CAC2 Childhood Cancer Community News Digest (April 3-9)

April 10, 2023 Community News, News Digest

Assorted News from the Last Week:

From the Journal of Clinical Oncology:  “An optimized, agreed approach to the design and evaluation of early-phase pediatric combination trials will accelerate drug development and benefit all stakeholders, most importantly children and adolescents with cancer.”

Findings, published today in Nature Medicine, have led to a major amendment in a phase 3 Children’s Oncology Group (COG) clinical trial, which has incorporated lorlatinib for newly diagnosed ALK-driven high-risk neuroblastoma, as well as a planned amendment to the European phase 3 trial in collaboration with the International Society of Paediatric Oncology European Neuroblastoma (SIOPEN).

Immunotherapy with a chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell treatment targeting disialoganglioside GD2 may have a sustained antitumor effect in at least a proportion of pediatric patients with relapsed or refractory high-risk neuroblastoma.

Roughly two million Americans are expected to receive a cancer diagnosis this year. Some members of this already vulnerable group will wind up facing what physician Andrew Schuman recently called “a tragedy happening in slow motion (this link gated)” — an ongoing, nationwide shortage of critical oncology drugs that routinely save or extend the lives of children and adults.

Researchers found childhood cancer survivors have higher mortality than the public, but survivors with a healthy lifestyle and fewer heart disease risk factors had lower risk.

The efficacy of dexrazoxane has been demonstrated in clinical trials within the pediatric population with roughly 60%-80% reduction in risk of developing cardiotoxicity from the anthracycline group of chemotherapeutic agents, with a very tolerable and limited side effect profile.

The success of CAR-T immunotherapies against blood cancers has raised hope that CAR-T can bring breakthroughs to brain cancers, which haven’t had new treatments for decades. The initial clinical trials have yielded progress against brain tumors and new, potentially fatal, risks (gated).

FDA actions are reducing exposure to contaminants in our most vulnerable populations.

Upcoming Webinars, Online Opportunities, and Meetings:

Free webinar for siblings of childhood cancer families sponsored by CAC2 Member Ryan’s Case for Smiles:  “What About Siblings?: Understanding and Supporting Siblings of Children with Illnesses and Injuries” on Wednesday April 12 at 1:00 pm EST. Click here for more information and to register.

The Courageous Parent Network presents a webinar entitled Understanding and Addressing Pediatric Medical Trauma on April 12, at 8:00 pm ET,  Click here for more information.

Through a case study and conversation the webinar, Overcoming Glioblastoma Drug Delivery Challenges with Nanoparticle Technology, (presented at noon ET on Wednesday April 12), will explore how Phosphorex applied nanoparticle technology to allow for injection intravenously, opening up a potential new approach for treating Glioblastoma patients.  Click here to register.

Registration has opened for the CAC2 2023 Annual Summit, presented by Day One Biopharmaceuticals! This year’s conference takes place from noon, Monday, June 19 through 2:00 pm, Wednesday, June 21, 2023, in Atlanta, GA, at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta Emory University.  Click here for more information and to register.

MIB Agents Osteosarcoma Alliance FACTOR 2023 Conference brings together the leading osteosarcoma researchers and clinicians, along with patient families and OsteoWarriors (survivors, patients and siblings of OsteoWarriors and OsteoAngels) to Make It Better for those battling this disease.  Click here for more information.

Take Action:

The 2023 Evan Lindberg & Erik Ludwinski College Scholarship Program is now accepting applications!  The program is open to high school seniors who are survivors of high-risk cancers or currently in treatment.  Students must be enrolled in a 4-year undergraduate institution and demonstrate a need for financial assistance. Three (3) $10,000 scholarships will be awarded. Applications are accepted from March 15 to May 1, with winners announced July 1.  Each winner will receive $2,500 in scholarship support their freshman year.  Funding will be renewed annually (for a total of $10,000 over 4 years), if eligibility requirements are maintained.  Please apply here: 2023 Childhood Cancer Survivor Scholarships — The EVAN Foundation.  Contact for more information:  info@theevanfoundation.org.

 

The Communication Team at the Childhood Cancer Data Initiative is hoping to identify personal stories from the patient/caregiver/survivor perspective to feature in their monthly newsletter debuting next month.  Each month the CCDI progress update will include three stories of people in the childhood cancer community that either relate directly to childhood cancer data sharing or allow them to highlight a need that CCDI would help meet.  Please email Vickie at of you have a story or would like more information.

SUBSCRIBE

Sign up to receive a copy of CAC2's free childhood cancer news digest in your inbox each week.

Name(Required)
Email(Required)
This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Archives

Enquire now

Give us a call or fill in the form below and we will contact you. We endeavor to answer all inquiries within 24 hours on business days.