Global Efforts to Alleviate the Challenge of Childhood Cancers: Discovering a Beacon of Hope

 

Global Efforts to Alleviate the Challenge of Childhood Cancers: Discovering a Beacon of Hope

Each year, approximately 400,000 children worldwide are afflicted by cancer, with nearly half of them never receiving a proper diagnosis. The majority of these young patients reside in low- and middle-income countries, and tragically, only about 30 percent of them have the chance of survival. Their suffering is compounded by factors such as malnutrition, frequent misdiagnoses, lack of access to treatments, and a shortage of specialized healthcare professionals.

Addressing this stark reality, Najat Mokhtar, Deputy Director General and Head of the Department of Nuclear Sciences and Applications at the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), emphasized the IAEA's commitment to providing the care these children deserve. She spoke during a side event titled "The Battle against Childhood Cancer: Finding a Ray of Hope" at the 67th regular session of the IAEA General Conference. Mokhtar highlighted the IAEA's utilization of scientific expertise, goodwill, and opportunities to bolster the capabilities of its Member States, offering them and their children a fighting chance against cancer.

The story of Sidney Chahonyo serves as a poignant reminder of the impact of the IAEA's efforts on patients worldwide. At the age of 19, as he was about to embark on his university journey, Chahonyo began experiencing severe headaches, nosebleeds, and hearing loss. After six frustrating months of seeking medical help, during which he received repeated misdiagnoses, he was finally diagnosed with nasopharyngeal carcinoma, a cancer affecting the tissues connecting the back of his nose to the back of his mouth. Chahonyo promptly underwent treatment and, today, at 37 years old, he is a cancer survivor and the Executive Director of "Hope for Cancer Kids," a non-profit organization dedicated to supporting families affected by childhood cancer in Kenya. Chahonyo passionately advocates for affording every child worldwide the same opportunity he had to conquer cancer.

In high-income countries, nearly all cancer patients have access to crucial radiotherapy services. However, in middle-income countries, this access drops to less than 60 percent, and in low-income countries, just one in ten individuals can avail themselves of this life-saving treatment. The IAEA's flagship cancer initiative, "Rays of Hope: Cancer Care for All," aims to rectify this by supporting the establishment and expansion of radiotherapy services worldwide.

The side event at the IAEA conference shed light on the pivotal role of radiation medicine techniques and nutrition in managing childhood cancers. With a focus on medulloblastoma, the most common malignant brain tumor in children, IAEA experts outlined the care that these young patients receive. They emphasized that recent advancements in imaging, treatment, quality assurance, and nutritional support have not only enhanced survival rates but also mitigated the side effects experienced by children undergoing treatment.

Child by child, the IAEA and its collaborators have been making significant strides toward achieving equitable cancer care for all. Representatives from three key partners - the WHO Global Initiative for Childhood Cancer, the Paediatric Radiation Oncology Society, and the EuroSafe Imaging Working Group on pediatric imaging - stressed the importance of ensuring continuous and high-quality care.

Despite substantial global progress, there are numerous challenges that still need to be addressed to bridge the disparities between countries. These challenges encompass funding, access to equipment, infrastructure development, education, training, and human resource allocation, among others.

However daunting these challenges may seem, there is a clear path forward, and concrete steps can be taken to address them. May Abdel-Wahab, Director of the IAEA's Division of Human Health, emphasized in her closing remarks, "With continued collaboration, scientific expertise, global will, and commitment, we can tackle these challenges and meet the needs of children with cancer around the world." She underscored the moral imperative and human right of access to care and emphasized that we must never fail to deliver on this promise.