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UF Pediatric brain tumor program
Leading the Pediatric Brain Tumor Program at Shands Children's Hospital are University of Florida physicians who specialize in the treatment of pediatric brain tumors.
The core team also includes nurses with advanced training in pediatrics.
LeighAnn Perkins, ARNP, MSN, is a registered nurse practitioner with graduate training in pediatrics. She performs physical exams, orders tests, monitors laboratory results and works closely with physicians. In addition, she offers education, counseling and support to both patients and their families.
Georgette Lambert, RN, is a Neuro-Oncology Coordinator, responsible for managing chemotherapy treatment and providing patient and parent/guardian education during treatment. She also monitors lab results and collaborates with physicians and nurse practitioners in providing comprehensive care to each child. Information |
Outpatient Programs and Services University of Florida Physician Clinic Locations - Gainesville |
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Additional Medical Information |
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Brain
and spinal cord tumors are among the most common cancers of childhood,
second only to leukemia. Today, more than half of the children with
these tumors can be cured. Treatment of pediatric brain and spinal
cord tumors presents a unique challenge and necessitates the collaboration
of multiple specialists. Some children with brain tumors are cured
with surgery alone, but frequently surgery, chemotherapy and radiation
treatments must be used together to achieve the best outcome. Even
for patients with incurable tumors, new treatments and therapies are
available to lengthen and enhance a child's quality of life.
The
UF Pediatric Brain Tumor Program is dedicated to delivering the highest
level of care for children with tumors of the brain and spinal cord.
Through laboratory and clinical research, we are working to develop
new treatments for such tumors. In addition, we are committed to providing
comprehensive services that address the many needs of these children
and their families, before, during and after treatment.
Amy
A. Smith, M.D., is the Director of Neuro-Oncology at Shands
Children's Hospital and an Assistant Professor of Pediatrics at the
University of Florida. A pediatric oncologist with advanced training
and experience in neuro-oncology, Dr. Smith directs the medical care
and management of each patient, coordinating with other physicians
and healthcare providers in creating an individual treatment plan
for patients.
David
W. Pincus, M.D., Ph.D., is the L.D. Hupp Term Professor of
Pediatric Neurosurgery at the University of Florida. He completed
his neurological residency at the Neurological Institute of New York
at Columbia-Presbyterian Medical Center. He joined the Department
of Neurosurgery at the University of Florida where he has served as
the Director of Pediatric Neurosurgery since July 2000. In addition
to his expertise in the surgical treatment of brain and spinal cord
tumors in children, he is involved in research on stem cells from
pediatric tumors. Dr. Smith and Dr. Pincus work together with a team
of specialists in radiation therapy, stereotactic radiosurgery, neuroradiology,
neuropathology, social work, neuropsychology and child psychiatry.
Sameer
R. Keole, MD is a Clinical Assistant Professor in the Department
of Radiation Oncology at the University of Florida Shands Cancer Center.
He completed his residency in Radiation Oncology at Wayne State University
School of Medicine in Detroit, Michigan, and served as a member of
the Wayne State University faculty radiation oncology group at Sinai-Grace
Hospital and the Karmanos Cancer Hospital. Dr. Keole manages radiation
therapy for patients in the Pediatric Brain Tumor Program.
