Facts
Cancer is the number 1 disease killer of our children. It is estimated that each year, over 12,500 children will develop cancer. That amount equals an entire large classroom full of children diagnosed every single day. There have been great strides in the treatment of children with cancer, but more needs to be done!
Sarcomas comprise up to 20% of childhood cancers with 50 different subtypes. Despite this fact, most people have never heard of sarcoma. In fact, it is often called the “forgotten cancer” in terms of research funds and awareness campaigns.
Photo courtesy of Sandy Spicknall
Sarcomas are malignant tumors of the connective tissues (fat, muscle, nerve, etc.) and are divided into two main groups: bone tumors and soft tissue sarcomas. Sarcomas are dangerous. They are an extremely challenging group of cancers to treat and carry a much lower survival rate than most childhood cancers. Over the past 20 years, there has been little change in the treatment protocol for sarcomas and therefore, has been no improvement in the overall survival rate of pediatric sarcoma patients.
KEY FACTS:
- Treatment options for cancers such as pediatric soft tissue sarcomas are extremely limited, as few as 30% of children battling this disease survive.
- Sarcoma mortality rate is disproportionately high compared with cancers common in young age groups.
- It is estimated that ½ of the oncology drugs used to treat sarcoma in children are at least 20 years old.
- There is a relative lack of research for new pediatric cancer therapies compared to adult therapies.
- The National Cancer Institute has stated that new sarcoma therapies are desperately needed. Further, given the lack of a uniform standard of care, the difficulty in diagnosis, and the lack of new treatments, most sarcoma patients have been under served by the medical and research communities.
- USA Today has reported on the drug community's lack of interest in helping kids with cancer. "Who's Fighting Cancer in Kids?", Liz Szabo, July 20, 2005, Life Section.