Children's Oncology Group (COG)
The Children's Oncology Group is the world's largest paediatric cancer trials organisation; most children with cancer in North America are treated on or according to a COG protocol.
Formed 2000 from four paediatric groups; >200 member hospitals. Trials define standard risk-adapted therapy in ALL (AALL1731 added blinatumomab), neuroblastoma (anti-GD2 immunotherapy, ANBL0032), and paediatric solid tumours.
- Paediatric ALL (AALL trials)
- Neuroblastoma (ANBL trials)
- Survivorship
Led the trial proving that an anti-GD2 antibody improves survival in high-risk neuroblastoma.
Paediatric oncologist who chairs the world's largest childhood cancer research organisation.
Julie Park led the COG trial that made tandem transplant standard for high-risk neuroblastoma.
Paediatric oncologist whose trials established transplant and 13-cis-retinoic acid for high-risk neuroblastoma.
Paediatric oncologist who led the COG trial showing blinatumomab helps children with standard-risk leukaemia.
Neuroblastoma expert who built the international risk classification used to guide treatment.
AALL1731 brings immunotherapy into the front-line treatment of the commonest childhood cancer, in the group of children where most relapses were occurring despite good initial risk. Blinatumomab was approved for this use in 2024 and paediatric protocols worldwide are being amended. Whether it can allow less chemotherapy, and its effect on very low-risk children, are the next questions.
S1826 moved checkpoint blockade into first-line Hodgkin lymphoma and made N-AVD a preferred regimen for advanced disease in patients from adolescence to older age, while removing radiotherapy for most. It also showed the value of a single trial spanning paediatric and adult groups. Longer follow-up is needed for overall survival and late immune effects in young patients.