Five pediatric cancers – update on genetic implications

Pediatric cancer has undergone significant improvements in survival over the past several decades, in part due to a better understanding of the underlying genetic aberrations of each oncologic diagnosis, which has allowed for more effective targeted therapies. Pediatric brain tumors, leukemia, lymphoma, Wilms tumor, and retinoblastoma are exemplary pediatric cancers that each has specific epidemiology regarding children at risk as well as characteristic associated genetic lesions. These genetic features are more commonly being used to provide risk stratification, as well as to identify novel pathways for targeted therapy. With these advances, the overall survival of pediatric cancers continues to be improved.