Dialogues

Dec 8, 2024, 09:59

ASCO2024 Updates: Tezer Kutluk on Turkey’s Pediatric Cancer Registry

The American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Annual Meeting is one of the largest and most prestigious conferences in the field of oncology. This year, the meeting took place from May 31 to June 4 in Chicago, Illinois. The event gathers oncologists, researchers, and healthcare professionals from around the world to discuss the latest advancements in cancer research, treatment, and patient care. Keynote sessions, research presentations, and panel discussions are typically part of the agenda, providing attendees with valuable insights into emerging trends and innovations in oncology.

This year, OncoDaily was at ASCO 2024 for the first time covering the meeting on-site. We had the pleasure of interviewing researchers who summarized the highlights of their work.

In this video, Tezer Kutluk, pediatric oncologist from Turkey, shares insights on ‘Pediatric cancer registry in Turkey 2002-2023: 22 years of achievement (TPOG & TPHD).‘

My name is Tezer Kutluk. I am a pediatric oncologist from Turkey. What I am presenting here in ASCO meeting in Chicago, the Turkish Pediatric Cancer Registry.

I am presenting the results of the 22 years of achievement of the Pediatric Cancer Registry from Turkey. We established the Pediatric Cancer Registry in Turkey in 2002. And for the period of 22 years, starting from 2002 up to 2023, I was able to collect the data of the more than 50,000 pediatric cancer cases in Turkey.

We were able to record at least two-thirds of the pediatric cancer cases from Turkey. When we look at the results, the distribution of the tumor types is not that much different from the Western world or rest of the world. But what we found as the long-term survival is 71% for five years period.

This is necessary. Pediatric Cancer Registry is number one priority for any nation who are investing on the pediatric cancer control. Turkey is an upper middle-income country.

So how are we doing it? I mean, 70% survival rate for an upper middle-income country is quite acceptable. But what I always tell my friends, we have to target 75% for the next five years.

I thank very much to two societies, Turkish Pediatric Oncology Group and Turkish Pediatric Hematology Society for supporting me on collecting data of the pediatric cancer cases from Turkey. Thank you.

More videos and content from ASCO 2024 on OncoDaily.