summaries and structured programs. In 2013, we recorded 3,500 outpatient visits. We also have a palliative care team with physicians of various specialties, expert nurses, child life specialists, clinical psychologists, specialized pharmacists and dedicated social workers.

We participate in many multi-institutional clinical studies through the Japanese Pediatric Leukemia/Lymphoma Study Group (JPLSG). In 2013, we treated 28 hemato-oncology patients. We not only take care of newly diagnosed patients, but also relapsing patients and those resistant to standard therapy. Our center also treats the largest number of histiocytosis patients in Japan.

We are active members in a number of major national clinical study groups specializing in childhood cancer, including the Japan Neuroblastoma Study Group (JNBSG), the Japan Rhabdomyosarcoma Study Group (JRSG), the Japanese Study Group for Pediatric Liver Tumor (JPLT) and the Japanese Wilms Tumor Study Group (JWiTS). In particular, we are actively engaged in planning and conducting clinical studies for neuroblastoma. In 2013, we treated 52 solid tumor patients.

Our team provides high-quality care to patients with all kinds of central nervous system tumors together with our neurosurgeons and radiation oncologists. We plan to participate in upcoming multi-institutional clinical studies as a member of the Japanese Pediatric Brain Tumor Consortium (JPBTC).

Our center is an active pediatric hematopoietic stem cell transplant center accredited by the Japan Marrow Donor Program and Japanese Cord Blood Bank Network. We are equipped with two ‘clean room’ facilities, where we performed 17 transplantations in 2013.

We have been providing specialized care to children with all types of pediatric non-malignant hematologic diseases since March 2010. We mainly treat children with hemostasis and thrombosis problems, such as immune thrombocytopenic purpura, hemophilia, von Willebrand disease, congenital afibrinogenemia and congenital thrombophilia (including protein C deficiency and protein S deficiency). In recent years there has been a severe shortage of institutions and physicians who can provide care for children with hemostasis and thrombosis problems. We plan to provide training in the management of these problems for next-generation doctors, as well as an upgrade to our clinical infrastructure. To achieve these goals, we have joined medical networks for pediatric hemophilia.