The A to Z of ANZCHOG – Our Childhood Cancer Awareness Month Wrap Up!
Tuesday 1 October 2024
Throughout September, to mark #ChildhoodCancerAwarenessMonth and raise awareness, we’ve been sharing the A to Z of ANZCHOG on our LinkedIn and Twitter. The A to Z provided a comprehensive look at some of the work we do both in clinical trials and as the peak body for paediatric haematology and oncology in Australia and New Zealand. If you weren’t following along on our social media, keep reading to find out more …
A is for our Annual Scientific Meeting (ASM)!
Our ASM is an important opportunity for people from varied disciplines to collaborate, share ideas and participate in professional development, ensuring we’re pursuing our commitment to improving care for children with cancer and their families.
B is for Blood Cancer.
In addition to being #ChildhoodCancerAwarenessMonth it is also #BloodCancerAwarenessMonth
Leukaemia, a cancer of the blood, is the most common childhood cancer. Around 280 Australian children and 37 New Zealand children are diagnosed with the disease each year.
Through research and international collaborative clinical trials, the outcomes for children diagnosed with leukaemia have drastically improved. However, with an average treatment duration of two years, and often debilitating treatment side-effects, there is still work to be done.
C is for CAR-T Cell Therapy – also known as Chimeric Antigen Receptor (CAR) T Cell Therapy
CAR-T Cell Therapy has been used in Australia to treat children with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL) where standard therapies were unsuccessful.
It works by taking a patient’s T cells (a type of immune cell) and altering them in a laboratory so they will then bind to and destroy cancer cells.
D is for Dietetics and Nutrition
We all know how important nutrition is for growing kids, however it becomes even more important for children during cancer treatment. Good nutrition ensures children with cancer can heal, grow and develop normally. A dietitian also assists with how to manage treatment side effects such as nausea, vomiting and mouth ulcers.
To learn more about the importance of a dietician’s role in paediatric cancer, we spoke to ANZCHOG member, Dr Amy Lovell, a Senior Lecturer at the University of Auckland, Nutrition and Dietetics Department. Click here to read Amy’s fascinating insights, and to access family resources from Australia & New Zealand on eating and nutrition during treatment.
E is for Ewing Sarcoma
Ewing Sarcoma is one of the most common types of bone cancers in children and adolescents, however it is an incredibly rare disease with less than 70 diagnoses in Australia each year.
Due to the rarity of Ewing Sarcoma, international collaboration for research and clinical trials is vital. Australia has an established relationship with the Euro-Ewing Consortium, a network undertaking high-quality randomised trials.
ANZCHOG currently sponsors three open trials for Ewing Sarcoma; REGO-EWING, rEECur and INTER-EWING-1.
F is for Family
A childhood cancer diagnosis impacts the entire family – emotionally, psychologically and financially.
Family centred care is a holistic approach to care, which prioritises a partnership with families.
ANZCHOG works with families through our National Patient and Carer Advisory Group (NPCAG) which recognises that family perspectives are integral to the development of and conduct of clinical trials. We’re excited to soon be launching our new Community Collaboration Program which will broaden and expand the input ANZCHOG receives from families with lived experience. Watch this space!
G stands for Global
By definition, all childhood cancers are rare cancers, making up less than one per cent of the total number of new cancer diagnoses in Australia each year. Because of the rarity of childhood cancer, global collaborations are absolutely essential.
ANZCHOG partners with clinical and research groups from around the world to improve outcomes for children and adolescents with cancer both in Australia and New Zealand, and overseas.
H is for Hogdkin’s (and Non-Hodgkin’s) Lymphoma
Lymphoma is a type of cancer that develops in the lymphatic system and most commonly affects adolescents. In both Australia and New Zealand, it is the third most common childhood cancer diagnosis.
What’s the difference between Hodgkin’s and Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma?
Whilst both diagnoses are types of lymphoma, the difference lies in the type of cell that is present. If a Reed-Sternberg cell (a large, abnormal white blood cell) is present, the lymphoma is classed as Hodgkin’s Lymphoma, whereas if it isn’t present, the lymphoma is classed as non-Hodgkin’s.
What’s in the name?
Hodgkin’s Lymphoma is named after Dr. Thomas Hodgkin who first described this type of cancer in 1832. It is also referred to as Hodgkin Disease and Hodgkin Lymphoma.
I = Immunotherapy
Immunotherapy is a type of cancer treatment that helps the body’s immune system fight cancer, by training the immune system to find and target cancerous cells.
The ANZCHOG hashtagLeukaemia & hashtagLymphoma Group recently published a position statement on the use of blinatumomab (a type of immunotherapy drug) in infants, children and adolescents with B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukaemia
Blinatumomab works by targeting a certain protein on the leukaemia cells so that the immune system can recognise them. Results from two pivotal paediatric frontline studies have now shown significant improvement in survival outcomes with the addition of blinatumomab to chemotherapy for both infants and children.
J is for John Hunter Children’s Hospital (JHCH)
John Hunter Children’s Hospital is one of the 11 Australian and New Zealand sites where ANZCHOG sponsors clinical trials. Each of the 1,000 Australian & New Zealand children (aged 0 – 14) diagnosed with cancer each year is treated at one of these sites.
K is for Knowledge Sharing
Knowledge sharing and working collaboratively is so important for childhood cancer research, ultimately leading to better outcomes for children and adolescents.
ANZCHOG’s ten disease and discipline groups help Australian and New Zealand clinicians and researchers collaborate and share KNOWLEDGE.
L is for Lymphoma and today is #WorldLymphomaAwarenessDay
Lymphoma is more common in adults, however it is also the third most common cancer diagnosis for children (aged 0 – 14) and the most common cancer diagnosis for young adults aged 15 – 24.
