Welcome to the Pediatric Neuro-Oncology Program at SSM Cardinal Glennon Children's Medical Center.
The Pediatric Neuro-Oncology Program at SSM Cardinal Glennon Children’s Medical Center provides comprehensive treatment of brain tumors in children. In collaboration with the Bob Costas Cancer Center, our physicians consult with your child’s primary care physician to coordinate care and help you manage your child’s treatment experience.
Contact Us
The Neuro-Oncology Clinic sees patients on the second and fourth Wednesday of each month. The Late Effects Clinic is open on the fifth Wednesday of each month.
To reach the Brain Tumor Clinic, please call (314) 268-4000![]( "Call: (314) 268-4000")
. We take appointments on the second and fourth Wednesdays of the month.
Our Services
Diagnostic evaluation of brain tumors
Surgical removal and biopsy of tumors
Radiation and chemotherapy treatment
Seizure management
Neurocognitive evaluation
Treatment of neurological complications
Multi-Disciplinary Team Approach
A multi-disciplinary setting allows your child to see all of his or her specialists during one convenient office visit. Our clinic combines the expertise of many specialists:
Technology
Our surgeons use state-of-the-art microscopes and equipment to see and remove tumors with minimal invasiveness. We are the only pediatric facility in St. Louis with access to Cyberknife, and when appropriate, we can offer this latest technology as a treatment option.
In addition, we create a 3-D map of your child’s anatomy, to fully understand the location of the tumor, and just as important, of the critical brain areas that must be preserved to maximize long-term outcomes. All of this technology, combined with the expertise of our physician team, allows us to provide the best care possible for children with brain tumors.
Follow-Up
Following treatment, your child will be cared for by our team in our Late Effects clinic. A neurologist treats complications of the central nervous system or tumors. In addition, we work closely with the Pediatric Rehabilitation Institute at Cardinal Glennon to provide in-patient and outpatient rehabilitation and therapy services.
After five years, patients progress to the Neurology Follow-Up Clinic. If needed, palliative care is also available through our Footprints program.
Research
Our medical and scientific mission is supported through our full membership in the Children’s Oncology Group (COG), a National Cancer Institute-sponsored consortium of pediatric oncology centers. The COG is dedicated to the cure and prevention of childhood cancer. We conduct clinical trials and research in collaboration with the COG.
Meet the Team
Pediatric Neurosurgery
Samer K. Elbabaa, MD
Chief of Pediatric Neurosurgery
Richard Bucholz, MD, FACS
Specializing in image guided surgery and radiosurgery
Saleem I. Abdulrauf, MD, FACS
Specializing in skull base surgery
Benedicto Baronia, MD
Specializing in endoscopic surgery
Cathy Gross, RN, MSN, CPNP
Pediatric Hematology/Oncology
William S. Ferguson, MD
Director, Bob Costas Cancer Center
Michele McHugh, RN, BSN
Clinical Coordinator
Pediatric Neurology
Thomas Geller, MD
Director, Neuro-Oncology Late Effects Program
Radiologic Oncology
John Dombrowski, MD
Pediatric Endocrinology
Susan Myers, MD
David Dempsher, MD
Social Services
Pediatric Nursing
Marsha Steffen, RN, CPON
Karen Imperiale, RN, BSN, CPON
Dawn Ebeling, RN
Christina Re, RN
Robert Parker, RN
Abigail Sharamitaro, RN, MSN, CPNP, CPON