Washington, DC – A new, streamlined text book, titled Neuro-Oncology, which is part of the Neurology in Practice Series, co-authored by Roger J. Packer, M.D., and David Schiff, M.D., provides a concise update on translational research and best clinical practices in a rapidly evolving discipline.
Dr. Packer is the Senior Vice President of Neurosciences and Behavioral Medicine at Children’s National Medical Center, where he also serves as Director of the Brain Tumor Institute and The Gilbert Family Neurofibromatosis Institute. He is also a professor of Neurology and of Pediatrics at the GW School of Medicine and Health Sciences.
“Tremendous gains have been made in understanding cancer in the developing nervous system,” said Dr. Packer. “Those advances are being translated into innovative, biologically-based approaches to treatment, and the promise of less toxic, ‘personalized’ treatment of brain tumors is within reach. This text helps navigate the rapidly changing landscape as we all search for improved outcomes.”
The Brain Tumor Institute at Children’s National evaluates one out of every ten children with a brain tumor in the United States; more than 150 new patients every year are seen at Children’s National. The Institute also provides ongoing care for hundreds of patients and their families. The Brain Tumor Institute is a leader in treating children throughout the world with biologic agents. Working with consortia around the world, it offers innovative therapies to improve survival and reduce treatment-related sequelae.
We are the only center in the Washington, DC, area and one of only a handful in the country with access to Children’s Oncology Group Phase I trials, and the Pediatric Brain Tumor Consortium and Neurofibramatosis Consortium protocols.
Our access to research trials and protocols enables us to offer your child the most advanced therapies. Dr. Packer contributes his knowledge and experience to inform ongoing studies concerning brain development after treatment, and leads several investigations on childhood brain tumors, including studies on medulloblastoma, childhood low-grade gliomas, and rare forms of childhood brain tumors.
To learn more about enrolling your child in a current study, speak with your child’s primary care physician or a member of the care team.
Recognized internationally, Dr. Packer leads one of the largest neurosciences teams in the country comprised of experts from a full complement of specializations, making Children’s National Neurosciences and Behavioral Medicine a destination for patients and families from across the country and around the world with conditions of the mind and brain.
