A closer look at the hospital

Shanghai Children’s Medical Center is a tertiary paediatric teaching hospital affiliated with Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine and part of China’s National Children’s Medical Center programme. Developed jointly by Shanghai and Project HOPE, it brings paediatric care, teaching and research together. For a child with cancer, that setting supports planning around age, weight, development and longer-term health.

Major strengths include hematology-oncology, pediatric heart care, surgery and intensive care. Cancer services cover leukemia, lymphoma, solid tumors and stem cell transplantation, with a dedicated pediatric radiotherapy program at Zhangjiang. Teams plan around age, disease risk and development, while families receive care within a pediatric setting.

Childhood cancer treatment can extend over many months. A paediatric setting allows oncology, surgery, transplantation, nursing and developmental needs to be considered together. The centre has experience in structured childhood leukaemia care as well as multidisciplinary solid tumour treatment, giving families a service organised around children rather than adult pathways.

Clinical strengths

Childhood leukaemia and lymphoma

The haematology and oncology service focuses on childhood leukaemia and other blood cancers, with accurate classification, risk assessment and monitoring during treatment. Residual disease testing helps the team understand disease still detectable after therapy and consider subsequent treatment alongside the original risk features.

Children’s protocols differ from adult regimens. Age, weight, organ function and serious infections all affect care. The programme also addresses support through prolonged treatment and the connection with transplantation when needed.

Stem-cell transplantation

The department has a long history of allogeneic stem-cell transplantation in children. Assessment includes disease status, donor information, infections, organ function and previous treatment. Caregiver availability and accommodation after discharge are practical parts of planning a transplant abroad.

Pediatric solid tumors and coordinated surgical care

The cancer program extends beyond leukemia. The center has participated in multicenter work on childhood Wilms tumor, lymphoma and other diseases, with specialists including Jingyan Tang contributing to standardized pediatric oncology. Pediatric surgeons provide tumor surgery alongside systemic treatment and response assessment from the oncology service.

Childhood tumors differ from adult cancers in pathology, treatment and developmental needs. Planning connects surgery, medication, residual disease assessment and protection of growth.

Dedicated pediatric radiotherapy at Zhangjiang

The Zhangjiang campus has opened a pediatric radiotherapy center developed jointly with Renji Hospital. This adds a dedicated radiotherapy component to childhood cancer care, where age, organ development, positioning and long-term normal-tissue protection need particular attention.

The child’s oncology team and radiotherapy specialists can review whether radiation is needed and clarify the campus, treatment course and any anesthesia requirements.

Pediatric cardiac and critical care expertise

Cardiovascular care is another defining strength, covering complex congenital heart disease, pediatric heart failure and medical-surgical collaboration. Work by Lijun Fu, Jinghao Zheng and colleagues illustrates the connection between pediatric cardiology, cardiac surgery and intensive care.

The hospital also provides pediatric, neonatal and specialty intensive care. This broader pediatric infrastructure matters when a child with cancer has congenital disease, organ dysfunction or intensive treatment needs.

Specialists & clinical teams

Shuhong Shen

Precision treatment for childhood leukemia

Shen was first author of a randomized trial in 189 children with Philadelphia chromosome–positive acute lymphoblastic leukemia. With the study’s chemotherapy regimen, 4-year event-free survival was 71.0% with dasatinib versus 48.9% with imatinib. The work directly informs targeted-drug selection for this leukemia subtype; measurable residual disease and treatment response help guide the individual child’s plan.

View supporting source

Study results describe selected patient groups, not an individual doctor’s success rate. Availability, case acceptance and the treating team require hospital confirmation.

Your international care journey

A parent or legal guardian should provide the child’s records and explain who will travel and remain with the child. Confirm paediatric oncology acceptance, pathology requirements and caregiver rules first. Transplant enquiries also need donor information and a discussion of time spent near the hospital after treatment.

