CNS tumours under the microscope
The return of the POGO Multidisciplinary Symposium on Childhood Cancer to an in-person event (with a virtual component), was a memorable experience. It was the culmination of two years of disrupted planning and pivoting as we navigated the ever-changing concept of conferences in a pandemic world. While there was an air of speculation about whether we would be allowed to gather together to learn and share in the fall of 2022, the intense work leading up to this event was gratifying.
For me personally, the POGO Symposium had a welcoming, reminiscent feel. The theme of CNS tumours is very much aligned with my clinical interest and expertise, and I was reminded of attending a POGO Symposium in the late 2000s on this same topic, when neuro-oncology was becoming the focus of my practice. To see so many iconic people in this field who are now my colleagues and friends, was very meaningful. As I listened to the many excellent talks and reviewed some fascinating posters, I could really reflect on the big picture and the progress in this field.
Honouring Dr. Bouffet’s career of treating CNS tumours
And to have a glimpse at the big picture, one could look no further than to Dr. Eric Bouffet, a preeminent pediatric neuro-oncologist, recently retired. This year’s Symposium was a chance to honour and reflect upon his extraordinary career, and also for us to hear from his many different perspectives as he shared stories of what it took to care for children with CNS tumours over many decades, and how pediatric neuro-oncology evolved to be the sub-specialty that it is today. With humour and poignancy, Dr. Bouffet graciously gave two talks that were the perfect “bookends” to a great conference, opening Friday morning with his personal journey and closing out Saturday exploring the many relationships and connections he has built over the years. I’m sure I was not alone in feeling inspired by his lifetime of contributions.
Exploring genetics, data, research and a new era of treatments
Drs. Anita Villani and Anirban Das explored their fascinating clinical and research work in the field of genetics, piecing together the threads that underlie the risk some children and their extended families face. They taught us how meticulous tracking of rare disease patterns can not only open up our understanding, but lead to surveillance protocols that can make a positive impact and how this work will help us expand our knowledge of what drives pediatric cancers.
I had the privilege of moderating the workshop “Harnessing the Power of the Rare Pediatric Tumour Cancer Registry” with Drs. Lafay-Cousin and Annie Huang. They weaved a story of gathering global data in order to help understand the rarest of the rare CNS tumours, and explored how this could be used to push forward a new generation of treatments. The workshop on end-of-life care was given by two expert speakers, Sondra Leblanc and Kathy Perko, who captivated the audience with real-life experience and insight into a heartbreaking world that they have the honour of being invited into.
While novel scientific discoveries and treatment protocols address the “now” for our patients, Dr. Hallie Coltin presented research about “big data” on the other end of the spectrum—for those who survive into adulthood, and the overall consequences to their health and lives that the burden of cancer and its treatment can create. This paired well with an exploration by Dr. Joel Tourigny into mental health outcomes, which wove research outcomes with an in-depth understanding of how cancer can interact and interfere with the developmental trajectory of children, adolescents and family members. Dr. Tourigny reminded us that we need to understand the larger impact of what we do today in order to improve tomorrow.
The cutting edge of our field was highlighted by several terrific talks. Dr. Vijay Ramaswamy’s overview of how treatments have (and have not) evolved over the years led into a brilliant showcase of the new era of medical treatments
Developmental stage, not just chronologic age, key when caring for AYAs
Over the years, POGO has become a champion for the adolescent young adult (AYA) cancer population, and this was evident in Dr. Brooke Cherven’s sexual health talk, followed by an interdisciplinary panel of adult practitioners who were committed to breaking down perceived barriers for diagnosis and treatment in a world where chronologic age can determine care. These talks challenged us to remember that our patients may abruptly “graduate” into the adult healthcare system on a specific date, but their developmental stage, lived experiences and tumour biology all have their own timeline.
Patient and family stories inspire
The buzz around this year’s new addition of digital storytelling was unanimous—from inspiring to tear-jerking, the visual narratives blew us away with their creative and high-quality portrayal of patients’ and families’ lives. Each one had a different texture and brought an important part of the cancer experience to the forefront. In addition to these stories, a workshop on family decision-making featuring two mothers, Jennifer Baltzer and Cindi Shoot, and a veteran nurse expert in the field, Janet Deatrick, had a tremendous impact on the audience. I am not sure there was a better way to weave the patient and family experience into this year’s Symposium and the audience was deeply moved by the words, stories, music and visuals that were shared throughout the two-day conference.
Dr. Adam Fleming is a staff hematologist-oncologist at McMaster Children’s Hospital in Hamilton, Ontario; an associate professor of pediatrics at McMaster University; and a member of the planning committee for the 2022 POGO Symposium.