Scientific Symposium Marks The Ten-Year Anniversary of the Pacific Pediatric Neuro-Oncology Consortium (PNOC) and Foundation

News provided by

May 01, 2023, 11:00 ET

Symposium to Address Cancer Health Disparities: Identifying and Lowering Barriers to Clinical
Trial Access

SAN FRANCISCO, May 2, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The Pacific Pediatric Neuro-Oncology Consortium (PNOC) and the PNOC Foundation will hold its Scientific Symposium and Ten-Year Anniversary Celebration, May 4-5, 2023, on the Mission Bay Campus of UCSF. The 2009 Nobel Laureate in Medicine, Elizabeth Blackburn, will be among the group of scientific and medical leaders, philanthropists, cancer research advocates, policy professionals, nonprofit and biopharmaceutical executives, and other key opinion leaders gathering to mark the organization's ten years of achievements and to announce future directions in the fight against pediatric brain cancer.

"PNOC has established itself as a center of gravity for innovative clinical research in pediatric neuro-oncology, due in large part to the outstanding work of the Consortium members—passionate physicians and researchers who are deeply committed to defeating childhood brain cancer," said Sabine Mueller MD, who, with Michael Prados MD, co-founded PNOC in 2013. "At PNOC, it's never about competition. It's about dismantling the silos that impede communication among researchers and accelerating collaboration to discover new therapies for young cancer patients."

The leading cause of cancer death among children, brain malignancies devastate more than 4,800 children each year, overwhelming patient families with fear and uncertainty. And yet, research to better understand and treat pediatric brain cancer is woefully underfunded, with support standing at approximately one percent of all federal research funding. As a result, some childhood brain cancers are just as lethal today as they were 50-years ago.

"Pediatric brain cancer moves fast. We need to move faster," said Bruce Campbell, who, with his wife Allyn Campbell, established the PNOC Foundation after their son George was diagnosed with an anaplastic ependymoma at the age of six. Now 18, George is well and a college freshman studying marine biology. "In the 10 years since we launched the foundation, we have helped fund over 30 clinical trials, including studies evaluating new drugs that could very well change the standard of care for some of the most challenging pediatric brain cancers," said Campbell. "And that's exactly what we are here to do."

The May 4-5 symposium will address an especially prevalent challenge in cancer research and care: the lack of equitable access to clinical trials. Bay Area philanthropist and founder of Lazarex Cancer Foundation, Dana Dornsife, will speak at a session titled, "Cancer Health Disparities: Identifying and Lowering Barriers to Clinical Trial Access". Moderated by PNOC co-project lead Cassie Kline MD, the panel will focus on how factors like race, finances and geography impact a patient's access to life-saving clinical research, and strategies to lessen the effect of those obstacles.

"Lazarex strives to improve cancer health outcomes, FDA cancer clinical trial diversity and enrollment, and patient access to care—goals that are clearly shared and advanced by PNOC. It is a pleasure to be associated with a group so dedicated to changing the face of pediatric brain cancer," said Dornsife, adding "Dr. Kline's stewardship of PNOC's diversity, equity and inclusion mission is remarkable, and I look forward to participating in the panel discussion she will be leading on May 5."

For more information, contact [email protected]

SOURCE PNOC. Foundation