Podcast
Monty Pal
Advances and Challenges in Pediatric and Childhood Cancers
Summary
- Pediatric cancers, while uncommon compared to adult cancers, include leukemia, CNS tumors, lymphoma, Wilms' tumor, and retinoblastoma.
- Challenges in pediatric cancer treatment encompass late diagnosis, varied immune responses, preserving fertility, minimizing late effects, and considering long-term survival.
- Psychosocial and financial impacts of pediatric cancers are significant, affecting disability and quality-adjusted life years (DALYs & QALYs).
- A multi-modality, multi-specialty approach is essential to address the education, employability, and psychological impacts on young cancer survivors.
- Retinoblastoma has a 95% cure rate if diagnosed early, but prognosis varies globally, with poorer outcomes in developing countries.
- Ewing sarcoma is a rare cancer in teenagers with potential for combinatorial targeted therapy using AURKA and BRD4.
- Research integrity requires accurate classification and authentication of cancer cell lines, as highlighted by the reclassification of WT-CLS1.
- Pediatric cancer affects more than the physical body; tools like Sisom help children communicate their needs and fears effectively.
- Understanding psychological changes in adolescent cancer survivors is crucial, with studies addressing PTSD, anxiety, and depression.
- Financial burdens of cancer treatment can be catastrophic, particularly in low- and middle-income countries, leading to treatment abandonment.
While risk factors for gene mutations responsible for several adult cancers have been identified, they remain largely unknown in childhood malignancies. Fortunately, relative to adult cancers, pediatric cancers are uncommon. Leukemia, central nervous system (CNS) tumors, lymphoma, Wilms' tumor, and retinoblastoma make up the majority of cancers in children.1 Clinical challenges in pediatric cancers include late diagnosis, varied immune responses, growing bodies, requirement to preserve future fertility, minimizing late effects, and the need to think beyond the standard 5‐year survival.
CNS, central nervous system, ES, Ewing sarcoma, MB, medulloblastoma, PTSD, post traumatic stress disorder , RB, retinoblastoma
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