Mapping economic impact and resource utilization in pediatric precision oncology

Pediatric precision oncology is rapidly transforming the landscape of childhood cancer care by integrating genomic and molecular technologies to tailor therapies more effectively. Despite advances in targeted interventions, the field faces persistent challenges, including high treatment costs, limited health system resources, and significant inequities in access. Ongoing debates focus on how best to allocate resources within health systems, ensure cost-effectiveness, and bridge the growing evidence gaps regarding economic impacts and implementation strategies. Recent studies have underscored the promise of precision medicine for improved outcomes, but also reveal deficiencies in comprehensive economic evaluations, inconsistencies in data on resource utilization, and a notable lack of comparative, real-world evidence across various settings. These issues are particularly acute in underserved jurisdictions, where disparities are amplified by the absence of standardized economic evaluation frameworks and robust data collection infrastructure.

This Research Topic aims to propel the field by catalyzing the generation of concrete evidence and datasets centered on the economic and resource dimensions of precision oncology in childhood cancers. The principal objectives are to map real-world resource allocation in pediatric oncology care, and produce comparative analyses assessing cost-effectiveness, care efficiency, and equity. Through the integration of both quantitative and qualitative research, spanning health expenditures and the personal financial burdens faced by families, this initiative seeks to guide policymakers, payers, and clinicians toward evidence-based strategies. The overarching goal is to furnish a robust foundation for making informed decisions about health policy, reimbursement, and investments that foster equitable, effective, and sustainable precision oncology for children worldwide.

The scope of this Research Topic is limited to data- and evidence-based examination of cost, resource utilization, and implementation models within pediatric precision oncology, with a particular emphasis on real-world and comparative analyses in diverse socio-economic contexts. To gather further insights in these areas, we welcome articles addressing, but not limited to, the following themes:
o Data infrastructure and methodologies for economic evidence generation in pediatric precision oncology
o Real-world studies of resource utilization and cost mapping across care settings
o Comparative effectiveness, cost-effectiveness, and budget impact analyses specific to pediatric precision oncology workflows
o Evaluation of equity and access using distributional and population-level data
o Empirical assessment of workforce readiness and bioinformatics capacity to support precision oncology delivery
o Assessment of financial toxicity using patient- and family-level data
o Policy research anchored in data-driven recommendations for coverage and implementation
o Integration of stakeholder-generated evidence from clinicians, payers, families, and advocates

We welcome all article types including original research, systematic reviews, comparative analyses, policy briefs, and perspectives relevant to the above topics.

Article types and fees

This Research Topic accepts the following article types, unless otherwise specified in the Research Topic description:

• Brief Research Report
• Case Report
• Classification
• Clinical Trial
• Community Case Study
• Data Report
• Editorial
• FAIR² Data
• FAIR² DATA Direct Submission
• ... View all formats

Articles that are accepted for publication by our external editors following rigorous peer review incur a publishing fee charged to Authors, institutions, or funders.

Article types

This Research Topic accepts the following article types, unless otherwise specified in the Research Topic description:

• Brief Research Report
• Case Report
• Classification
• Clinical Trial
• Community Case Study
• Data Report
• Editorial
• FAIR² Data
• FAIR² DATA Direct Submission
• General Commentary
• Hypothesis and Theory
• Methods
• Mini Review
• Opinion
• Original Research
• Perspective
• Policy and Practice Reviews
• Policy Brief
• Review
• Study Protocol
• Systematic Review
• Technology and Code

Keywords: Pediatric precision oncology, Cost and Resources, Real-world Evidance

Important note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.