MSK Kids, the pediatric oncology program at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSK), has been named one of the best children’s hospitals nationally by U.S. News & World Report in its annual “Best Children’s Hospitals” list. MSK Kids is ranked 10th in the nation and has been recognized by U.S. News & World Report for the past 18 years.
U.S. News & World Report’s “Best Children’s Hospitals” rankings recognize the top 50 hospitals in the United States across a range of pediatric specialties, including cancer. Introduced in 2007, the rankings are designed to help families who are facing serious medical conditions identify hospitals that have expertise and experience in caring for children.
“It is a tremendous honor for all of us at MSK Kids to be recognized for the care we provide to children with cancer,” said Andrew Kung, MD, PhD, Chair of Department of Pediatrics at MSK. “When a child is diagnosed with cancer, families want to know they are in a place where the depth of expertise is extraordinary, but they also want to know that their child will be cared for as a child. At MSK Kids, we bring together the full resources of MSK with a team that is deeply focused on the individual needs of every child and family.”
MSK Kids is a center of excellence for the comprehensive care of children, teenagers, and young adults with cancer and blood disorders. Its physicians and scientists work across specialties alongside researchers throughout MSK to develop and deliver new approaches to pediatric cancer care. That work includes clinical trials, precision medicine, immunotherapies, cell-based treatments, and other innovative therapies designed to improve outcomes and, whenever possible, reduce the burden of treatment.
“For more than 140 years, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center has been dedicated to changing the way cancer is understood and treated, and that commitment is at the heart of MSK Kids today,” said Selwyn M. Vickers, MD, FACS, President and CEO of MSK. “What makes this work so meaningful is knowing that every discovery and every advance can make a difference in the life of a child and their family. We are always looking for better, more precise ways to treat childhood cancer while minimizing the impact of treatment, so that children can get back to being children and families can look toward the future with hope. We are deeply grateful for this recognition and, above all, for the trust families place in us.”
For children, the goal is not simply to treat cancer, but to do so in a way that protects their future. MSK Kids uses advances in tumor biology, genetic testing, imaging, and risk assessment to tailor treatment to each child. For some children, this means less-intensive treatment that can be just as effective while causing fewer side effects. The MSK Kids team also works to develop therapies that are more precise and effective, with the goal of minimizing the short- and long-term effects of cancer treatment and helping children return to the activities and experiences that make childhood feel like childhood.
MSK Kids conducts more than 100 clinical trials focused on developing new treatments and improving care for children and young adults with cancer and blood disorders. These studies range from new therapies for difficult-to-treat cancers to approaches designed to be as effective as existing treatments while potentially causing fewer side effects.
Earlier this year, MSK was again recognized among the nation’s leading cancer centers in the 2026–27 U.S. News & World Report “Best Hospitals” rankings, earning the #2 spot in the country for cancer care and ranking as the top cancer center in the Northeast and New York metropolitan area. This recognition reflects the depth of cancer expertise and resources available across MSK, including through MSK Kids, where pediatric specialists are dedicated exclusively to caring for children and young adults with cancer and blood disorders.