Dear friends and colleagues in the SIOP Europe Community,
We are all currently facing difficult challenges and stresses, both personal and professional, in the unprecedented circumstances of the COVID-19 pandemic. As we are now several weeks into the pandemic reaching Europe, the impact has been felt in all European countries and there is naturally anxiety about what this means for the patients and families, cancer survivors and all healthcare professionals throughout the SIOPE community.
There is still much to learn about this new disease. The scientific literature is growing rapidly with the increasing experiences of the pandemic in different countries and the considerable pace of laboratory-based and clinical research to understand the pathophysiology of the disease and develop new treatments, including vaccines.
In order to collate this rapidly evolving information, the SIOPE community has been working closely with SIOP and COG to provide a single point of access to the guidance and advice that has been prepared by multiple national and international paediatric oncology groups with information relevant to our paediatric and adolescent oncology community. This information can be found at the SIOP COVID-19 information site.
In particular, we refer you to the following commentary on ‘Early advice on managing children with cancer during the COVID-19 pandemic and a call for sharing experiences.' A follow up publication is being prepared with input from several of our SIOPE Clinical Trials Groups that will provide more detailed information on approaches to managing children and young people with cancer during this pandemic.
In the meantime, the SIOP COVID-19 Information Centre is being kept up to date with any new guidance documents as they emerge.
Here are additional useful reference points:
- Pediatric Blood & Cancer: The COVID-19 PANDEMIC: A Rapid Global response for Children with Cancer from SIOP, COG, SIOP Europe, SIOP-PODC, IPSO, PROS, CCI and St. Jude Global
- Radiotherapy and Oncology: A rapid review of evidence and recommendations from the SIOPE radiation oncology working group to help mitigate for reduced paediatric radiotherapy capacity during the COVID-19 pandemic and other crisis
- IGHG COVID-19 Statement for survivors of childhood, adolescent or young adult cancer
- ITCC Clinical Trials during the COVID-19 pandemic document
- SIOP - St. Jude Global COVID-19 Resource Center for Childhood Cancer
- Pediatric Blood & Cancer: Pediatric cancer research: Surviving COVID‐19
Kind regards,
Pamela Kearns
SIOP Europe President