Zero Childhood Cancer (ZERO) is a very promising childhood cancer research initiative led by Children’s Cancer Institute and Kids Cancer Centre at Sydney Children’s Hospital, Randwick. It involves unprecedented collaboration between national and international research and clinical partners, ZERO is changing the model of care for children and young people with cancer.

About ZERO national clinical trials

Zero Childhood Cancer is helping to change the model of care for children with cancer. The three year trial began in September 2017 and by the end of 2020 over 400 children are expected to be enrolled in the program. The current trial is open to all children and young people up to 21 years of age who have aggressive or relapsed cancer and face a less than 30% chance of survival.

The aim of the clinical trial is to provide every child and young person diagnosed with cancer in Australia the opportunity to receive the comprehensive genetic testing (including genomic analysis, drug screening and drug testing) that can help determine a personalised treatment recommendation for their individual cancer.

Building on the success of the first three years of the trial, ZERO will be expanded to be accessible to all children with cancer, by the end of 2023.  

Accelerating research through Zero Childhood Cancer

Each child participating in ZERO’s has a sample from their tumour subjected to detailed laboratory analyses, using a wide range of cutting-edge science and technology. This generates an incredible wealth of research data that creates a valuable resource for cancer researchers worldwide to understand childhood cancer. In particular, tumour analysis of children taking part in the clinical trial is leading to exciting revelations about the causes and molecular drivers of cancers in children, which in turn is driving research into potential therapies and preventive strategies.

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