Katie Metrock, M.D., manages one of the nation’s largest pediatric neuro-oncology programs at Children’s of Alabama.
According to data from the CDC, brain and spinal tumors are the leading cause of death among childhood cancer patients. Katie Metrock, M.D., director of the pediatric neuro-oncology program at Children’s of Alabama, says being diagnosed with one of these cancers is “one of the scariest things that can happen to a family.”
The program, which is part of the Alabama Center for Childhood Cancers and Blood Disorders at Children’s, is one of the largest in the U.S. It offers a focus on treating children and adolescents with brain and spinal cord tumors as well as neurofibromatosis, a genetic condition that predisposes children to tumors. It is a leading center for clinical studies and basic research into these conditions, and it offers a neuro-oncology fellowship. Metrock took over as director of the program in October 2023.
“It is my goal that every patient that comes through this door feels like they have a team of people that are fighting for them,” she said. “I don’t want any patient to ever feel like they’re alone or any family to feel like they needed more.”
For Metrock, the battle has a personal element to it. When she was young, her aunt developed a brain tumor, and Metrock remembers visiting her in the hospital. “I was very fascinated by all that was happening,” she said. Her aunt “did quite well,” she added, and the experience sparked her interest in the treatment of brain tumors. In college, that interest grew when she worked at a camp for children with cancer and met a young patient with a brain tumor.
“So when I went to medical school and residency, I tried to keep an open mind and looked at all the different types of fields,” Metrock said. “But I think ultimately I knew this is the space I wanted to be in—to help these children and to improve their treatment options.”
Now, that’s her daily goal. As the program’s director, she leads a team that includes four pediatric neuro-oncologists, three pediatric nurse practitioners, child life specialists, chaplains, social workers, neuropsychologists and researchers. They collaborate closely with neurosurgeons, neurologists, advanced/palliative care physicians and radiation oncologists to provide comprehensive care tailored to each patient’s needs.
“It takes all of us working together to help patients and their families through this entire process,” Metrock said. “Ever since coming here to Children’s, I have been blown away with the teamwork approach.”
The center’s mission extends to research, which is desperately needed, Metrock added. “We have to do better for these kids,” she said. “Making research at the forefront of our mission is huge.”
To that end, the program participates in several clinical trial research consortia, including the Children’s Oncology Group, the Pediatric Neuro-Oncology Consortium (PNOC), and the Sunshine Project. The partnerships allow Children’s to offer leading-edge clinical trials to patients while contributing to the broader advancement of the field.
For instance, researchers are investigating methods to deliver medications more effectively across the blood-brain barrier, which remains one of the greatest challenges to improving survival. They also are conducting clinical trials into less invasive, safer and more effective treatments for tumors like medulloblastoma, craniopharyngioma and germ-cell tumors. Additionally, they’re exploring vaccines to target high-grade gliomas.
The program is also expanding its educational reach globally. A new partnership with St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital aims to develop educational programs in neurofibromatosis for areas with limited expertise in treating neurofibromatosis-related tumors. The team also has a partnership with Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis for a global neuro-oncology fellowship.
The primary focus, however, remains the child. “When a child comes in, the first thing we need to know is what type of tumor do they have and how do we treat it,” Metrock said. “But I think you can get tunnel vision with that. You really have to see that this is a child, and they have their whole life around them and then the life that they’re going to move forward with after this. So how do we meet them where they’re at and how do we help them move forward with the best success possible?” Those are the questions she aims to answer for each patient.
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