“If you build it, they will come”: the convergence of funding, research and collaboration in paediatric brain cancer clinical trials

Each year, approximately 1000 children in Australia and New Zealand, aged 0–14 years, are diagnosed with cancer. Despite paediatric cancer accounting for less than 1% of all cancer cases, the impact on their families and communities is profound and disproportionate.1-3 Paediatric brain cancers are the most significant cause of cancer-related deaths within this age group, responsible for 40% of fatalities despite representing only 14% of diagnoses.2 Although significant advances in paediatric cancer treatments have pushed overall cure rates above 80%, the outlook for many brain tumour types remains bleak.4 Moreover, survivors often face lifelong clinical sequelae that severely diminish their quality of life,5 with 60% of survivors unable to reach independence in adulthood.6 This stark reality underscores the need for the expansion of clinical trials and integrated preclinical research aimed at improving outcomes for these individuals.