COG Foundation News

Research Spotlight: How Studies with ‘Negative Results’ Still Make a Positive Impact

Clinical research is based on specific questions that scientists strive to answer. And all Children’s Oncology Group (COG) researchers share a collective hope that the answers to those questions pave the way to better treatments and outcomes for children with cancer. Sometimes results meet or exceed study goals. Sometimes they miss the target, but it doesn’t mean the study has ‘failed.’

Photo by John Deputy, republished with permission from Dana-Farber/Boston Children’s Cancer and Blood Disorders Center

LIQUID BIOPSY: A LEADING EDGE IN FINE-TUNING CANCER DETECTION AND TREATMENT

Children’s Oncology Group (COG) researchers are leading the push to study tiny fragments of DNA that tumors slough off in the blood as biomarkers for cancer. This growing body of “liquid biopsy” research is building momentum toward breakthroughs in detecting cancer on more microscopic levels than ever before, which could help doctors tailor treatments precisely to the needs of each patient and better predict the risk of relapse.

Behind the Scenes: coordinating clinical trials

Children’s Oncology Group (COG) researchers are constantly coming up with new ideas to study cancer in children. But how exactly do those ideas evolve into clinical trials that break new ground in treating kids with cancer? The answer: a rigorous process of considering research ideas from every possible angle, so that only the very best ideas move forward.

Behind the Scenes: How Research Ideas become COG Clinical Trials

Letter from cog group chair
douglas s. hawkins, md

Our current reality is not good enough: Speak up for pediatric cancer research.
"At COG, we see a future where no child or adolescent dies of cancer and where survivors live healthy, fulfilling lives. To achieve that vision, we need our entire community — donors, families, scientists, doctors, nurses, pharmacists, research participants — now more than ever. We humbly ask you to join us in standing up for federal funding for childhood cancer research."

Cause for B-CELLebration: Immunotherapy clinical trial closes two years early with history-making success

Cheers and tears spread across the Children’s Oncology Group (COG) network. Finally, after decades of research, many kids diagnosed with B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), have a new treatment available to them – one that is highly effective and has more manageable side effects.

Bringing the best care closer to home

Children’s Oncology Group (COG) members believe that every child deserves the best possible care, regardless of where they live. One important way we put this belief into action is by helping bring the latest in care – from clinical trials to survivorship resources – to regional and rural hospitals. We recently talked to two COG physicians at smaller hospitals about how COG helps them better serve their patients. Here’s what they had to say.

Project:EveryChild: A game-changing resource in the fight against pediatric cancer

Project:EveryChild is a robust bank of blood and tissue samples from kids with cancer, and it's opening the door to groundbreaking advances. But what exactly is a biobank? And how do samples get there? Learn about the game-changing advances that Project:EveryChild is fueling.

Detailed tumor data is improving care and giving families and physicians hope

In 2022, the Children’s Oncology Group launched the Molecular Characterization Initiative. Diana Thomas, MD, PhD, who co-leads the project, explains molecular characterization testing, and how the research is already offering breakthroughs into how tumors are classified, leading to more individualized treatment.

Defying Determinants of Health: One Scientist’s Mission to Improve Outcomes for Kids from Low-Income Families

How do social determinants of health (SDOH), things like poverty, and nutrition impact a child’s likelihood of their cancer relapsing? Read about how, Kira Bona, M.D., MPH, isn’t just answering the question, but developing new interventions to help increase survival rates for children from low-income families.

The COG Foundation Annual Report - 2023

Message from The COG Foundation President, Douglas S. Hawkins, MD and Vice President, Lia Gore, MD.
Financial Summary - 2023
Research Expenditure Summary - 2023
The Year at a Glance

On the horizon — A future with minimal chemotherapy for babies with soft tissue tumors

First, Dr. Ted Laetsch proved that larotrectinib shrank tumors in kids who'd been treated with chemotherapy. His latest study showed larotrectinib could do the same — even without chemo.

How One COG Researcher is Working to Prevent Heart Failure in Childhood Cancer Survivors

It’s an alarming statistic: Pediatric cancer patients are five times more likely to develop heart failure compared to their peers. Thankfully, Dr. Saro Armenian's ground-breaking research is proving that risk can be significantly lowered.

COG research leads to game-changing improvements for pediatric Hodgkin lymphoma treatment

When scientists tested a new, more targeted treatment for pediatric Hodgkin lymphoma, they hoped it might work as well as the standard treatments. The results revealed something they never expected.

An immunotherapy with game-changing – life-saving – potential for patients with relapsed B-cell ALL

A new immunotherapy is providing another path to remission for relapsed B-cell ALL. Dr. Laura Hogan shares news of a long-awaited breakthrough for patients with the same pediatric cancer she had.

The Children’s Oncology Group Foundation newsletter is made possible by The Andrew McDonough B+ Foundation and Message Lab Media.

We hope that sharing stories about COG research breakthroughs, improved care, patient families and generous donors will strengthen and inspire
the pediatric cancer community.