CAC2 Webinar–Germline Predisposition to Pediatric Cancer: It’s More Common Than You Think

In December's All-Member webinar, CAC2 members Ginger Diamond (Childhood Cancer Awareness Group of Coffee County) and Joanne Salcido (Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation) hosted Dr. Sharon Plon from the Baylor College of Medicine, Texas Children's Hospital and Dr. Todd Druley of Washington University in St. Louis, speaking on pediatric cancer predisposition and genetic susceptibility. During this webinar, Drs. Sharon Plon and Todd Druley covered evidence suggesting that pediatric cancer, unlike adult cancers, has a significant contribution from germline genetic changes that skew normal childhood development. They also highlighted the approaches underway in the laboratory and clinic to address this issue including [...] Read more

CAC2 Webinar–The Role of the IRB in Clinical Trials: What Patients and Families Need to Know — SLIDE DECK

In this month's All-Member webinar, Joanne Salcido of the Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation introduced and hosted Dr. Marjorie Speers of the WCG Foundation.  The slide deck from the presentation is linked below. Dr. Speers's presentation described the clinical trial process and the role of the IRB in phase 1 – 4 clinical trials. During her webinar, she explained the differences between academic and independent IRBs and the challenges IRBs face when they review multi-site trials. She also described the revised regulations that are likely to go into effect in 2018 and how they should help to reduce the time it takes for an [...] Read more

CAC2 Webinar–A Personalized Precision Approach to Therapy for Neuroblastoma

In this May's All-Member and Community Webinar, Gavin Lindberg (The EVAN Foundation) hosted physician investigators from the New Approaches to Neuroblastoma Therapy (NANT) clinical trials consortium who presented their work on defining genetic and biologic changes in a patient’s specific tumor that can be used to guide the development of novel more effective therapies, and the choice of therapy for an individual patient. They also discussed the implications of this approach to pediatric cancer in general. Dr. Shahab Asgharzadeh presented about New Approaches to Neuroblastoma Therapy (NANT) Precision Medicine Trial, identifying biomarkers for targeted and immune based therapies. Dr. Asgharzadeh [...] Read more

CAC2 Webinar–The Blood-Brain Barrier: What If You Could Get Drugs Across?

In this January 2017  CAC2 All-Member webinar, we provided an opportunity to our members, associate members, student members, and supporting organizations to learn about emerging technology using ultrasound and microbubbles to deliver therapeutic agents across the blood-brain barrier.  Clay Larsen, President & CEO and Rhodemann Li, Founder, EVP Strategy & Finance, both of Vesselon, presented about their plans for this technology in the pediatric brain tumor population. The blood-brain barrier (BBB) is the body's natural defense mechanism to prevent toxins from entering the brain.  Unfortunately, it also prevents 99% of all therapeutic molecules from getting to their target to treat many diseases, [...] Read more

An Individualized Approach Requires Collaborative Efforts

By Vickie Buenger, President of Coalition Against Childhood Cancer The Coalition Against Childhood Cancer (CAC2) held its first pediatric cancer research conference entitled From Bench to Bedside and Beyond to connect childhood cancer advocates, research funders, clinicians, and scientists from academia and industry. A number of common themes emerged from the various investigators’ presentations. Clearly, most childhood cancers are different than adult cancers, and the relatively small numbers of patients present problems for researchers, sponsors, and others responsible for designing clinical trials. We must remember that these small clusters of patients represent our children. Presenters also agreed that despite progress [...] Read more

CAC2 Member Blog–Triage Cancer

By CAC2 Member Angie Giallourakis, Steve G. Cancer Research Fund TRIAGE CANCER: verb. \trē-ˈäzh,ˈkansər\ the assigning of priority order to projects on the basis of where time, funds, and other resources can be best used, are most needed, or are most likely to achieve success in navigating cancer survivorship issues. I was first introduced to Triage Cancer a few years ago at a Critical Mass: YA (young adult) Cancer Alliance conference where a speaker addressed attendees about Obamacare. It didn’t surprise me that shortly after the conference I began receiving some of the most noteworthy information about programs on cancer survivorship. […]

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CAC2 Webinar–The Canine-Kid Connection

In this All-Member Webinar for November 2016, we provided an overview of the compelling case for studying and treating cancer in canine cancer patients – a model of spontaneously occurring disease - the underlying science, and its potential not only to help us better understand and treat pediatric cancer, but also to accelerate the pediatric cancer drug development process. CAC2 Member Ulrike Szalay of Canines -N-Kids explains:  "As we know too well, cancer is the #1 cause of disease-related death in children in most developed countries. At least 1 in 5 will die from their disease, while the vast majority [...] Read more

CAC2 Webinar–The Blue Ribbon Panel Report and Pediatric Cancer

Earlier this year, as part of Vice President Biden’s Cancer Moonshot initiative, the White House established a Blue Ribbon Panel of experts to report on the current challenges and opportunities facing cancer research. In this CAC2 Research Interest Group webinar for September1 2016, CAC2 welcomed Blue Ribbon Panel members Dr. Peter Adamson (Chair of the Children's Oncology Group) and David Arons (CEO of the National Brain Tumor Society) in a discussion of the panel’s recently issued report and its implications for pediatric cancer. https://youtu.be/QGlWWQrcBlo Read more

CAC2 Member Blog–Three Words I Heard from my Pediatric Oncologist that Still Haunt Me

By CAC2 Member Kayla Funk, Open Hands, Overflowing Hearts   The world stopped spinning for a moment. Time beyond the oncology clinic stood still. Though I knew he was right, I refused to believe my doctor and the words coming out of his mouth. “When neuroblastoma progresses through therapy, we are unable to cure it.” I listened, but I ignored him. I was 19 years old and had spent the last 15 months of my life going through gruesome treatments. The cancer should not have grown. “We will try to suppress your disease for as long as possible, but I don’t […]

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CAC2 Member Blog–“Am I Going to Die?” Reflections of a Survivor

By CAC2 Individual Member Angela Lee I remember ‘that day’ like it was yesterday. The sun was shining on a beautiful spring day in Virginia as my mom and I sat quietly in a hospital room waiting for an oncologist to pay us a visit. I was admitted just days before for a series of lab work and tests that reduced me to feeling like a science project. Although I remember that day very clearly, it was 32 years ago that I heard “It’s a form of cancer” followed by my response “Am I going to die?’. On a beautiful [...] Read more