Childhood Cancer Survival In India Could Improve Over Next Five Years, Says AIIMS Delhi Professor

India could see a significant improvement in the quality and availability of childhood cancer survival data over the next five years, according to an AIIMS Delhi expert. Recent advances in research have strengthened the evidence base, offering fresh opportunities to assess treatment outcomes and improve care for children diagnosed with cancer.

Speaking at the 10th Pediatric Haematology Oncology Support Services Conference (PHOSSCON 2026) in Mohali on Saturday, October 24, Professor Sameer Bakhshi, Head of the Department of Medical Oncology at AIIMS, New Delhi, highlighted the progress made in understanding childhood cancer survival in India.

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Childhood Cancer Research Sees Progress

Bakhshi said, “Of the information we have today, three-fourths has come in the last 10 years. On a graph, if the information for the last three decades is treated as almost a flat line, it could shoot up sharply in the next five years.”

He also discussed the longstanding challenges posed by limited survival data, drawing on landmark research led by his AIIMS team. The study brought together three decades of evidence on childhood cancer survival in India, covering 182 studies and 22,886 children.

The findings offer a broader picture of the available evidence and could help strengthen the understanding of survival outcomes across the country.

India Targets 60% Childhood Cancer Survival by 2030

Poonam Bagai, organising chair of all 10 PHOSSCON editions and a co-author of the AIIMS-led study, underlined the importance of reliable evidence in measuring progress towards the United Nations General Assembly's target of achieving survival rates of more than 60% among children with cancer by 2030.

She said the research could help policymakers identify gaps in childhood cancer care, assess progress and improve accountability.

Bagai led the session titled Towards 60 per cent-plus survival: From Evidence to Action. She is also a member of the ICMR Central Ethics Committee on Human Research, founder of CanKids and Childhood Cancer International's WHO South-East Asia Region representative.

Reflecting on the progress made since 2015, Bagai said: “Over 10 PHOSSCONs, research, advocacy and healthcare systems have changed. Today, we are asking a bigger question, not just how to help children through treatment, but how to help more children survive.”

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Punjab Develops Integrated Childhood Cancer Care Framework

The two-day PHOSSCON 2026 conference began on Saturday at the Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER) Mohali in SAS Nagar. Aligned with the Punjab government's objectives, the event is bringing together stakeholders to discuss childhood cancer survival and the evidence required to improve outcomes.

Punjab's efforts to strengthen childhood cancer care featured prominently in the discussions. Building on CanKids' partnership with the state government since 2017, an Integrated Childhood Cancer Care Framework is being developed, with HBCH Mullanpur, AIIMS Bathinda and CMC Ludhiana serving as key hubs.

Other conference sessions addressed access to treatment, financial protection for families, collaboration between civil society and the medical community, and support throughout diagnosis, treatment, survivorship and long-term care.

Participants also discussed research priorities, shared learning and future roadmaps for paediatric haematology-oncology support services.

As India works towards its 2030 childhood cancer survival target, stronger research, reliable data and coordinated healthcare efforts remain central to understanding where progress is needed and how more children can benefit from care.

(With inputs from IANS)