At its meeting in Paris in March, the SIOPEN Board approved a new protocol drawn up jointly by European and US representatives of the study group looking at improved treatments for Adolescent and Young Adult neuroblastoma patients. This is a major step forward towards a clinical trial which will have the impressive target of improving the event-free survival rate at 5 years by 30% within this age group, where currently, it is close to zero.
Adam's Hats was instrumental in encouraging agreement at the Paris meeting, that within the detailed clinical trial proposal, and given the heavy burden of high doses of chemo- and radio-therapy required to attack the disease, including repeated components demanding that the patient is in isolation, there should be a requirement for psychosocial support to be available to patients. The Board also agreed that the growing body of evidence connecting appropriate environments for this age group, with improved quality of life during cancer treatment, should be included in the detailed proposal.
Let's get ready to support this project as it moves into its detailed planning stage, by sponsoring our runners in the upcoming BUPA London Run this May!
