Comprehensive Care for Children with Liver Tumors
The Liver Tumor Program at Cincinnati Children’s is an international leader in treating patients with liver tumors, including those in the advanced stages of disease and those requiring liver transplants.
Our team is led by oncologists and surgeons who collaborate with other specialists from a variety of disciplines, including hepatology, radiology, gastroenterology, nutrition therapy, nursing and many others. The Liver Tumor Program is co-directed by Jim Geller, MD, a pediatric oncologist and an expert in liver tumor therapy and new anticancer drug development, and Greg M. Tiao, MD, a pediatric general and transplant surgeon.
Members of our program are international leaders in the field. Geller and Tiao currently co-chair the Children’s Oncology Group’s (COG) international study of pediatric liver cancer (AHEP-1531) in collaboration with researchers in Europe and Japan. Since 2012, our team of experts has had more than 50 peer-reviewed liver tumor-specific journal articles published and has given more than 40 national and international presentations.
Our team provides comprehensive, multidisciplinary care for children and young adults with liver tumors, including:
- Newly diagnosed hepatoblastoma, hepatocellular carcinoma, hemangioendothelioma, hepatic sarcoma and other forms of liver cancer
- Advanced, unresponsive or relapsed liver cancer
- Complex liver tumors that may require a liver transplant
- Benign liver tumors
Our specialists share a passion for acquiring and applying new discoveries to provide patients with the most innovative, effective care possible. Families are drawn to our program not only because of our innovative therapies, but also because of our comprehensive, family-centered approach to patient care, which involves creating an individualized treatment plan for each patient.
By bringing together experts in different areas, our multidisciplinary team makes clinic visits more efficient for families and ensures thoughtful, coordinated care.
Individualized Treatment
Each new patient undergoes an extensive evaluation in which specialists from different areas of expertise come together to review the child’s medical needs. The team shares perspectives from the most up-to-date research and clinical practice to develop an individualized treatment plan. These specialists continue to collaborate throughout the child’s course of treatment and provide referring physicians with regular updates.
If You Need a Liver Transplant
Patients who need transplants are fast-tracked through an evaluation process, with a median time of 15 days between evaluation and listing on the transplant waiting list, and a median waiting time of 32 days between listing and transplant.
Access to New Treatments Through Innovative Research
Cincinnati Children’s is one of the largest centers in the United States for pediatric and young adult anti-cancer drug research. As a research hospital, Cincinnati Children’s often has access to new treatments that may not be available at other institutions. Our physicians hold leadership positions in national research groups, such as COG, and bring this timely expertise to the care of our patients. Learn more about research efforts being conducted by the Liver Tumor Program.
Second Opinions for Patients with High-Risk Cancers
Cincinnati Children’s welcomes patients for second opinions about cancers for children of all ages, including infants and adolescents. Second opinions help you understand all of the available treatment options and help you make a more informed decision about which therapy is best. Many people seek out an initial second opinion to validate the treatments offered by their current care team. Others look for second opinions when a cancer hasn’t responded well to initial treatment or has returned after treatment.
