Benefis Healthcare Sletten Cancer Institute | Medical Specialties

Pediatric Oncology

In the past, treatment options for childhood cancers were very limited within Montana. The Sletten Cancer Institute now offers the services of the only pediatric oncologist in the Great Falls area. The recent arrival of Brian L. Abbott, MD, Sletten Cancer Institute’s Director of Hematology, expands the array of treatment services available at SCI to include pediatric oncology, evaluation and treatment of adult/pediatric bleeding and clotting disorders, bone marrow disorders, and greater availability of stem cell transplantation.

With the arrival of Dr. Abbott, Sletten Cancer Institute now has more resources to become the statewide leader in the treatment of disorders like leukemia and lymphoma in adults and children. Sletten Cancer Institute is creating a multi-disciplinary team so patients dealing with these illnesses can receive the majority of their treatment without leaving the state. Dr. Abbott’s relationships with other pediatric centers in Salt Lake City, Denver, Spokane, and St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in Memphis can offer more choices for families stricken by childhood cancer. Dr. Abbott has been involved in the care of hundreds of children and young adults with cancer and blood disorders, and believes all families should have the opportunity to be cared for by a trained specialist closer to home.

Dr. Abbott is a graduate of the University of Tennessee and completed his residency in pediatrics at St. Louis Children’s Hospital, followed by fellowships in pediatric hematology-oncology at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital and medical and pediatric hematopoietic stem cell transplantation at the University of Colorado. Prior to moving to Montana, Dr. Abbott primarily treated blood and bone marrow disorders in adults and children in Kansas City and Denver, using regular chemotherapy and stem cell transplants. He was most recently the medical director of the cord blood bank at the University of Colorado Cancer Center, an NCI-designated comprehensive cancer center.

Dr. Abbott has been involved in numerous clinical trials of investigational treatments. Each month, he speaks to healthcare providers around the country at educational programs. Dr. Abbott has published a number of research articles and medical reviews, and also assists on the editorial boards of several medical journals. He has consulted with early-stage drug companies and financial firms to help companies bring new cancer therapies to market. Since 2000, Dr. Abbott has also volunteered each summer at Camp Mak-A-Dream near Gold Creek, Montana.

For more information regarding SCI’s pediatric oncology services, call the Sletten Cancer Institute at 406-731-8201 or toll-free at 1-866-466-6822.

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