Each year, more than 35,000 children and young people are diagnosed with cancer and more than 6,000 young patients die of cancer. Moreover, there will be nearly half a million childhood cancer survivors by 2020-2025. Over two-thirds of these childhood cancer survivors experience long-term health and psychosocial problems due to their disease and treatment, which may be severe and affect their daily life and participation as EU citizens.
Up to 80% of the children diagnosed with cancer are cured with standard multidisciplinary care and current intensive treatments that have been developed and prospectively validated by the paediatric oncology community during the last 50 years.
SIOPE's mission is to ensure the best possible care and outcome for all children and adolescents with cancer in Europe. To achieve this goal, SIOPE addresses the main challenges faced by European paediatric oncology professionals through a multidisciplinary and pan-European perspective.
Through the integration of research, care and education, SIOPE and the European community of health professionals address the two goals of the next decade: to increase the cure rate and the quality of cure of children with cancer.
Mission & activities in a nutshell
- Supports and facilitates education and training for health professionals in Europe
- Integrates patients and parents across Europe, bridging the gap between family groups, professionals and policymakers
- Optimises the availability of information on childhood cancers and promotes international collaborative clinical trials
- Promotes and advocates better policies for children with cancer and paediatric oncology professionals to European Union policymakers
- Elevates standards and develops pan-European guidelines for training and care in paediatric oncology
SIOPE Strategic Plan
Paediatric cancer remains a major public health and societal issue in Europe. While improvements have been achieved for some childhood cancers over the past years, there has been little progress in patient survival for difficult-to-treat paediatric malignancies, and too many young lives are still lost to the disease.
Backed by the extensive endorsement of the European paediatric haematology-oncology community, the SIOPE Strategic Plan, 'A European Cancer Plan for Children and Adolescents' was developed to increase the cure rate and the quality of long term survival of children and young people with cancer by 2025.
Strategic Plan Report
- Achievements 2016 - download the report
- Achievements 2018 - Annual Report
Areas of activity
- Research: aiming to facilitate the development of new drugs and treatments for children and adolescents with cancer, SIOPE supports strong and integrated research programmes from basic science to clinical research, serving as a common European platform for paediatric oncology clinical trials;
- Care: standards of care in paediatric oncology can differ substantially from country to country. SIOPE addresses the relevant organisational aspects to improve access to quality care and expertise across Europe;
- Education and Training: SIOPE is a hub for paediatric oncologists, health professionals and parent/patient advocates willing to be trained and kept updated about the newest treatments and therapies available;
- EU advocacy: contribute to EU policies and programmes, and engage with policymakers and other stakeholders to anticipate and proactively shape EU health and research policies on childhood cancer and survivorship issues, ensuring that paediatric oncology remains a high priority on the EU policy agenda.