M in for Monitoring, a little-known aspect of clinical trials
As the national Cancer Cooperative Trials Group (CCTG) for childhood cancer, ANZCHOG is responsible for monitoring sponsored trials.
Our team monitors trials across all 11 children’s cancer centres to ensure …
✔ The safety, rights and well-being of participating children, adolescents and their families is protected
✔The trial is being conducted according to the prescribed protocol and any other regulations
✔The data recorded as part of the trial is accurate, complete and true
N= Neuroblastoma
The name neuroblastoma is made up of two parts; ‘neuro’ which means nerves and ‘blastoma’ which is a type of cancer that affects developing cells. Therefore neuroblastoma is a cancer that starts in developing nerve cells.
Around 50 Australian and New Zealand children are diagnosed with Neuroblastoma each year. The average age of diagnosis is only two, and sadly children diagnosed with high-risk neuroblastoma face a survival rate of only 50%.
Today’s letter is O+
O+ is one of the most common of the eight blood types in Australia.
Blood transfusions form an essential aspect of cancer treatment for people of all ages, including children. Amongst other reasons, it is used to replenish blood cells during chemotherapy.
So if you’re eligible, donating blood, platelets or plasma is a fantastic way to show your support for children and young people with cancer!
Check your eligibility and book an appointment at lifeblood.com.au
P is for all our Partners!
ANZCHOG simply wouldn’t be able to operate without the support of our incredibly passionate partners. Our clinical trials are supported by over 20 different not-for-profit organisations, all of whom have a steadfast commitment to improving cancer outcomes for children and adolescents.
A massive THANK YOU to all our partners 💙💚
Q is for Quality of Life (QoL)
Quality of Life is a patient-reported outcome often used in clinical trials and paediatric cancer treatment to assess a child (and their family)’s perception of their physical, psychological and social health.
This measure is important in clinical decision-making as it provides a more holistic understanding of a family’s experience of their child’s treatment.
R is for Radiotherapy (also known as Radiation Therapy)
This type of treatment uses radiation to destroy cancer cells, with radiation therapists aiming to concentrate the radiation dose to the tumour as carefully as possible to limit radiation to normal cells as it can also destroy these.
Radiotherapy is used across many different types of children’s cancers, and at various time points such as to shrink the tumour before surgery, in combination with chemotherapy, or to relieve symptoms caused by the tumour.
S is for Survivorship
Even once cancer treatment has finished, children and adolescents still face an array of challenges resulting from their treatment. These are often referred to as ‘late effects’.
These late effects include psychological effects such as depression and anxiety, neurocognitive challenges such as learning disabilities and memory loss, as well as physical effects such as secondary cancers and infertility.
Survivorship in childhood cancer presents increased challenges due to adolescents and their families navigating the transition between paediatric and adult care for their follow-up.
Fortunately, there is so much great work being done in this area along with a growing recognition of the need to improve outcomes for childhood cancer survivors. At last month’s ANZCHOG Annual Scientific Meeting, attendees had the opportunity to hear about various survivorship studies such as the Engage program run out of the Behavioural Sciences Unit (BSU) in Sydney and the Emerge program run out of the Murdoch Children’s Research Institute (MCRI).
T is for Trials of course!
ANZCHOG is the national Cancer Cooperative Trials Group (CCTG) for childhood cancer. We actively work with international trial consortia to ensure Australian and New Zealand children can access the latest promising cancer treatments.
Clinical trials are the key to developing more effective therapies with fewer side effects for children and adolescents with cancer, bridging the gap between research and care.
U is for Ultrasound
Ultrasounds can be used to detect lumps, masses or tumours in children. It’s commonly used to find the best biopsy site at diagnosis. In addition to diagnosis, ultrasounds can also be used with other scans to assess the cancer’s response to treatment.
V is for Vincristine, a type of chemotherapy drug
This gives us the perfect opportunity to highlight all the amazing paediatric oncology pharmacists for WorldPharmacistDay 💊
The ANZCHOG Pharmacy Group allows paediatric oncology pharmacists from across Australia and New Zealand to collaborate. Click here to read our chat with ANZCHOG Pharmacy Group Chair, John Soggee.
W is for Wilms Tumour
Wilms tumours are a type of cancer that can develop on one or both kidneys. They are most commonly diagnosed in children under the age of five.
Wilms tumours are named after Dr. Max Wilms from Germany, who first described the disease all the way back in 1899!
X stands for Xerostomia!
Xerostomia (pronounced zeer-o-STOE-me-uh) is the clinical name for dry mouth, a common side-effect of cancer treatment. A dry mouth can make it harder to chew and swallow foods, and can even change the way food tastes.
Some tips from the Children’s Oncology Group to manage Xerostomia include …
Sucking on hard lollies or popsicles, or chewing on gum can help produce more saliva.
Try soft and pureed foods, or food with sauces, gravies and butter to make them easier to swallow.
Use lip balm to keep your child’s lips moist and encourage your child to sip on liquids throughout the day.
Ask the doctor about products that can help with a dry mouth.
Y is for Young Adults
The age group definition for adolescents and young adults varies between treatment centres and countries, however it is commonly defined as people aged between 15 to 24 years. Around four adolescents and young adults are diagnosed with cancer every day in Australia and New Zealand. The most common diagnosis for this age group is Hodgkin Lymphoma.
Z for Zoladex ®
Zoladex (the brand name for gosrelin) is a hormone injection that suppresses ovarian function and menstruation during cancer treatment. This injection may protect ovarian function after cancer treatment has finished.
Other options for fertility preservation in children and young people include sperm, egg and ovarian tissue freezing.
Canteen Australia has a fabulous guide to fertility for young people with cancer, which also links to other resources. Check it out here.