Department of Radiation Oncology

Radiation therapy, used alone or in combination with surgery and chemotherapy, remains an integral component in the successful management and treatment of pediatric tumors. The department includes 9 faculty and 58 support staff positions. The primary mission is to provide pediatric and young adult cancer patients with expert and compassionate clinical care in close collaboration with pediatric oncologists, surgeons, and other medical specialists.

The department has set standards for technical delivery of radiotherapy and clinical trials that include irradiation. The department currently has 20,000 square feet of clinical space that includes a nursing station, infusion area and 8 examination rooms, external beam and brachytherapy treatment planning, radiation therapy, and anesthesia support for radiation therapy with 4 induction rooms and a 4-bed PACU. There a single linear accelerator with image-guidance and spectral CT and MR (1.5T) systems dedicated to radiation treatment planning. The adjacent 25,000-square-foot St. Jude Proton Therapy Center opened in late 2015 and includes 2 gantry rooms and a fixed beam room each equipped with high-precision patient positioning, image-guidance systems and dedicated scanning nozzles. The proton therapy center is dedicated to the treatment of children and includes PET/CT and MR (3.0T) systems and proton therapy anesthesia support with 3 induction rooms and a 4-bed PACU. The faculty recognizes that maximizing cure while minimizing treatment complications is central to all cancer therapy so that survivors can lead full, productive lives. The department fully embraces St. Jude’s strong research mission and strives to conduct innovative research that advances knowledge and improves the outlook for all children. The faculty participates in the education of undergraduate and medical students, post-doctoral research fellows, residents, clinical fellows, and international visitors. These individuals gain knowledge of pediatric radiation oncology principles while helping further the department’s research goals.