CAC2 Childhood Cancer Community News Digest (July 18-24)

Assorted News from Last Week:

The Biden administration has selected Monica Bertagnolli, a renowned surgical oncologist, as the next director of the National Cancer Institute. (gated)

The Pediatric Oncology Group of Ontario issued its latest report on childhood cancer efforts in Ontario.

Bringing next-generation CAR T-cell therapies to children with solid cancers

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently approved the combination of the targeted drugs dabrafenib (Tafinlar)and trametinib (Mekinist) for the treatment of people with nearly any type of advanced solid tumor that has a specific mutation in a gene called BRAF.

Results were reported from a phase I safety clinical trial, 15 children with relapsed or refractory medulloblastomas that did not respond to other treatments received different doses of an antibody called TB-403, which targets a protein expressed in these cancers. Although treatment was safe, there were no tumor regressions. However, most of the patients experienced stabilized disease.

Upcoming Webinars, Online Opportunities, and Meetings:

Attend the Day One Bio Advocacy Community Meeting on Friday, August 5 at noon ET.

Do you know how to advocate for yourself or a loved one during a nuclear medicine (e.g. PET/SPECT/MRI) scan?  Join us on Wednesday, August 17 at 10:30 am ET for a Patients for Safer Nuclear Medicine Coalition webinar that will give you the facts about nuclear scans, including a scan error called extravasation. Click https://forms.gle/47pDV6xJ2yha224L8 to register.

Join advocates from around the country for the 2022 Rally for Medical Research! The Hill Day will take place on Wednesday, September 14, with advocates meeting their congressional representatives and staff. The evening before, on September 13, there will be a  reception to celebrate medical research with all partners and participants.

Children’s Cancer Cause is hosting a virtual externally-led Patient-Focused Drug Development (PFDD) meeting on Reducing Cardiac Late Effects in Pediatric Cancer Survivors, on September 15, 2022. The conference is an opportunity for survivors and caregivers to educate representatives of the FDA, academic researchers, and pharmaceutical companies about their personal experiences managing the impact of cardiac late effects on daily living and long-term health.  Registration link.

Save the Date:  Key experts from across the pediatric cancer ecosystem will address the promise and challenges of artificial intelligence implementation in drug development, diagnosis and clinical trial design in the CureSearch Summit Prelude: The Challenges and Promise of Artificial Intelligence in Drug Development on September 15, 2022  3:30PM –5PM (EST).

Recordings of Recent Past Events:

Take Action:

Submit all September Childhood Cancer Awareness Events for inclusion on the CAC2 Event Calendar/Map.

FDA is requesting nominations for voting and/or nonvoting patient representatives to serve on advisory committees and/or panels for which vacancies currently exist or are expected to occur in the near future.  Advisory committee vacancies are listed in this notice.

Children’s Cancer Cause has established an annual award, the Survivorship Champion’s Prize, to be presented to a group, program or institution making significant advances in programs and services to provide life-long health maintenance for survivors of pediatric cancers.  These awards recognize the importance of the unique challenges associated with the post-treatment services for survivors, especially as they transition to non-oncology adolescent and/or adult health care services.  This year, there are awards in two categories (click here for more information and to apply):

• Champion’s Prize Award: $10,000
• Recognition Awards for 1) Program Impact; 2) Collaboration; and 3) Scalability: $5,000 each

During June, on Childhood Cancer International social media wants to share stories, testimonials and activities regarding childhood cancer survivorship. If you have content that would like to share with us please send it to .