ZERO2 is a national precision-medicine study for children, adolescents and young adults diagnosed with cancer led by the Kids Cancer Centre at Sydney Children’s Hospital and the Children’s Cancer Institute. It expands on the Zero Childhood Cancer Programs earlier initiatives (TARGET, PRISM), bringing state-of-the-art genomic testing to every Australian child with cancer, not only those with high-risk disease. Using comprehensive molecular profiling – including whole-genome sequencing, RNA sequencing and methylation analysis – ZERO2 aims to identify the genetic and biological features driving each child’s cancer. These findings can improve diagnosis, refine risk-stratification and help clinicians consider the most appropriate treatment options, including potential targeted therapies. The study also includes optional pre-clinical testing for selected high-risk tumour types, helping researchers understand how individual cancers respond to different drugs and supporting future therapeutic development.

As a large, prospective clinical trial, ZERO2 is open at every paediatric oncology centre in Australia and New Zealand. ZERO2’s long-term goal is to make precision medicine part of standard care – ensuring that every child and young person with cancer has access to detailed molecular information that can guide clinical decision-making and improve outcomes.