Share your records and questions
Send the diagnosis, pathology, imaging and treatment history. Explain whether you want a second opinion, information about a treatment or an in-person visit. We help organise the records and identify missing information.
Confirm the specialty and acceptance
The relevant service confirms whether it can accept the case and whether pathology review or more records are needed. The hospital determines whether remote assessment or a multidisciplinary opinion is appropriate.
Agree appointments, costs and travel
Confirm the campus, first appointment, proposed assessment and payment requirements before arranging visas, accommodation, transport and interpreting. Discuss caregivers and length of stay when repeated treatment is expected.
Attend assessment and discuss the plan
The clinicians assess the case, arrange necessary tests and explain suitable options, expected benefits and risks. Discuss costs and logistics alongside the clinical plan before deciding on the next step.
Stay informed during treatment
Agreed support can include appointments, interpreting and communication during care. Keep track of questions and clinical feedback, and review schedules, costs and family arrangements if the treatment plan changes.
Return home with a follow-up plan
Before departure, collect the discharge summary, pathology and imaging, medicines and follow-up plan. Clarify pending reports and contact arrangements, with support for communication between local and treating clinicians where agreed.

What to prepare for the first enquiry

Include the child’s age and weight, complete treatment protocol and doses, marrow or tumour pathology, response assessments and transplant history. Identify the parent or guardian who will accompany the child.

Diagnosis & pathology

Diagnosis summary, complete pathology, immunohistochemistry, available molecular tests and where tissue is held.

Original imaging

Recent and pretreatment imaging studies with reports and dates, so changes can be compared.

Treatment timeline

Operations, radiotherapy plans, each drug regimen, responses and major side effects; current medicines and allergies.

Your practical needs

Home country, preferred language, possible travel dates, caregiver needs and the questions you want answered.

Start with the records you already have. We can help identify gaps; do not arrange additional tests solely to make an enquiry.

See the full records checklist

Practical details to settle before travel

Costs & payment

Ask what the hospital estimate includes, deposits, additional charges and refund arrangements. Plan travel and living costs separately. Insurance coverage and direct billing require confirmation.

Language & records

Confirm interpreting for appointments, communication during treatment and the language of records. Our China coordination includes Chinese and English support; other languages need advance confirmation of availability and arrangements.

Campus, accommodation & caregivers

Consultations, tests and admission may take place at different sites. Distance, accessibility, caregiver rules and follow-up frequency all affect the itinerary and should be considered once the clinical plan is clearer.

Length of stay & returning home

Assessment, surgery, radiotherapy and cellular treatment have different schedules. Ask the hospital for the expected course, allowing for results and changes in the plan. Confirm readiness to return home with the clinical team.

How Chirona can help

From organising records and contacting an appropriate specialty to travel in China and follow-up at home, we help connect the practical steps. Tell us the diagnosis, treatment so far and the question you most want answered.

Make your history easier to review

Organise treatments and key reports, help with necessary translation and bring the important questions to the clinician.

Find the appropriate clinical service

Enquire with the relevant specialty, follow up on record requirements and help clarify acceptance and appointments.

Coordinate the practical steps in China

Within the agreed scope, help with visa documentation, travel, arrival transport, accommodation and accompaniment.

Keep communication connected

Help organise consultation feedback, records for home and follow-up requirements, with continued contact as agreed.

The hospital and clinicians make diagnostic, treatment and acceptance decisions. Chirona provides consultation and care coordination within the agreed scope.

Explore our service process

Questions before you decide

What extra information is needed for a child?

Include age, recent height and weight, the full treatment protocol, marrow and residual disease results, serious infections or drug reactions, and guardian details. Keep the original doses and dates rather than summarising treatment as a number of chemotherapy sessions.

Can I request one of the specialists featured here?

Tell us your preference and we can help enquire. The hospital confirms acceptance, the specialist’s involvement and who provides outpatient or inpatient care. It may also recommend another suitable clinician within the specialty.

Can I contact Chirona before choosing a hospital?

Yes. Share the diagnosis, treatment history and the decision you need help with. We can organise the questions to consider when comparing hospitals and explain the coordination available.

Does submitting records confirm treatment?

Submitting records starts the assessment. The hospital must confirm acceptance and clinical suitability and may require more information or in-person tests. Appointment confirmation, the treatment plan and costs should be clarified separately.

Sources & further reading

Profiles draw on the institutional sources below, including historical material where it explains a programme’s development. Appointments, services and research recruitment can change and need confirmation when enquiring.