Pediatric Cancer

Pediatric Cancer

Pediatric cancer care offers one of the most striking examples of progress in modern medicine. In the 1950s, less than 10 percent of children with cancer were cured. Today, nearly 80 percent will survive a cancer diagnosis.

Federally-funded clinical trials have been especially important in pediatric cancer. Most of today's effective treatments for childhood cancers were developed through trials conducted by the National Cancer Institute's Clinical Trials Cooperative Groups. Currently, 50 to 60 percent of eligible children with cancer are enrolled in these trials.

While overall progress has been impressive, some childhood cancers remain very difficult to treat, and one in five children ultimately does not survive. Continued research is essential to develop more effective, targeted, and safer treatments, so that even more children with cancer have the potential to live full and productive lives.

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2018

Sodium Thiosulfate Helps Reduce Risk of Cisplatin-Induced Hearing Loss

Sodium Thiosulfate Helps Reduce Risk of Cisplatin-Induced Hearing Loss

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 While cisplatin chemotherapy and surgery are effective treatments for children with standard-risk hepatoblastoma, cisplatin treatment can result in serious and irreversible hearing loss. The use of sodium thiosulfate following cisplatin treatment roughly halves the risk of hearing loss in a study of more than 100 patients with hepatoblastoma from 1 month to 18 years of age. Event-free and overall survival at 3 years are comparable with and without the addition of sodium thiosulfate.

Lower Intensity Methotrexate Produces Highest Cure Rates for Pediatric Patients with T-ALL

Lower Intensity Methotrexate Produces Highest Cure Rates for Pediatric Patients with T-ALL

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A less toxic treatment regimen of the anti-cancer drug methotrexate resulted in the best outcomes ever reported for children and adolescents with T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL). In a federally-funded trial, the regimen showed a 5-year disease-free survival rate of 91.5% and overall survival rate of 93.7%. In comparison, the historical overall survival rate for T-ALL was approximately 81% based on earlier clinical trials in this patient population.

 

 

2017

First gene therapy for cancer

First gene therapy for cancer

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In a landmark trial, the chimeric antigen receptor-modified T cell (CAR-T) therapy tisagenlecleucel (Kymriah) causes complete remissions in a majority of young patients with B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) that progressed despite previous treatment with standard therapies. Soon after, tisagenlecleucel becomes the first gene therapy to be approved by the FDA.

CAR-T therapy works by genetically modifying the patient’s own immune T cells to target a specific cancer protein and ultimately trigger the cancer cell’s destruction. Importantly, this “living therapy” needs to be given to the patient only once, because CAR T cells continue to multiply in the patient’s body, so the anticancer effects of CAR T cells persist and can even increase over time.

2016

Adding second stem cell transplantation lowers relapse risk for high-risk neuroblastoma

Adding second stem cell transplantation lowers relapse risk for high-risk neuroblastoma

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A federally funded clinical trial finds that adding a second autologous stem cell transplant (ASCT) to standard neuroblastoma therapy can reduce the chance of recurrence within three years for children at high risk. An improvement within this three-year timeframe is especially important because most neuroblastoma recurrences develop within 2 to 3 years of diagnosis, and patients who do not experience relapse in this time period have a much better chance of long-term survival. Neuroblastoma is the second most common solid tumor in children and the most common cancer in infancy.  

Childhood cancer survivors living longer and healthier

Childhood cancer survivors living longer and healthier

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A federally funded analysis of over 34,000 five-year childhood cancer survivors shows significant gains in long-term survival over three decades, owing to steady refinements in treatment. The rate of death from any cause within 15 years of childhood cancer diagnosis declined by half (from 12% to 6%) among survivors treated in the 1990s compared to those treated in the 1970s. While treatment advances played a major role, reductions in treatment-related health complications likely had the greatest impact on long-term survival. This includes lower dose of radiation for certain cancers and less use of anthracycline chemotherapy. These advances helped make it possible for more than 400,000 childhood cancer survivors to be alive today in the United States.

2013

Potential new approach to treating childhood leukemia found

Potential new approach to treating childhood leukemia found

An early clinical trial shows that a new approach called chimeric antigen receptor-modified T cell (CAR-T) therapy led to complete remission of acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) that had not responded to previous aggressive treatment in two children. This is the first report on the use of CAR T-cell therapy in patients with ALL. 

