While the statistics surrounding childhood cancer have no doubt improved over the past several decades, there is more work yet to be done.
50 years ago, the survival rate for childhood cancer was a dismal 10%. Today, the survival rate is 85%, according to CureSearch. That should be an encouraging statistic.
While the chances of surviving pediatric cancer are higher than they have ever been, significant challenges are facing these children and their families. The unfortunate truth is that despite our medical advancements, we have not seen a decline in new cancer cases for over 20 years.
Estimates are that 43 children each day will be diagnosed with cancer in the United States. That’s over 10,000 cases in the United States expected this year. Cancer is the number one cause of death by disease in children.
There’s no doubt about it — pediatric cancer is a serious problem.
2 Major Issues with Current Pediatric Cancer Research & Treatment
Lagging Research
On average, clinical trials for cancer treatments for children begin 6.5 years after adult trials have been done. The vast majority of standard treatments for pediatric cancer were approved before the 1990s. Half of them were approved before the mid-80s.
One of the biggest challenges in effective research, testing, and treatment is that children with cancer are often treated in the same ways that adults are. We use many of the same diagnostic tests and methods for children that are used for adults.
Early detection is the best line of defense, but there are no standard methods of cancer screening for children who are not known to be at increased risk. Because childhood cancers are still rare, parents and healthcare providers may not consider potential symptoms or screening. Delaying diagnosis delays recovery.
Part of the problem is that pediatric cancer is researched after adult cancer — almost as an extension of it — rather than being research in tandem.
Children, however, have not been exposed to the same substances, lifestyles, and environmental factors that are linked to cancer in adults. Because of this, doctors are usually at a loss as to what causes cancer to manifest in children.
Moving forward demands child-centered research. Thankfully, some professionals dedicate their efforts to pediatric cancer research. One such group is NuView Life Services. They have developed proprietary NV-VPAC1™ technology that should make headway in making childhood cancer easier to detect and treat in a way that is individualized for children.
Through this technology, NuView Life Services hopes to decrease the need for invasive testing procedures. With these kinds of innovations and breakthroughs, childhood cancer can be better targeted and treated in ways that are less invasive and taxing on young bodies.
Allocation of Funding
While there is some debate over the accuracy of these numbers, the National Cancer Institute, a part of agencies within the U.S. Department of Health, reports that of their government funding for cancer research, only 3.97% of funding between 2008 and 2017 was allocated to childhood cancer.
That’s $2 billion over a decade next to $50.5 billion. While hundreds of millions of dollars dedicated to pediatric cancer each year are nothing to sneeze at, it highlights the disparity between these priorities on a governmental level.
Of course, private organizations and fundraisers seek to make up for the deficit in funding for pediatric cancer care and research. Just this week, Penn State students raised over $10.6 million for pediatric cancer patients in a virtual dance marathon known as THON. The event has raised some $180 million since 1977.
Federal funding may be lacking for pediatric cancer research and care, but we are encouraged by the efforts of non-profits and everyday people to raise money and awareness for young cancer patients.
What Can I Do?
We know that kicking cancer is a team effort. If you’re like us, you are frustrated by the lack of child-centered cancer care and cancer research. There are several ways you can help:
- Raise awareness. Declare that funding for pediatric cancer research is a priority. Use your voting power and the voice of the people to petition for increased federal pediatric cancer funding from our legislators.
- Fundraise. We see time and time again that people have the power to make a difference. Whether it’s a virtual dance marathon, an actual marathon, or a bake sale, ordinary people can come together to raise money for these children and their families.
- Donate. Even if you can’t organize or take part in a big fundraiser, you can donate. Non-profits like Cancer Kickers are dedicated to bringing hope and encouragement to pediatric cancer patients — and every donation makes a difference!