Childhood cancer can be cured in a good proportion of patients, but outcome rates are still unsatisfactory for specific cancer types and for resistant or relapsed disease. Collaborative clinical research is required for further outcome improvement as well as easier access for children to innovative treatments. Moreover, clinical care standards and clinical research infrastructure in Belgium should be optimised and structurally financed to reach the level proposed by international professional and scientific organisations. In this strategic plan, obstacles are analysed, and solutions for improved childhood cancer care and clinical research in Belgium are proposed.
(BELG J MED ONCOL 2019;13(1):21–26)
