In a new article, researchers from the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) and St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital (Tennessee, USA) report on the development and successful implementation of an educational programme within the Targeting Childhood Cancer through the Global Initiative for Cancer Registry Development (ChildGICR) collaboration. To date, 110 professionals in 31 countries, including cancer registry personnel, oncologists, and other specialists involved in establishing or strengthening registration of childhood cancer, have benefited from this educational programme. The article was published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology Global Oncology.
The research team designed and deployed the ChildGICR Masterclass. First, the training needs were identified by 38 GICR collaborators in 27 countries. Then, teaching material was developed in collaboration with 22 participants from 18 countries during the ChildGICR Masterclass, which took place online during April–July 2021. In working groups, the participants created content for seven identified topics relevant to childhood cancer: burden, registration, classification, staging, data quality assessment, data analysis, and data use. The participants were also trained in teaching theory and practice to become trainers for their respective regions using the developed material. Later, 11 ChildGICR Masterclass graduates taught 88 professionals in 16 countries during three online courses in 2022 and 2023, disseminating the acquired knowledge.
Registration of childhood cancer is the cornerstone of childhood cancer control. However, data are sparse in many low- and middle-income countries. Training public health workers and registrars in regions where information on childhood cancer is inadequate is the first step to improving the knowledge and control of the burden of cancer in children. By focusing on participants from low- and middle-income countries, the ChildGICR educational programme supports the World Health Organization (WHO) Global Initiative for Childhood Cancer.
Moreira DC, Znaor A, Santana VM, Dolya A, Fox Irwin L, Bhakta N, et al.
Expanding the global capacity for childhood cancer registration: the ChildGICR Masterclass
JCO Glob Oncol, Published online 20 June 2024;
https://doi.org/10.1200/GO.23.00334
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