Childhood cancer data initiative: expanded access to tumor molecular profiling for children, adolescents, and young adults

Flores-Toro J, Jagu S, Smith M, Shern J, Hawkins DS, Mardis ER, Rudzinski E, Alonzo TA, Beeles T, Ramirez N, Thomas DL, Cottrell CE, Parbhoo K, Janeway KA, Leary S, Fouladi M, Oberoi S, Venkatramani R, Irwin M, Laetsch TW, Chen KS, Bailey K, Davis JL, Sullivan MB, Boja E, Lowy D, Guidry Auvil JM, Wideman B, Kibbe W, Doroshow J, Reaman GH. Childhood cancer data initiative: expanded access to tumor molecular profiling for children, adolescents, and young adults. J Natl Cancer Inst. 2026 Feb 1;118(2):199-204. doi: 10.1093/jnci/djaf214. PMID: 40794906; PMCID: PMC12360469.

The Molecular Characterization Initiative (MCI), a key effort of the National Cancer Institute’s Childhood Cancer Data Initiative (CCDI), was launched in 2022 in collaboration with the Children’s Oncology Group (COG) to bring comprehensive genomic and molecular profiling to children, adolescents, and young adults diagnosed with cancer. The MCI provides paired tumor and germline molecular testing, with results returned to clinicians to inform care. Deidentified data are made available to the research community through the CCDI Data Ecosystem to facilitate the discovery of new treatment strategies. This commentary outlines the MCI’s development, key accomplishments to date, and its role in laying the foundation for standardized clinical diagnostics in pediatric oncology.