Review: 50 Years of Childhood Cancer Registration
At the weekend of August 21 and 22, 2026, we celebrated the 50th anniversary of Childhood Cancer Registration in Switzerland with a symposium at the University of Bern.
Left to right: Fabiën Belle-van Sprundel, Claudia Kuehni, Ursula Kuehnel, Nicolas Waespe, Ben Spycher, Grit Sommer
We were pleased to welcome numerous national and international experts from clinics, registries, and follow-up care research, as well as patient advocates, representatives from foundations and from politics.
Sincere thanks go to all the wonderful speakers and to our engaged audience, who celebrated this special occasion with us!
Lots of new insights and perspectives were shared through the presentations. These contributions will help all stakeholders to make their work even more aligned with the needs of those affected.
The participants were warmly welcomed by Angèle Gayet-Ageron, Director of the Institute of Social and Preventive Medicine, Linda Nartey, Deputy Director of the Federal Office of Public Health, and Ursula Kuehnel, Executive Coordinator of the Childhood Cancer Registry.
Ursula Kuehnel
In the first session, Nicolas von der Weid and Claudia Kuehni guided us through the history of childhood cancer registration in Switzerland. Marina Haller, Friederike Erdmann, Fabiën Belle-van Sprundel, and other researchers gave presentations on a wide range of topics that can be investigated using data rom the registry: from differences in survival, data quality, and completeness to long-term health and psychosocial consequences, as well as cancer predisposition. In addition, PhD students gave flash talks on their posters, which were later discussed.
Marina Haller
In the afternoon, the focus turned to two key questions: What role does the environment play in childhood cancers? And how can registry data and research help us understand potential risk factors? Stéphanie Goujon and Aurélie Danjou focused on findings related to environmental exposures and agricultural factors, Ben Spycher addressed proximity to nuclear power plants, and Catherine Metayer spoke about PFAS exposure.
We then turned our attention to the future of cancer registration in children. While Katrin Scheinemann and Claudia Kuehni explained the registry and research perspectives, Paul Castle shared the perspectives of patients and families.
The day concluded with a panel discussion featuring perspectives from public health, clinical care, research, and patient advocacy. A fitting conclusion: We looked back, discussed current issues, and reflected together on the future of childhood cancer registration and data.
Left to right: Katrin Scheinemann, Rhoikos Furtwängler, Petra Baeriswyl, Claudia Kuehni, Paul Castle, Nicolas Waespe, Nicolas von der Weid
On the second day, the focus was on two closely related topics: What can new data on childhood cancers reveal? And how can life after childhood cancer be improved?
In the morning, we explored the possibilities of genetic predisposition, biobanks, omics, and new therapeutic approaches, and then turned our attention to life after childhood cancer. Insightful contributions came from Nicolas Waespe, Kevin Oeffinger, Raffaele Renella, and Jean-Pierre Bourquin, among others. The importance of registry data, early detection, prevention, and psychosocial aspects for the long-term health of children with cancer was highlighted by Severin Fankhauser and Gisela Michel, among others.
Many thanks to everyone who joined us and demonstrated how high-quality data can improv the overall care and support provided to those affected by childhood cancer!
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