Dr. Stephen Skapek specializes in caring for children with malignant solid tumors, especially soft tissue and bone sarcomas. He is a member of the Children's Oncology Group, an international organization that conducts clinical research in children with cancer. As a member of this group, Dr. Skapek helps design and run clinical trials testing new treatments for children with rhabdomyosarcoma and other types of soft tissue sarcoma. He has led two national studies testing the use of chemotherapy to treat children with aggressive fibromatosis (also known as desmoid tumor).

Dr. Skapek also conducts laboratory research studying basic aspects of cancer biology. In particular, his laboratory explores the function of genes that help prevent cancer. These genes, called tumor suppressor genes, are often mutated or inactivated in childhood cancers. By studying how tumor suppressor genes act during normal development, Dr. Skapek's team is gaining a better understanding of how they block tumor formation.