Future of Clinical Genomics in Pediatric Oncology

The somatic genomic alterations in pediatric cancers to some extent overlap with those seen in adult cancers, but the exact distribution throughout the genome and the types and frequency of alterations differ. The ultimate goal of genomic research in children, as with adults, is translation to the clinic to achieve more accurate diagnosis, more precise risk stratification, and more effective, less toxic therapy. The genomic features of pediatric malignancies and pediatric-specific issues in clinical investigation may make translating genomic discoveries to the clinic more difficult. However, through large-scale molecular profiling of pediatric tumors, continued coordinated efforts to evaluate novel therapies in the pediatric population, thoughtful phase II and III trial design, and continued drug development, genomically based therapies will become more common in the pediatric oncology clinic in the future.