Childhood Cancer Advances Through Precision Medicine in Pediatrics

Cancer is the leading cause of disease-related death in children, with a low survival rate. Precision medicine is proving to double progression-free survival in young cancer patients, providing accurate diagnoses and targeted treatments. Professor Vanessa Tyrrell and her team in Australia have enrolled over 1600 children into a national precision medicine program. Their research shows that precision medicine benefits over 70% of children with high-risk cancers. A new trial called ZERO2 aims to expand this benefit to all children diagnosed with cancer in Australia. By utilizing whole genome sequencing, the team has identified gene variants associated with cancer risk in children. This approach has led to increased referral rates to cancer genetic services and the detection of relatives at risk. The findings have implications for treatment choices and ongoing surveillance, emphasizing the importance of precision medicine in pediatric oncology.