IAEA joins hand with St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital to combat childhood cancers

A new agreement has been signed between the International Atomic Energy Agency and St. Jude Children's Research Hospital recently. The effort is to raise awareness of childhood cancers, mobilize resources to support Member States in the establishment of nuclear and radiation medicine services, increase training for professionals in the field of radiotherapy, and support research in paediatric radiation oncology and related areas.

The association between the International Atomic Energy Agency and St. Jude Children's Research Hospital is aimed to combat childhood cancers in developing countries, where children are four times more likely to die of the disease than in high-income countries due to a lack of affordable treatment and quality care options.

"St. Jude is a long-standing IAEA partner, and this agreement brings the Agency's relationship with this renowned paediatric treatment and research institute to a new level. Together, we will work to increase support to developing countries in scaling up high-quality cancer services for children," the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Acting Director General Cornel Feruta opined.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the paediatric cancer is a leading cause of death globally among children and adolescents with at least 300,000 new cases each year. Over 80 percent of children with such cancers are cured in high-income countries but this figure is only 20 per cent in many low- and middle-income countries. The disparity is mostly the result of late or inaccurate diagnosis, prohibitive treatment costs and insufficiently equipped facilities and trained medical personnel.

St. Jude Children's Research Hospital is the only Comprehensive Cancer Center in the United States devoted solely to children, designated by the National Cancer Institute. On the other hand, the IAEA supports countries in the use of nuclear and radiation medicine to fight a growing incidence of chronic diseases, such as cancer. The Agency assists its Member States in the procurement of equipment, research, training of medical professionals and in carrying out quality assessments, among others.