Denise M. Adams, MD — Pediatric Hematology-Oncology, CHOP CVAP

Who are you, in one plain sentence?

Dr. Denise M. Adams is a pediatric hematologist-oncologist and Director of the Comprehensive Vascular Anomalies Program (CVAP) at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia — a nationally recognized leader in the medical and systemic treatment of complex vascular anomalies, with a particular focus on the genetic and molecular drivers of these conditions.

What is your specialty within vascular anomalies?

Pediatric hematology-oncology applied specifically to vascular anomalies — an approach increasingly central to the field as genomic discoveries reveal PIK3CA and other cancer-relevant mutations as drivers of KTS, CLOVES, and complex lymphatic anomalies. Dr. Adams represents the medical management dimension — systemic therapies, targeted agents including sirolimus and investigational mTOR inhibitors, clinical trials, and the diagnostic evaluation that determines whether a condition has a molecular basis that can be pharmacologically targeted. Worth understanding: her specialty is not laser or sclerotherapy — it is the systemic, genomic, and pharmacologic dimension of care.

Where do you practice and how do I reach you?

Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) · CVAP · Buerger Center for Advanced Pediatric Care · 3401 Civic Center Blvd, Philadelphia, PA 19104. ISSVA-listed contact: adamsdm@chop.edu. Program: chop.edu/centers-programs/vascular-anomalies-program. Worth noting: Dr. Adams moved to CHOP from Boston Children’s Hospital in July 2020 — older directory entries may still list her at BCH. This entry reflects her current institutional home.

What makes you notable in this field?

Dr. Adams chairs CaNVAS (Consortium of iNvestigators of Vascular AnomalieS), a multi-institutional research network. She is co-primary investigator of ARDVARC — an NIH-funded Rare Disease Clinical Research Center focused on PIK3CA-related overgrowth spectrum, extracranial AVMs, and complex lymphatic anomalies. She holds the Alan R. Cohen Endowed Chair in Pediatrics at CHOP. Her career spans Cincinnati Children’s (13 years, including as Medical Director of the Hemangioma and Vascular Malformation Center), Boston Children’s (VAC Co-Director, 2016–2020), and now CHOP. For families navigating KTS, CLOVES, PROS-spectrum, or complex lymphatic anomalies where standard treatments have not been adequate — Dr. Adams’s research focus on systemic targeted therapies is directly relevant.

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In the Published Record

Director, CVAP (Frontier Program) · Alan R. Cohen Endowed Chair in Pediatrics · CaNVAS Chair · ARDVARC Co-PI. Published record spans sirolimus dosing in pediatric vascular anomalies, angiopoietins as serum biomarkers for lymphatic anomalies, beta-blockers in PHACE syndrome, somatic genetic testing in verrucous venous malformation, and complex lymphatic anomaly management. ISSVA lists her directly as the CVAP contact for children and adults, noting partnership with the Fishman Center for Lymphatic Disorders.

Source: chop.edu/doctors/adams-denise · med.upenn.edu Perelman faculty profile · ISSVA Multidisciplinary Teams Registry · CHOP press release July 2020. Verified: July 2026.

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Practitioner Profile

Name / Credentials	Denise M. Adams, MD
Primary Specialty	Pediatric Hematology-Oncology — Vascular Anomalies
Affiliation	CHOP CVAP | prov:000003
Academic Title	Professor of Pediatrics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania
Named Chair	Alan R. Cohen Endowed Chair in Pediatrics
Location	Philadelphia, PA 19104
Contact	adamsdm@chop.edu
Training	BS Nursing, Georgetown (1982) · MD, Georgetown School of Medicine (1988)
Prior Affiliations	Cincinnati Children’s (Medical Director, Hemangioma & VM Center) · Boston Children’s VAC Co-Director (2016–2020)
Research Leadership	CaNVAS Chair · ARDVARC Co-PI (NIH Rare Disease Clinical Research Center)
Notable Focus	PIK3CA-related overgrowth · Complex lymphatic anomalies · Extracranial AVMs · Systemic targeted therapies
Published Record	Perelman Faculty Profile · PubMed: Denise Adams vascular anomalies
Important Note	Moved from Boston Children’s to CHOP July 2020. Older listings may show BCH.

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Verification & Catalog Status