Madrid, Spain – As the world marks as International Childhood Cancer Day, Spain is focusing on advancements in research and treatment for young patients. Approximately 1,500 cases of cancer are diagnosed annually in children and adolescents across the country, prompting ongoing efforts to improve survival rates and quality of life.
Leukemia remains the most frequently diagnosed cancer in this age group, with survival rates exceeding 80 percent. However, medical professionals are increasingly focused on mitigating the long-term effects of treatment, as explained by Dr. Karima Al-Akioui, a pediatric oncologist at La Paz Hospital in Madrid. “The objective of doctors is to improve the quality of life of these young patients in the long term,” she stated.
The challenge of securing funding for pediatric cancer research is a significant hurdle, due to the relatively low incidence of childhood cancers – representing just one percent of all cancer cases. This necessitates increased collaboration between research centers, both nationally and internationally. Non-profit organizations like Cris Contra el Cáncer are actively working to raise funds dedicated to investigating new, less aggressive treatment options. The use of advanced cellular therapies is already showing promising results.
This year, the Aladina Foundation, which has supported children with cancer and their families for two decades, launched a solidarity campaign, “El Reto del Pañuelo” (The Scarf Challenge), to raise awareness and support for young patients experiencing the side effects of treatment.
The Spanish Association Against Cancer is currently supporting 39 research projects with over 10 million euros in funding. However, the need for collaborative efforts is paramount, as highlighted by the limited number of cases and the complexity of the disease.
Recent developments demonstrate a growing commitment to international cooperation in pediatric oncology. In , START, the world’s largest community-based network specializing in early-phase oncology clinical trials, together with HM Hospitales, inaugurated Spain’s first pediatric onco-hematology clinical research unit at HM Montepríncipe University Hospital in Madrid. This unit, led by Dr. Marta Osuna Marco, aims to provide access to clinical trials and emerging therapies for children with cancer. Nick Slack, Chairman and CEO of START, emphasized the importance of combining innovation with compassion, stating, “To stand inside this unit and witness the courage of these young patients and the resilience of their families is profoundly humbling.”
Further bolstering international research efforts, the Pediatric Cancer Center Barcelona (PCCB) at SJD Barcelona Children’s Hospital became the first center outside North America to join Beat Childhood Cancer (BCC) in . BCC is an international consortium dedicated to developing clinical trials for pediatric cancers, collaborating with emerging pharmaceutical companies. SJD will act as the European sponsor for these trials, funded by the Beat Childhood Cancer Foundation through fundraising initiatives in the United States. Dr. Jaume Mora, scientific director of the PCCB, noted that this agreement will allow patients access to the most innovative treatments originating from the USA, adding, “Our experience in clinical trials and the comprehensive care of more than 400 new patients each year will enable us to contribute significantly to international research and improve the quality of life of children living with cancer.” The first clinical trial, BCC018, studying naxitamab for high-risk neuroblastoma, is currently under evaluation by the European portal CTIS.
Penn State’s Beat Childhood Cancer Research Consortium has also recently welcomed the SJD Pediatric Cancer Center Barcelona, further strengthening global leadership in pediatric cancer research.
A significant international project, PROTECT, is underway with a £20 million investment to develop novel cancer treatments specifically for children. LifeArc is contributing up to £4.9 million as part of this collaborative effort, which also includes Cancer Research UK, the National Cancer Institute (USA), and research centers from Spain, France, the USA, the Netherlands, the UK, and Germany. The project focuses on developing therapies that target and degrade cancer-specific proteins using techniques like proteolysis-targeting chimeras (PROTACs) and molecular glues – approaches not yet widely applied in pediatric oncology. Researchers are prioritizing childhood tumors with comparatively poor recovery rates, including brain tumors, neuroblastomas, and bone and soft tissue tumors. They have already identified 12 cancer proteins as potential targets and have begun developing initial chemical substances.
The need for child-specific therapies is underscored by the fact that children with cancer often receive treatments originally developed for adults, which can be ineffective and carry higher risks of adverse effects. The ongoing international collaborations and research initiatives represent a crucial step towards addressing this gap and improving outcomes for young cancer patients worldwide.
