Dr Jack Bartram: Can genomics improve our understanding of childhood cancers?

In this episode of the G Word, Naimah Callachand, Head of Product
Engagement and Growth at Genomics England, is joined by Dr Jack
Bartram, consultant paediatric haematologist at Great Ormond
Street Hospital (GOSH) for Children.


Dr Bartram leads on molecular diagnostics within the haematology
department at GOSH and has expertise in minimal residual disease
in acute lymphoblastic leukaemia. He is currently the clinical
lead for haematological malignancy genomics in the NHSE North
London genomic laboratory hub and has been responsible for the
implementation of advanced genomics and whole genome sequencing
into clinical practice at GOSH.


Approximately 2,000 children in the UK receive a childhood cancer
diagnosis each year. However, childhood cancers account for a
relatively small percentage (less than 1%) of all cancer
diagnoses in the UK. This rarity has posed challenges in fully
understanding the associated risk factors and underlying causes.
In this podcast Dr Bartram discusses how genomics has emerged as
a pivotal tool in enhancing our understanding, offering
opportunities for precise diagnosis, personalised treatment, and
improved screening methods for childhood cancer.


 


You can read the transcript here:
Childhood-cancer-awareness.docx 


 


"If I look back on and if I reflect on the last three years, we
can probably accurately say for at least a quarter of patients
it's [genomics] given us additional information, which has either
aided in diagnosis or like I'd say to help re-stratify a patient
or potentially reveal a target for a therapy that we didn't know
of before."