Top Pediatric Cancer Hospitals

Children with cancer need special treatment beyond what ordinary hospitals can provide. Pediatric cancer hospitals specialize in the kind of care that these children need. Doctors, nurses and social workers are specially trained to work with children who have cancer and their families to diagnose and treat the illness. The medical staff is also trained to deal with the unique emotional issues that accompany pediatric cancer. Most pediatric cancer hospitals are also university-affiliated research centers.

St. Jude

• St. Jude Children's Research Hospital is one of the best children's cancer hospitals in the world. It ranked No. 1 in the pediatric cancer category in the 2010 U.S. News and World Report hospital rankings. According to the U.S. News standards, St. Jude has a 5:7 nurse-patient ratio and a very strong reputation with specialists in the field. No child is ever turned away from treatment because of inability to pay.

  St. Jude Children's Research Hospital

  262 Danny Thomas Place

  Memphis, TN 38105

  901-595-3300

  stjude.org

Children's Hospital of Philadelphia

• The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia is another well-known and highly ranked medical research hospital with specialties in many areas, including cancer. The hospital as a whole has ranked No. 1 on several lists, including U.S. News and World Report as well as Parents magazine. The cancer treatment department has a 3:3 nurse-patient ratio and an associated Ronald McDonald House for patients' families, and its research facility operates under the oversight of the National Institutes of Health.

  Children's Hospital of Philadelphia

  34th Street and Civic Center Boulevard

  Philadelphia, PA 19104

  877-879-2467

  chop.edu

Children's Hospital Boston

• Children's Hospital Boston is the No. 3-ranked pediatric cancer hospital, according to the 2010 U.S. News and World Report rankings. Children's Hospital Boston also has the distinction of being the only pediatric cancer hospital that shares resources with a leading cancer center, the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. The children's hospital has a 4:9 nurse-patient ratio and a very strong reputation with experts in the field.

  Children's Hospital Boston

  300 Longwood Avenue

  Boston, MA 02115

  617-355-6000

  childrenshospital.org