CAR-T therapy works by genetically modifying the patient’s own immune T cells to target a specific cancer protein.

2010

Late effects of childhood cancer substantially reduce life expectancy

Late effects of childhood cancer substantially reduce life expectancy

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A modeling study based on data from the long-running Childhood Cancer Survivor Study shows that life expectancy for survivors of childhood cancer is about 10 years shorter, on average, than in the general population. This effect is due to an increased risk of heart and lung problems and second cancers later in life. The findings increase the urgency of long-term health screenings for childhood cancer survivors, who now number over 300,000 in the U.S.

Review finds major success against childhood cancers

Review finds major success against childhood cancers

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An analysis of childhood cancer statistics reveals that an estimated 38,000 childhood cancer deaths have been averted in the United States between 1975 and 2006. Cancer death rates also declined by more than 50 percent in this period. These achievements are attributed to improved drugs, treatment strategies and past investments and collaboration in clinical trials. At the same time, however, childhood cancer incidence increased significantly, with one form of leukemia, acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), rising most quickly.

Investigators stressed the need for new, innovative treatment strategies, and effective targeted drugs in particular, to ensure that death rates continue to fall.

2009

Targeted drug helps children with hard-to-treat leukemia

Targeted drug helps children with hard-to-treat leukemia

Adding the targeted drug imatinib (Gleevec) to standard, intensive chemotherapy is found to dramatically improve outcomes for patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) who have a genetic mutation known as the Philadelphia chromosome. After three years, 80 percent of patients who received both therapies in the study were alive, compared to 30 percent who received chemotherapy alone. While further research is needed, the results offer hope to children with this hard-to-treat form of cancer.

First immunotherapy for children with neuroblastoma

First immunotherapy for children with neuroblastoma

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A study shows that a new immunotherapy – called chimeric anti-GD2 antibody ch14.18 – can reduce risk of recurrence and increase survival for patients with high-risk neuroblastoma, a cancer of the nerve tissue. This therapy targets a specific molecule on neuroblastoma cells for destruction by the immune system. The treatment has become a standard of care for children with high-risk neuroblastoma who have completed aggressive chemotherapy and radiation treatment. Clinical trials to refine the approach and possibly improve its efficacy are underway.

2007

Children with neuroblastoma benefit from less aggressive treatment

Children with neuroblastoma benefit from less aggressive treatment

A large, international trial finds that some children with neuroblastoma (a cancer of the nerve tissue) can receive a much less aggressive chemotherapy regimen than the previous standard treatment, without reducing their survival. Reducing chemotherapy, surgery and radiation helps children avoid serious, long-term side effects such as hearing loss. Today, certain key factors, such as age, stage of the tumor and specific tumor characteristics help determine which children with neuroblastoma can have reductions in therapy.

2005

New treatment option for children with rare forms of leukemia and lymphoma
Research sheds light on long-term health problems of childhood cancer survivors

Research sheds light on long-term health problems of childhood cancer survivors

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Twelve years after its launch, the Childhood Cancer Survivors Study reports that childhood cancer survivors' risk of long-term moderate and severe health problems – including heart problems, second cancers and scarring of the lungs – was five times greater than that of their healthy siblings. The same study later shows that less than half of survivors undergo the recommended screenings for many of these conditions. Thanks to this and other studies, oncologists and primary care providers are increasingly focused on monitoring the long-term health of childhood cancer survivors.

2003

Adding two drugs to standard chemotherapy improves survival for children with early-stage Ewing sarcoma

Adding two drugs to standard chemotherapy improves survival for children with early-stage Ewing sarcoma

Scientists show that adding two additional drugs (ifosfamide and etoposide) to the standard four-drug combination chemotherapy regimen (doxorubicin, vincristine, cyclophosphamide and dactinomycin) significantly increases five-year survival rates in patients with early-stage Ewing sarcoma (a form of bone cancer, that most often occurs in the legs, spine, ribs, or pelvis). This new combination soon becomes the standard treatment.

2001

National Cancer Institute consolidates clinical research on childhood cancers