CAC2 Childhood Cancer Community News Digest (November 15-21)

Assorted news from last week:

Provocative article written by pediatric cancer advocates, including several CAC2 members — innovation can be crippled by commercialization — meaning next better treatments are completely at the mercy of companies who now have income from drug sales from approved drugs and may not agree to provide the drug for further testing in combinations, etc.

To encourage drug companies (sponsors) to develop effective treatments for childhood cancer, authorities in the United States (US) and Europe have made new rules for drug development, and this team from Pfizer has some recommendations to help sponsors maximize their chances of developing an effective drug in children while satisfying the new rules.

The American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) released its AACR Cancer Progress Report 2021: Discovery Science Driving Clinical Breakthroughs.

Researchers are calling for long-term health effects of pediatric cancer treatment to be considered when young people and their families discuss treatment options with their healthcare team initially. The study found that people who survived cancer had five times as many GP or hospital visits relating to cardiovascular disease by age 45, as a matched control group of people who had not had cancer early in life. They also had much higher numbers of healthcare visits relating to infections, disorders of the immune system, and subsequent cancers.

The second-generation ALK inhibitor ceritinib (Zykadia) demonstrated encouraging antitumor activity in pediatric patients with ALK-positive refractory or recurrent malignancies, according to a multicenter phase I study.

Results of a study of pediatric cancer caregivers underscore the need for COVID-19 vaccination education and outreach, even among families highly engaged with the medical community, and emphasize the importance of updating these families as relevant data emerge from vaccine trials and registries.

Upcoming Webinars and Online Opportunities:

The Day One Bio Advocacy team will host a Community Meeting on Friday, December 3, 2021 at 11:00 a.m. EST.  During this one-hour Zoom meeting, Day One Co-founder and Chief Medical Officer Dr. Sam Blackman will review the company’s ongoing clinical programs and share insights into our unique approach to pediatric cancer drug development. Please register by following this link.

The National Cancer Institute (NCI) hosted the Childhood Cancer Data Initiative (CCDI) Annual Symposium on November 9, 2021. CCDI is building a community centered around childhood cancer care and research data. Through enhanced data sharing, we can improve our understanding of cancer biology to improve preventive measures, treatment, quality of life, and survivorship, as well as ensure that researchers learn from every child with cancer. This meeting provided an update on activities to-date and offered the opportunity to exchange information to continue the momentum of progress from the first two years of CCDI.  View the CCDI Symposium in its entirety.