Although melanoma is one of the most common cancers in adults, it remains very rare in children and teens. For decades, kids have been excluded from major clinical trials. As a result, physicians historically relied on adult data to guide treatment decisions for pediatric patients despite clear biological differences.
A landmark clinical trial at UPMC Children’s is now changing that reality.
A First-of-Its-Kind National Trial
On August 18, 2026, UPMC Children’s opened A Multi-institutional Central Pathology and Molecular Risk-based Stratification Study of Surgical Management for Melanoma, the world’s first pediatric melanoma trial.
Led by Brittani Seynnaeve, MD, MS, director of Clinical Oncology Research at UPMC Children’s, the study also marks the first melanoma trial in history conducted in partnership with the Children’s Oncology Group (COG), the largest organization dedicated to childhood cancer research.
“As a COG-led study, the work has the potential to influence how children with melanoma and atypical melanocytic tumors are diagnosed and treated across the country and, ultimately, to ensure that children have access to care informed by research conducted specifically for them,” said Dr. Seynnaeve.
By uniting pediatric cancer centers nationwide, the trial establishes a shared system to study these rare tumors in real time.
Driving Breakthroughs Through Institutional Leadership
The launch of this study reflects the growing research momentum within the Division of Pediatric Hematology, Oncology, and Stem Cell Transplantation at UPMC Children’s.
The division entered a new chapter on June 1, 2026, when Jeffrey Bednarski, MD, PhD, joined UPMC Children’s as division chief and director of the Mario Lemieux Institute for Pediatric Cancer Research.
“My goal is to build on the strong clinical foundation at UPMC Children’s and to expand research and innovation through the addition of basic and clinical researchers and the development of novel clinical trials,” Dr. Bednarski shared.
This national leadership effort aligns directly with the mission of the Mario Lemieux Institute for Pediatric Cancer Research to power promising clinical trials and transform laboratory research into direct patient care. The work is supported by donors to the division and the Lemieux Institute. Philanthropy sustains the specialized technology and trial-related resources required to offer these types of groundbreaking studies to kids and families.
Through this historic effort, UPMC Children’s is helping to close a longstanding gap in pediatric cancer research and expand treatment opportunities for children nationwide.