Childhood Cancer Conference 2025: driving the shift from toxic therapies to targeted care

Children with Cancer UK has successfully concluded its flagship Childhood Cancer Conference 2025 held on 24–25 November at Edgbaston Park Hotel and Conference Centre, Birmingham. The two-day event, themed Embracing Research and Impact, brought together leading researchers, clinicians, healthcare professionals, funders, and patient advocates to share pioneering work aimed at improving survival rates and quality of life for children and young people affected by cancer.

The conference featured four keynote speakers, each presenting significant progress in paediatric oncology: Dr Sally George (The Institute of Cancer Research, London, & The Royal Marsden Hospital NHS Foundation Trust), Professor Chris Halsey (University of Glasgow), Professor Steven Clifford (Newcastle University), and Emeritus Professor Kathy Pritchard-Jones (University College London Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health).

Sessions explored cutting-edge research, including molecular profiling initiatives, precision medicine, and innovative treatment strategies for high-risk cancers such as neuroblastoma. Delegates also engaged in interactive discussions on survivorship care and collaborative approaches to accelerate clinical trials and reduce treatment toxicity.

A key highlight of the conference was the focus on the Stratified Medicine Paediatrics (SMPaeds) programme, a pioneering research initiative funded by Children with Cancer UK and Cancer Research UK. This project is shaping the future of kinder childhood cancer treatment by using advanced genetic analysis to deliver targeted therapies tailored to each child’s unique genetic profile, reducing unnecessary toxicity and improving outcomes. Led by Dr Sally George and her team at The Institute of Cancer Research, London, the programme has developed a simple blood test that helps clinicians better understand paediatric cancers and opens the door to new, more precise and less harmful treatments.

The impact of this research was brought to life through Kira’s story. Diagnosed with a rare and aggressive cancer, neuroblastoma, in 2014 at just 11 years old, doctors discovered a mass the size of a watermelon in her abdomen. Genetic profiling guided her treatment plan, providing vital insights that shaped her care and offered new hope. Despite eight relapses and 11 years of intensive treatment, her journey is a powerful example of how precision medicine can transform treatment for families facing childhood cancer.

Aud, Kira’s Mum, said:

Hearing about the SMPaeds project and knowing Kira’s story is helping to shape future treatments fills me with hope because it means other families might not have to face the uncertainty we did. This research is life-changing, and my wish is that targeted treatment becomes available for all children and young adults. My ultimate hope is that childhood cancer receives more funding and research to better understand the science behind these diseases.

Gavin Maggs, Chief Executive of Children with Cancer UK said: 

Children with Cancer UK is committed to funding research that changes lives. Supporting projects like SMPaeds is crucial because they bring us closer to personalised treatments that are both effective and kinder for young patients. This year’s conference reinforced the urgent need to reduce long-term side effects and improve quality of life, not just survival rates. Every breakthrough moves us closer to a future where every child survives cancer and thrives beyond.

Other conference highlights included leading experts sharing data on how genomic testing is accelerating targeted therapies, while patient advocates emphasised the human impact behind the science.

Key outcomes from the event included strengthened partnerships between researchers, clinicians, and patient advocates, alongside announcements of new funding opportunities for early-career researchers.

Children with Cancer UK continues to lead the way in funding vital research and supporting families affected by childhood cancer. For more information about research projects funded by the charity and how to support its work, visit the Children with Cancer UK’s website.