Cancer Prevention and Screening Clinic

Cancer screening services for children with hereditary cancer predisposition syndromes and other conditions that increase the risk of childhood cancer

What Sets Us Apart

Located in the world's largest medical complex—the Texas Medical Center—and within one of the largest children's hospitals, our Clinic benefits from a vast network of healthcare professionals and specialists. This enables our team to provide cutting-edge, comprehensive and multidisciplinary care for our patients. As one of the largest programs in the U.S. and the largest in Texas, we see over 80 new patients and over 300 established patients annually.

The Childhood Cancer Prevention and Screening Clinic offers world-leading, specialized care uniquely tailored to your child and family. Key characteristics that set our Clinic apart are listed below:

We use a multidisciplinary approach that ensures our patients receive the recommended, most advanced screening services, combined with expert care tailored to their individual condition
As leaders in cancer screening and prevention, we help develop recommendations for managing cancer risks in highly susceptible children, including those published in the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) Pediatric Oncology Series, which are widely applied as the standard of care for patients with cancer predisposition syndromes
Our dedicated clinician investigators lead and participate in innovative research to develop and promote improved childhood cancer screening and prevention methods

The Childhood Cancer Prevention and Screening Clinic is part of the Cancer Genetics and Genomics Program at Texas Children’s Cancer and Hematology Center and works with the Texas Children’s Hospital Genetics Clinic and the Cancer Genetics Clinic.

In collaboration with Baylor College of Medicine, the Clinic also serves as a training site for both medical genetics residents and pediatric hematology-oncology fellows.

Approaches

Using the latest medical evidence and guided by gold-standard practices, our Clinic combines cutting-edge screening and prevention strategies tailored to each child’s unique risk.

Screening | Our screening process may include medical interviews, physical exams, lab tests, imaging studies and consultations with other pediatric specialists. Results are promptly shared with families and all relevant members of the care team, including the child’s primary care provider, to ensure coordinated and informed care.

Prevention | For select conditions, such as familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP) and multiple endocrine neoplasia type 2 (MEN 2), we follow established clinical guidelines to recommend preventive strategies. Our Clinic collaborates closely with expert pediatric surgeons and subspecialists to implement these measures, which may include preventive surgery.

Mission

We are committed to providing the best possible outcomes for children and adolescents at increased risk for cancer or tumors through:

Early Detection & Intervention

Evidence-based screening helps identify tumors early, allowing for timely treatment that can improve survival and reduce long-term health complications

Personalized Treatment Planning

If cancer develops, we incorporate any underlying genetic conditions—such as cancer predisposition syndromes—into each child’s individualized care plan

Whole-Family Support

Our patient- and family-centered approach addresses both the physical and emotional impacts of a diagnosis, supporting the well-being of the entire family

Access to Cutting-Edge Research

Families may participate in research studies aimed at advancing cancer prevention, screening and treatment for children with heightened susceptibility