Cedars-Sinai Guerin Children’s pediatric oncologist Leo Mascarenhas, MD, MS, has been reelected as Children’s Oncology Group (COG) voting body chair for a second five-year term.

“It’s an honor to continue to serve COG, a research network that has contributed significantly to most children surviving cancer today,” said Mascarenhas, director of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology and a professor of Pediatrics. “I look forward to even more progress in the next five years and beyond, thanks to the research and therapeutic advancements from healthcare professionals at research institutions that are part of COG.”

COG is a National Cancer Institute-funded clinical trials network comprising more than 200 leading hospitals and cancer centers across North America, Australia and New Zealand. All members work to advance progress in treating pediatric and adolescent cancer patients. As such, it is the largest clinical trials group in the world.

COG notes that patient participation in clinical research from member institutions, including Cedars-Sinai, has led to a combined five-year survival rate of 85% for children with cancer.

Mascarenhas has been a member of COG for more than 25 years and a member of the COG voting body, composed of principal investigators from each member institution, for 17 years. As voting body chair, Mascarenhas appoints leaders, coordinates and oversees elections within COG, and serves as a liaison between various COG scientific and administrative committees advocating for and facilitating smooth and efficient conduct of COG trials at each member site.

“Dr. Mascarenhas’ reelection to voting body chair for Children’s Oncology Group is a testament to his outstanding leadership in the pediatric and adolescent cancer field,” said Ophir Klein, MD, PhD, executive director of Cedars-Sinai Guerin Children’s and the David and Meredith Kaplan Distinguished Chair in Children’s Health. “His service and that of his fellow clinicians and scientists is what will lead to more benefits for patients locally and globally.”

Mascarenhas is known for his expertise in treating sarcomas and pediatric solid tumors. Sarcomas are rare cancers that occur in bone or soft tissue. Mascarenhas has led and collaborated on several clinical trials that have resulted in key insights and improvements in treatments for these cancers.   

“Dr. Mascarenhas’ research is fueling critical learnings that continue to give new hope to pediatric cancer patients and their families,” said Shervin Rabizadeh, MD, MBA, chair of the Department of Pediatrics at Guerin Children’s. “His yearslong involvement with Children’s Oncology Group underscores that the most robust science often stems from dedicated experts around the world working together to answer the most challenging questions.”

 In addition to his roles with Guerin Children’s, Mascarenhas is a senior investigator in the Samuel Oschin Comprehensive Cancer Institute Cancer Therapeutics Program at Cedars-Sinai and medical director of the Sarcoma Program at Cedars-Sinai Cancer.

“We congratulate Dr. Mascarenhas on his reelection to Children’s Oncology Group voting body chair and commend him on his longtime commitment to the cancer field,” said Dan Theodorescu, MD, PhD, director of Cedars-Sinai Cancer and the PHASE ONE Foundation Distinguished Chair. “Patients treated at Cedars-Sinai and beyond will continue to benefit as a result of Dr. Mascarenhas and all the physician-investigators in COG who are determined to save more lives.”

Mascarenhas’ second term as voting body chair began in April 2024 and will continue through March 2029.

Read more on the Cedars-Sinai Blog: When Your Child Has Cancer | Tips for Parents