2013 Symposium – Innovation in Pediatric Oncology

Dr. Sean Phipps: Post Traumatic Stress vs Growth in Pediatric Oncology

Posted on March 31, 2017 by Kelly Zorzi

The traumatic stress model starts with the assumption that cancer is a traumatic event, and people often think of children with cancer as having depression or post-traumatic stress. But that is not always the case.

Dr. Sean Phipps and his team discovered that for some survivors their personal function actually improved as a result of their cancer experience.

Sean Phipps, PhD is the Chair of Psychology at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in Memphis, Tennessee. He spoke at the 2013 POGO Multi-Disciplinary Symposium on Childhood Cancer.

Straight Talk about Childhood Cancer is POGO’s new series of video shorts featuring the insights of experts whose leading-edge work impacts the care, treatment and quality of life of childhood cancer patients, survivors and their families.

Dr. David Malkin: New Approaches in Childhood Cancer

Posted on June 23, 2016 by Kelly Zorzi

New Cures and Approaches to the Diagnosis and Treatment of Childhood Cancer

Two notable advancements in the diagnosis and treatment of childhood cancers are the science of genomics (how genetic changes occur in tumour cells) and the use of developing cancers in model organisms, such as the zebra fish, in order to develop new drugs to test and translate to human use. POGO Medical Director Dr. David Malkin discusses how now, more than ever, it is important to develop and fund collaborative research groups, across Canada and internationally, in order to catalyze significant leaps forward in the field of pediatric oncology.

David Malkin, MD, FRCSC is the POGO Medical Director and POGO Chair in Childhood Cancer Control and Professor of the Department of Paediatrics and Medical Biophysics, School of Graduate Studies at the University of Toronto. He is also a Senior Staff Oncologist of the Haematology/Oncology department for the Hospital for Sick Children. He spoke at the 2013 POGO Multi-Disciplinary Symposium on Childhood Cancer.

Straight Talk about Childhood Cancer is POGO’s series of video shorts featuring the insights of experts whose leading-edge work impacts the care, treatment and quality of life of childhood cancer patients, survivors and their families.

Dr. Jim Drake: The Role of Medical Robotics in Pediatric Surgery

Posted on October 22, 2015 by Kelly Zorzi

Currently, medical robotics plays a significant role in the surgical treatment of certain diseases such as prostate and abdominal cancers. Over the next ten years, robotics will play an increasing role in every aspect of surgery, significantly impacting the field of pediatric oncology.

Dr. James Drake explains that, in certain instances, using robotics produces better results that are often faster and safer than traditional surgical procedures. He envisions that in the next ten years we will see semi-autonomous robots assisting with complicated surgeries, accessing areas that surgeons have difficulty reaching. With a vast pool of talent and expertise, Canada is poised to lead the way, but the field of medical robotics needs everyone’s advocacy and support to achieve its exciting and ambitious goals.

James Drake is the Head of Neurosurgery at the Hospital for Sick Children and Professor of Surgery at the University of Toronto. He spoke at the 2013 POGO Multi-Disciplinary Symposium on Childhood Cancer.

Straight Talk about Childhood Cancer is POGO’s new series of video shorts featuring the insights of experts whose leading-edge work impacts the care, treatment and quality of life of childhood cancer patients, survivors and their families.

2013 POGO Symposium on Childhood Cancer

Posted on March 4, 2014 by admin

The 2013 POGO Multi-Disciplinary Symposium on Childhood Cancer – Innovation in Pediatric Oncology – examined the current state and future directions of pediatric cancer care by disseminating and evaluating current research, groundbreaking technologies and new treatment innovations. In the tradition of POGO’s Symposia, this two-day event was interdisciplinary, drawing over 260 faculty and attendees from medicine, nursing, and the behavioural disciplines.

Complete 2013 Symposium Program

Scroll down to view individual presentations.

NOTE: The content of each presentation below captures the unedited information and opinions presented by the speakers. Please note that the information contained in the presentations was current at the time it was presented – there may be further information in subsequent literature. Listed speaker credentials were current at the time of presentation.

Pediatric Oncology – How Did We Get Here?

Posted on March 4, 2014 by admin

Presentation Description: The evolution of success in the treatment of childhood cancer is acknowledged as one of the most dramatic achievements of contemporary medicine – a cure rate that rose from 20% to over 80% in 50 years. In the last thirty years, coinciding with the life of POGO, that rate has maintained a steady upward trend. This presentation focused on the concepts and strategies that systematically moved the success rate upward, using acute lymphoblastic leukemia and medulloblastoma as exemplars of the integration of knowledge and building of strategy that made pediatric oncology the focal point of advance in understanding of the biology of cancer and the application of that understanding to therapy. Finally, the presentation addressed the implications of that knowledge pattern for survivorship

Speaker:

Mark Greenberg, OC, MB, ChB, FRCP(C), FAAP
Senior Adviser, Policy & Clinical Affairs
Pediatric Oncology Group of Ontario (POGO), Toronto

Blog

New Cures and Approaches to the Diagnosis and Treatment of Childhood Cancer