World Day of Childhood cancers

Every year, around 2,500 children aged between 0 and 17 years are affected by cancer. Over the past thirty years, the prognosis for childhood cancers has significantly improved thanks to optimized multidisciplinary oncological care offering surgery, chemotherapy, and radiotherapy, as well as better management of supportive care, complementary to treatments. The 5-year survival rates now exceed 80%.

In Lyon, the IHOPe (Institute for Childhood Cancer and Blood Disorders) welcomes and follows these children and adolescents, often for several years.

Context: IHOPe is a specialized medical institution in Lyon that focuses on treating children with cancer and blood disorders.

Fact Check: The information about the improvements in cancer care and survival rates is accurate and supported by medical advancements in oncology.

IHOPe, a European reference center

IHOPe, jointly managed by the Hospices Civils de Lyon and the Centre Léon Bérard, is one of the leading European institutes for the treatment and research of cancers and blood diseases in children and adolescents.

• For children under 15 years, the main cancer locations are leukemias, central nervous system tumors, and lymphomas.
• For those aged 15-19 years, the main locations are lymphomas, central nervous system tumors, and leukemias.

Bringing together patients (250 new patients/year) and professionals’ expertise from the two largest pediatric oncology and hematology services in Rhône-Alpes has given this institution a status equivalent to the largest European and North American centers. It is now recognized at a European level within networks of excellence aimed at improving rare tumor screening and follow-up across the European community.

The institute in Lyon focuses on three missions: healthcare, research, and teaching. Its specificity, size, high activity, and excellence in teams have led to numerous innovations in treatments, research, and overall care for young patients.

Its organization is divided between two sites:

• The Centre Léon Bérard for hospitalization and radiotherapy.
• The Hôpital Femme Mère Enfant des Hospices Civils de Lyon for medical consultations and most surgeries.

IHOPe is one of the 5 French centers accredited for early-phase trials by INCa (CLIP2). It has been selected as an expert center in the ERN * PaedCan network for rare pediatric cancers. The institution has been at the forefront of many pediatric innovations and is also part of the pediatric SIRIC South Rock network accredited by INCa in 2023.