Solid Tumor Program

Overview

Patients treated by the Solid Tumor team benefit from having experts in pediatric tumors develop a multi-disciplinary treatment plan. Our solid tumor team is made up of pediatric oncologists, an oncology nurse practitioner, and a care coordinator who see children, adolescents, and young adults with rare and common varieties of cancer that occur in young people. We work closely with surgeons, interventional radiologists, and radiation oncologists to not only accurately diagnose, but to develop a family centered treatment plan. We have world-class expertise in providing outpatient cancer treatment. A solid tumor nurse coordinator also facilitates patient visits and scheduling. The solid tumor team also has a dedicated social worker to help access resources for a more normal life of not only the patients, but caregivers, too.

Patients who receive solid tumor treatment at Cleveland Clinic Children’s build a therapeutic alliance with their caregivers and our team to achieve an active life while on therapy and after treatment. In addition to the individual attention patients receive from their primary oncologists, they benefit from the collective expertise of the entire Department of Pediatric Hematology, Oncology, Blood and Marrow Transplantation.

Our treatment group remains actively involved in the oversight and process of continuous improvement of every patient’s care by discussing patients’ needs and treatment on a regular basis. Each week, the team of physicians, nurse practitioner, nurse coordinator, and social worker reviews patients currently on active therapy and make plans for the upcoming week and month to ensure well-coordinated, family-centered care.

What We Treat

The Solid Tumor team treats a wide variety of disorders. Some of the more common conditions we treat are:

• Desmoplastic Small Round Cell Tumor: Desmoplastic Small Round Cell Tumor (DSRCT) is a type of cancer, usually found in the abdomen, but it can also occur in other parts of the body. The tumors are formed by small, round cancer cells and are surrounded by scar-like tissue.
• Ewing Sarcoma: Ewing sarcoma is a cancerous tumor that grows in bones or soft tissue near bones. It can develop anywhere in the body, but most commonly affects the arms, legs, ribs, spinal column, and pelvis.
• Hepatoblastoma (Liver Cancer): Hepatoblastoma is a rare tumor that originates in cells in the liver. It is the most common cancerous liver tumor in early childhood. Hepatoblastoma is typically found in babies and children up to age 3.
• Neuroblastoma: In neuroblastoma, a solid tumor is formed by special nerve cells called neuroblasts. Normally, these immature cells grow into functioning nerve cells. But in neuroblastoma, they become cancer cells instead.
• Osteosarcoma: Osteosarcoma is the most common type of bone cancer. Although other types of cancer can eventually spread to parts of the skeleton, osteosarcoma is one of the few that actually begins in the bones. Because osteosarcoma usually develops from osteoblasts (the cells that make growing bone), it most commonly affects teens who are having a growth spurt.
• Paraganglioma: Paranganglioma is a rare tumor that forms in the neuroendocrine system. Paragangliomas form in the nerve tissue in the adrenal glands and near certain blood vessels and nerves. Paragangliomas that form in the adrenal glands are called pheochromocytomas.
• Retinoblastoma: Retinoblastoma is a cancerous tumor that grows in the retina, a layer of nerve tissue in the back of the eye that sense light and sends images to the brain. A cancer of early childhood, retinoblastoma can affect developing fetuses in the womb, as well as newborns, babies, toddlers, and children up to 5 years old.
• Rhabdomyosarcoma (RMS): Rhabdomyosarcoma is a cancerous tumor that develops in the body’s soft tissues, usually the muscles. It can affect the head, neck, bladder, arms, legs, trunk, or just about any body part. Cells from rhabdomyosarcoma are often fast growing and can spread to other parts of the body.
• Wilms Tumor: Also known as nephroblastoma, Wilms tumor can affect both kidneys, but usually develops in just one. Doctors believe the tumor begins to grow as a fetus develops in the womb, with some cells that are destined to form into the kidneys malfunctioning and forming a tumor.
• Other Rare Cancers

Our Team

Our Doctors

Peter Anderson, MD

Staff

Stefanie Thomas, MD

Staff

Matteo Trucco, MD

Staff

Stacey Zahler, DO

Staff

Other Providers

• Gloria Gonzalez, MD
• Erin Murphy, MD
• Jonathan Slack, MD
• Ashley Kovac, CNP
• Shauna Sartoski, RN
• Alyssa Garcia, RN
• Brittany Sustin, MSSA, LSW

Clinical Trials

Our program offers a full range of advanced treatment options including clinical trials.

The Children's Oncology Group has nearly 100 active clinical trials open at any given time and more than 90% of children with cancer are cared for at a COG site. These trials include front-line treatment for many types of childhood cancers, studies aimed at determining the underlying biology of these diseases, and trials involving new and emerging treatments, supportive care, and survivorship. In addition to running clinical trials with the Children’s Oncology Group, our team has trials open with pharmaceutical sponsors as well as trials initiated by our own physicians.

Tumor Board

Tumor Board Review for Ewing Sarcoma

Cleveland Clinic and Cleveland Clinic Children’s are hosting an educational National Ewing Sarcoma Tumor Board in collaboration with sarcoma experts across the nation.

Our mission is to provide expertise and education in the treatment and management of challenging or complex Ewing Sarcoma Family Tumors. Experts share their knowledge and discuss clinical trials and innovative treatments to help enhance the quality of life for the Ewing Sarcoma patients.

Virtual meetings take place the second Monday of each month at 5 p.m. (EST).

Physicians are invited to participate and submit de-identified cases. Patients and families are not permitted to attend.

Physicians can request an invite to watch the live tumor board by contacting our coordinator Erin Sites at sitese@ccf.org.

Physicians can submit cases at clevelandclinic.org/NEWSBoard.

Tumor Review Board for Osteosarcoma 

Dr. Matteo Trucco leads the Tumor Review Board for Osteosarcoma (TURBO) in collaboration with other experts across the nation.

Virtual meetings take place the second Wednesday of every other month at 5 p.m. (EST).

For more details: https://www.mibagents.org/education/turbo

Disclaimer: All tumor boards and its discussions are for educational purposes only. The discussions during the sessions do not represent a second opinion or a formal pathologic, radiographic, surgical or medical review. Each physician presenting on behalf of their patient is solely responsible for their patient’s plan of care.

To request an official pathology second opinion consultation from Cleveland Clinic, please contact your health care provider or request one here.

In collaboration with the Carson Sarcoma Foundation, Chemo Warrior Foundation and Allen B. Slifka Foundation.

Appointments

For information or to make an appointment for an in-person or virtual visit, please call 216.444.5517.

Virtual Visits

Patients can also be seen via Virtual Visit. Patients use the Cleveland Clinic Express Care® Online tool to see our providers online from the comfort of their home. This service allows patients a fast, secure, and easy way to receive care from their healthcare team in a live virtual visit using a smartphone, tablet, or computer. The benefits of choosing a virtual visit include no travel or parking, less waiting, significant time savings, no facility fee and the convenience of seeing your physician from wherever you choose.

Note: All patients looking to schedule virtual visits must have a Cleveland Clinic Medical Record Number (MRN). If you do not have a Cleveland Clinic MRN, please call the appropriate number below and they will be able to assist you in getting your record created.

• USA: 216.444.5437
• International (including Canada): 216.444.6404

Locations

Members of our Solid Tumor Team can be seen at Cleveland Clinic Main Campus:

Cleveland Clinic Main Campus – R Building
8950 Euclid Ave.
Cleveland, OH 44195