08/29/2026
Decades of childhood cancer research changed what was once an “easeful death” into a 90% cure rate for kids with Wilms tumor.
And that transformation didn’t come from one discovery—or one researcher.
It came in phases: new surgical techniques followed by advances in radiation and chemotherapy. More clinical trials and lab research led to a better understanding of tumor biology. It took years of researchers building on one another's work.
That’s the story of childhood cancer research: reaching cures is a team effort.
In the Childhood Cancer Blog: five breakthroughs that have changed what’s possible for kids with cancer—and the research still needed to push those breakthroughs even further.
Because 90% isn’t 100%. Read more: https://www.alexslemonade.org/blog/history-childhood-cancer-research-five-breakthroughs
Photo Credit: Carly Sullen for Flashes of Hope