Dr Armenian on Improving Outcomes and Reducing AEs in Pediatric Oncology

Saro H. Armenian, DO, MPH, Barron Hilton Chair, Pediatrics, chair, professor, Department of Pediatrics, director, professor, Division of Outcomes Research/Intervention, Department of Population Sciences, director, Center for Survivorship and Outcomes, Hematologic Malignancies Research Institute, co-leader, Cancer Control and Population Sciences Program, director, Childhood, Adolescent and Young Adult Survivorship Program, City of Hope, discusses recent updates in the field of childhood cancer that have proved fruitful in reducing long-term adverse effects (AEs) for pediatric patients.

The field of pediatric oncology has seen remarkable advancements over the past 2 to 3 decades, making it an exciting time for improving outcomes and reducing long-term AEs, Armenian begins. A major milestone in the 1970s and 1980s was the collaboration among institutions across the country to develop cooperative groups that worked together to find new therapeutic approaches for managing pediatric cancers, he highlights. Today, approximately85% of children diagnosed with cancer are cured, representing a monumental achievement in pediatric oncology, Armenian emphasizes.

However, the next big breakthrough has been the realization that not all pediatric cancers are the same, he continues. Researchers now recognize the importance of genetic markers within tumors, which allow for risk stratification and more tailored treatment plans based on individual patient profiles, Armenian explains. This personalized approach, based on tumor-specific genetic markers, has proven to be a game changer for various cancers, including brain tumors and kidney cancers, according to Armenian. In hematologic malignancies, such as leukemia and lymphoma, these genetic markers have fundamentally shifted how treatment decisions are made and have led to the development of therapies that are less toxic than traditional options, he notes.

The introduction of immunotherapies has allowed clinicians to replace or reduce the use of certain conventional therapies, offering more targeted cancer treatments with fewer long-term AEs, Armenian expands. This precision medicine approach has been especially effective in some leukemias, where cure rates have increased from approximately 85% to over 95%, he says. These advances over the past decade represent a significant leap forward in pediatric oncology, providing children with a better chance at survival and a future with fewer long-term complications, Armenian concludes.