Oncology

It originates during organ and tissue formation, in the process of human development. In the majority of cases, the causes of developmental cancers are unknown.

The incidence of childhood cancer is 1 case for every 200 cases of cancer in adults. This low incidence makes childhood cancer a rare disease.

Childhood cancer cannot be prevented, and so the early-diagnosis measures taken in adults are not applicable in children. Research is the only way to continue furthering knowledge of childhood cancer.

The causes, therapies and responses to treatment of children are unique to these types of cancer and very different to those of adults.

The cure and survival rates are also not the same. In general, childhood cancer is cured in 80% of cases, but in certain types of tumour there is still no hope of a cure.

Developmental cancer is the leading cause of death in Spain among children between 5 and 14 years of age, and the second leading cause of death among children between 15 and 24 years of age, after accidents.

• We were European pioneers in the use of intra-arterial chemotherapy inpatients with retinoblastoma to avoid loss of the eye.
• We were the first centre in Europe to use anti-GD2 immunotherapy for the treatment of high risk neuroblastoma, which increases survival by around 20%.
• We have conducted an international clinical trial for patients with diffuse brainstem glioma, a cancer that is currently incurable.
• We have been pioneers in the introduction of CART immunotherapy for B-cell lymphoblastic leukaemia.
• We have implemented a Precision Oncology platform to identify therapeutic targets in refractory cases.
• We have developed and conducted a clinical trial with an oncolytic virus to treat retinoblastoma.

• We are one of the few centres in Europe with an exclusive paediatric tumour bank, which has great research potential.
• We are the first European centre to have developed an animal model of diffuse brainstem glioma.
• We systemically genetically sequence tumours in relapse.
• Our investigators have developed a nanofibre fabric for local treatment of cancer.
• We have 5 of our own approved clinical trials.
• We are studying genetic diversity within developmental tumours through the sequencing of individual cells from certain tumour types. This is a fundamental step in studying the evolution of the tumour's various cells and generating more knowledge of the complexity of these diseases.
• In 2015 we started a personalised medicine programme based on massive DNA sequencing carried out by the Centre Nacional d’Anàlisi Genòmica (CNAG - National Centre for Genomic Analysis).
• We have accreditation from the Innovative Therapies for Children with Cancer (ITCC) group, which allows us to access the most innovative treatments and to include our patients in pioneering clinical trials.
• Our research laboratory is fully integrated with the care team.
• We have a molecular biology laboratory that characterises all tumours in order to better classify them, make prognoses and seek targeted treatments.
• The Hopp-Kindertumorzentrum Heidelberg (KiTZ - Hopp Children's Cancer Center) has officially recognised our Status as 1st Level Molecular Diagnostics Facility for Low Grade Glioma in Children (LOGGIC) Core BioClinical Data Bank.

• We have a team of psychologists and psycho-oncologists and social workers who help the patient and their family through various programmes.
• All painful treatment, such as bone marrow aspirations or lumbar punctures are performed under deep sedation in the Outpatient Surgery Unit (UCA) to avoid causing the patient unnecessary pain and anxiety.
• Wherever possible, we use outpatient treatment in our Day Hospital, so that the patient can return home each day. On some occasions, a home care team treats the patient at home.
• Since 2019, we have had the Integrative Paediatric Oncology Unit (UOPI), which aims to improve patients' experience and quality of life through all phases of their treatment, using acupuncture, essential oils and nutrition techniques.

For this reason, we carry out studies and molecular diagnosis on every tumour we treat to determine its characteristics. In this way, we can predict the prognosis of the disease and the best approach for each patient, and also make sure they reach adulthood without sequelae.

• Our laboratory offers all techniques for molecular diagnosis and the prognosis of the disease in order to create a personalised treatment plan.
• Our mission is to cure our patients' cancers, but also to ensure that they develop as expected and reach adult age without sequelae. Among other lines of work, we use cryopreservation of oocytes (eggs) and sperm in children who undergo cancer treatment that might compromise their fertility, so that one day they can become parents.

The centre will bring together the healthcare services aimed at children and adolescents with developmental cancer and their families in one single place, as well as spaces dedicated to research. It will be one of the leading international paediatric cancer centres.

The aim of the Pediatric Cancer Center Barcelona is to more effectively, efficiently and appropriately care for a large volume of patients, more than 400 new patients a year, which will make advances in research and treatment possible.

The centre will house, together in the same building, cutting-edge high-tech research laboratories for molecular and cellular diagnosis and prognosis, and will be capable of developing innovative, personalised advanced therapies.

Some data on the Pediatric Cancer Center Barcelona:

• Surface area 14.000 m2
• Floors 5
• Research space 30%
• Space for healthcare 70%
• Rooms 37
• Transplant chambers 8
• Boxes in the Day Hospital 26
• Outpatient consultation rooms 21

• Molecular diagnosis: We have a Molecular Oncology Laboratory specialising in the genetic characterisation of solid tumours which allows us to offer patients a more personalised and appropriate treatment based on the genetic abnormalities of their tumour.
• Diagnostic imaging: Our Diagnostic Imaging Area specialises in the study of paediatric oncological imaging biomarkers that enable us to have non-invasive anatomical, metabolic and functional information, thus increasing the precision of the initial diagnosis while also establishing patient prognosis and follow-up. We also have intraoperative magnetic resonance imaging in our surgical wing that allows us to improve surgical precision and safety.
• Nuclear medicine: This allows us to perform very important diagnostic tests in a set of paediatric oncological diseases. It is applied for the detection and determination of the extent of the disease, for monitoring or for the detection of relapses. Moreover, not only is it useful for diagnostic purposes, but it is also useful in the treatment of certain solid tumours.

• CART-19 Immunotherapy: Modification of patient lymphocytes to destroy carcinogenic cells.
• Immunotherapy with Naxitamab, humanised anti-GD2 antibody: We have demonstrated that it is a possible treatment pathway for neuroblastoma and therefore we continue to research it.
• Oncolytic viruses: They are genetically-modified viruses to destroy the ocular tumour.
• "Theragnostics": It combines diagnosis and treatment with the use of radiologically-labelled drugs.

• Epigenetics of paediatric cancer.
• Translational genomics.
• Sarcomas and histiocytosis.
• Treatment of paediatric cancer.
• Leukaemia and paediatric blood diseases.