Childhood Cancer Causes: The Role of Genetic Predisposition in Development and Treatment of Paediatric Cancer
A Course by SIOP Europe
28-29 November 2025 (online)
While cure rates of children and adolescents with cancer have dramatically improved over the last decades, the causes of childhood cancer remain poorly understood. Therefore, research in this area remains a major priority. Cancer in children and adolescents has a strong genetic component and around 10% of patients have an underlying cancer predisposition syndrome with broad clinical implications.
In patients without defined cancer prone syndromes heritable factors such as low-penetrant risk alleles play important roles. Environmental cancer risk factors, such as infections or exposure to genotoxic factors also contribute to the development of childhood cancer.
Studying cancer risk factors requires skills in the areas of cancer biology and cancer genetics. Experts from all these areas will be involved in this course and will provide a comprehensive insight into the special field of cancer predisposition.
The Course covers topics including:
- Predisposition to cancer
- Role of genetic tests and their relevance for the clinicians
- Germline findings and interpretation of the test results
- Pharmacogenetics
- Treatment modifications
- Genetic counseling and follow up
Who should attend?
- Fellows in paediatric haematology and oncology or junior faculty at academic medical centres from across Europe.
What makes this course unique?
- You will discuss real-life cases, situations, and patient management.
- You will meet other professionals interested in cancer causes and genetic predisposition.
- Upon completion of the Course, you will receive a certificate of attendance and CME credits (to be confirmed).
Course Steering Committee
- Jelena Lazic – Paediatric Hematologist and Oncologist, Department for hematology and oncology, University Children's Hospital, Faculty of Medicine, University of Belgrade, Serbia
- Geertruij te Kronnie – Geneticist, Academic researcher, University of Padua, Italy
- Uğur Özbek – Izmir Biomedicine and Genome Center-IBG, Izmir, Turkey
- Annika Rademacher – Pediatrician, Clinical Fellow in Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, Department of Pediatric Oncology and Rheumatology, University Medical Center Schleswig-Holstein, Campus Kiel and Christian-Albrechts-University zu Kiel, Germany
- Madalina Bota – Paediatric Hematologist and Oncologist at Emergency Hospital for Children Cluj-Napoca, Assistant Professor, Department of Pediatrics, University of Medicine and Pharmacy ‘Iuliu Hatieganu’, Cluj-Napoca, Romania
- Sarah Al-Jilaihawi – Locum Paediatric Oncology Consultant, Bristol Royal Hospital for Children, Bristol, United Kingdom
Preliminary Programme
The preliminary programme is available here (PDF) (coming soon)
Participation Fee
- In order to attend this course, all selected participants will be required to pay the Participation Fee of 95 EUR (excluding VAT) by 17 October 2025.
- Application submission closes: 1 September 2025.
- Applications received after the deadline will not be accepted.
- Please ensure your application is complete prior to submission. A confirmation of receipt of application will appear on the screen immediately upon submission.
- Applicants will be notified of the status of their application in September 2025.
Reimbursement policy
- 17 October 2025 - fee payment deadline.
- If you cancel your participation before 17 September 2025, you will receive a full refund.
- Cancellations received after 17 September 2025 are not eligible for refund.
If you have queries or require further information, please send an email to: edu@siope.eu.