In Europe, cancer stands as the primary cause of death among children aged over 1 year and under 12 years. Over the past five decades, significant strides have been made in treating some types of pediatric cancer, while progress in other types has been more limited, resulting in persistently low survival rates. Annually, 6000 children and young people succumb to cancer in Europe.
Even in cases where favorable long-term outcomes are achieved, survivors of pediatric cancer often contend with sequelae and complications arising from the disease or its treatment, affecting approximately 70% of these patients. Survival rates exhibit variations among Member States, with differences that can reach up to 20%. It becomes imperative to develop mitigating measures to ensure equal rights and access to treatment for all children and young people with cancer in Europe.
Supporting international platforms for academic research focused on pediatric cancers, informed by research conducted by other relevant stakeholders, is crucial. International collaboration among study groups comprising pediatric cancer specialists is essential to ensure the inclusion of a sufficient number of patients in clinical trials, sharing disease characteristics and yielding meaningful results.
Studies in the United States have shown that substantial improvements in treatment outcomes for children with oncological diseases occurred when the majority began to be treated predominantly in clinical trials. It is noteworthy that children with oncological diseases are often treated with drugs that have not been specifically tested for them but rather for adults. The genetic alterations that give rise to pediatric cancer often differ from those found in adults, rendering targets of treatments developed and approved for adults less effective.