ASH Issues Recommendations to the NCI on CCDI

ASH submitted comments to the National Cancer Institute (NCI) on ways in which improved childhood cancer data sharing could inform hematology-related pediatric research questions, data collection and data analysis tools. ASH’s recommendations, which were developed with input from various scientific committees and task forces and built on the Society’s Agenda for Hematology Research, highlight the importance of leveraging data sharing to understand the biology of pediatric hematologic cancer development and its correlation with other hematologic diseases. In addition, the Society emphasizes the role data sharing could play in helping investigators refine risk stratification protocols; enhance risk prediction in the pediatric population; and prioritize novel therapeutic agents (identified in pre-clinical research) for testing in the clinical setting. ASH specifically recommends that the NCI: 

• Take advantage of existing data analysis tools to help facilitate the use of hematology pediatric immune-oncology data; 
• Enhance access to visualization and analytical tools for pediatric hematologic cancers; and
• Facilitate interoperability across various data repositories.

The Society hopes that its recommendations will help inform programs that may be developed as a result of the NCI Childhood Cancer Data Initiative.