Discover Pediatrics

In France, approximately 2,300¹ children and adolescents are diagnosed with cancer each year, making it the leading cause of death from disease in this age group. However, the number of patients who are cured continues to rise: 80% of them are cured, thanks to steady progress.

At Gustave Roussy, the team in the Department of Pediatric and Adolescent Oncology focuses on recovery, the quality of life for children and their families during treatment, and their lives as adults after treatment ends. 

These priorities guide the team’s daily work and research. 

1 - Source: https://pediatrie.cancer.fr

Opened in 1950, the Department of Pediatric and Adolescent Oncology at Gustave Roussy was the first pediatric oncology unit to open in France. 

It treats children aged 0 to 12 and adolescents and young adults between the ages of 13 and 25 for all types of pediatric cancers:  neuroblastomas, brain tumors, bone and soft tissue tumors, lymphomas, germ cell tumors, and rare tumors.

The Department of Pediatric and Adolescent Oncology at Gustave Roussy places special emphasis on identifying the most appropriate treatment for each patient and ensuring access to new treatments, the quality of care both in the hospital and at home, as well as reintegration into daily life after recovery and long-term patient follow-up. 

Within the Department, the medical and allied health teams welcome patients and their families with compassion, ensuring their comfort. At every stage of the care journey, the teams draw on their expertise to support them under the best possible conditions. 

Patient care is organized around consultations with the department’s pediatric oncologists, as well as through multidisciplinary team meetings (MDTs) and interregional pediatric multidisciplinary team meetings (RCPPIs). During these meetings, doctors come together to review patients’ records and approve the treatment plan that will be proposed to them. 

The Department of Pediatrics is located on the 9th floor of the main building at Gustave Roussy. It has five units. 

The physicians in the Department of Pediatric and Adolescent Oncology at Gustave Roussy are all experts in pediatric oncology at the national, European, and international levels, and can easily cover for one another.

• Dr. Samuel Abbou
  a pediatric neuro-oncologist and physician-researcher, directs the outpatient clinic and oversees the pediatric precision medicine and liquid biopsy program. 

• Dr. Christelle Dufour
  pediatric oncologist and head of the Department of Pediatric and Adolescent Oncology at Gustave Roussy.

• Dr. Brice Fresneau
  Pediatric oncologist, in charge of the long-term follow-up clinic dedicated to adults who were treated for cancer during childhood. 

• Dr. Nathalie Gaspar
  Pediatric oncologist; she combines clinical and scientific expertise in adolescents and young adults, as well as in preclinical drug development. 

• Dr. Birgit Geoerger
  a pediatric oncologist recognized for her expertise in the development of new drugs. 

• Dr. Jacques Grill
  a physician-researcher, has been in charge of the “Brain Tumors” program since 2011. He is also responsible for the department’s clinical and translational research.

• Dr. Léa Guerrini-Rousseau
  Pediatric oncologist and head of the “Genetics” project; she works on identifying genes that predispose individuals to pediatric cancers. 

• Dr. Clémentine Lopez
  Child psychiatrist in the onco-psychology unit at Gustave Roussy.

• Prof. Véronique Minard-Colin
  A university professor and hospital practitioner (PU-PH) in pediatrics at Paris-Saclay University, Prof. Minard-Colin is a specialist in pediatric lymphomas and sarcomas. She heads the immunotherapy program within the Department of Pediatric and Adolescent Oncology. She also serves as chair of the pediatrics committee, where she specifically coordinates research and teaching.

• Dr. Claudia Pasqualini
  Pediatric oncologist, specializing in particular in the interaction between immune system cells and cancer cells. 

The Department of Pediatrics also includes nursing staff and allied health professionals: 

• Nursing managers and nurse coordinators

• Nurses and pediatric nurses

• Childcare assistants and nursing aides

• Early childhood educator

• Special education teacher

• Psychologists

• Neuropsychologists

• The dietitian

• The psychomotor therapist

• The personal image consultant

• Physical therapists

• The social worker

• Orderlies

• Medical assistants

• The housekeeper

Education 

At Gustave Roussy, we encourage children to continue their education, even during treatment. In a dedicated classroom, teachers welcome children from preschool through elementary school on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays from 9:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and from 2:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. (excluding Zone C school holidays). They can also provide instruction at patients’ bedsides.

For middle and high school students, the association L’École à l’Hôpital Marie-Louise Imbert offers classes taught by volunteer teachers, who also visit students at their bedsides, on Mondays and Thursdays during the same hours. This program allows children and adolescents to continue their education at their own pace while maintaining, with their families’ consent, a connection to their original school. They can also take their exams (middle school diploma, high school diploma) at Gustave Roussy.

→ Learn more about schooling 

Activities

Patients’ quality of life is one of Gustave Roussy’s top priorities. At the heart of the ward, a dedicated room offers opportunities to participate in cooking workshops, group activities, and recreational events organized by numerous organizations, such as shows or themed parties.