Collaboration for improved radiotherapy treatments for children

In the presence of Her Majesty Queen Máxima, representatives of the Princess Máxima Center and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) today signed a four-year partnership to improve global practical knowledge of radiotherapy for children with cancer.

Each year, more than 400,000 children worldwide are diagnosed with cancer. For about 30% of patients, radiotherapy (radiation therapy) is an important part of the overall treatment. This includes the treatment of brain tumors, leukemia, neuroblastoma, and rhabdomyosarcoma. Radiation therapy can help shrink a tumor before surgery or destroy remaining cancer cells after surgery and chemotherapy. For some brain tumors, surgery is not possible, and radiotherapy can be used instead.

Collaborating Centre

As part of the partnership, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has designated the Princess Máxima Center as an IAEA Collaborating Centre for four years, with the aim of strengthening pediatric radiotherapy, medical physics, and nutrition. Together, the Princess Máxima Center and the IAEA support international pediatric radiotherapy teams in expanding their knowledge, skills, and expertise through joint activities in education, training, quality improvement, and research.

‘It is our mission to reduce the large global disparities in radiotherapy for children; knowledge and training play a key role in this,’ says Rafael Mariano Grossi, Director General of the IAEA. ‘I am very pleased that pediatric radiotherapy teams can share the knowledge gained at the Princess Máxima Center with colleagues in their home countries, and ultimately with the children and families who depend on them.’

Global disparities

There are several reasons for the global differences in the use of radiotherapy. First, access to modern equipment is limited in many places. In addition, there is often insufficient training to treat children safely and effectively, while minimizing the risk of long-term side effects.

‘We are grateful to the IAEA for giving us the opportunity to provide training for these radiation oncologists that helps them treat children in their own countries more safely and effectively. It also enables us to expand our knowledge of childhood cancer by working more closely with hospitals in these regions,’ says Prof. Rob Pieters, Chief Máxima International at the Princess Máxima Center. ‘In this way, it makes an important contribution to the mission that our center and pediatric oncologists around the world share: curing every child with cancer while ensuring the best possible quality of life. Everywhere.’

The first joint training programs started on Monday, December 15, 2025.