KickCancer, a children's cancer charity, denounced the lack of innovation in the treatment of childhood cancers in a statement issued on Friday, ahead of World Cancer Day (4 February), and International Childhood Cancer Day (15 February).
After their initial diagnosis, most children with cancers, such as leukaemia, are treated with a combination of drugs from the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s, KickCancer noted in a statement.
Over the past 17 years, only 17 new compounds have been approved for usage in paediatric cancers, the organisation added.
KickCancer highlighted the slow pace at which new drugs are introduced into paediatric cancer treatments. Young patients who do not respond to the first line of therapy have too few options, it pointed out, stressing that this situation must urgently change, as children with cancer deserve better access to innovation.
The charity called for urgent action to address this disparity and more investment in research to find better treatments for children with cancer.
