Medical Oncology

The research we perform is aimed at establishing individualized treatments of patients with solid tumors that are highly effective and show least side effects. “The treatment of an individual with cancer is determined by specific characteristics of that individual patient, the cancer cells, and their micro-environment, and needs to be constantly adjusted according to the changes observed in these characteristics”. This is the over-arching vision we have defined.

To this end, our research activities are organized into 5 divisions:

• Translational Cancer Genomics and Proteomics  to establish prognostic and predictive markers according to molecular traits of tumor cells
  • Research group Martens: Breast Cancer Genomics and Proteomics
  • Research group Hooning: Hereditary Cancer
• Translational Pharmacology to study the pharmacology of drugs involved in anti-cancer treatment to individualize the dose of individual patients
  • Research group Mathijssen: Personalized Medicine
• Translational Onco-Immunology to understand how the tumor micro-environment contributes to immune evasion and explore strategies to enchance the responses of tumor-specific T lymphocytes
  • Research group Debets: Tumor Immunology
• Clinical trials to explore the clinical value of treatments suggested by preclinical findings
  • Research group Lolkema: Early Clinical Trials
  • Research group De Wit: Experimental Systematic Therapy of Urogenital Tumors
• Palliative and Supportive Care to determine and optimize factors that affect patients' quality of life
  • Research group Van der Rijt: Palliative and Supportive Care

Below you will find an overview of the devisions.

Importantly, clinical and preclinical studies show complementary activities. Our preclinical studies allow adequate interpretation of current therapies, and development and testing of new treatments. The activity and safety  of new or combined treatments are tested in a vast number of clinical trials, results of which feed again into our preclinical studies to warrant continuous optimization of treatments. To increase the quality of life of patients, we implement and further improve palliative and supportive care. Finally, our nursing research aims to help patients and their loved ones to cope with the effect of cancer (treatment), to reduce the symptom burden and to improve quality of life.

Our division coordinators are:

• Department Chair: Stefan Sleijfer, Professor 
• Translational Cancer Genomics and Proteomics: Stefan Sleijfer, Professor, John Martens, Professor
• Translational Pharmacology: Ron Mathijssen, Professor 
• Translational Onco-Immunology: Reno Debets, Associate Professor 
• Clinical Trials: Stefan Sleijfer, Professor, Ron Mathijssen, Professor 
• Palliative and Supportive Care: Carin van der Rijt, Professor

Our principal investigators, running research laboratories or groups within the above divisions, are:

• Translational Cancer Genomics and Proteomics:

         - Breast Cancer Genomics and Proteomics (John Martens, professor)
         - Hereditary Cancer (Maartje Hooning, assistent professor)

• Translational Pharmacology
         - Personalized Medicine (Ron Mathijssen, professor)

• Translational Onco-Immunology
         - Tumor Immunology (Reno Debets, associate professor)

• Clinical Trials
         - Early Clinical Trials (Martijn Lolkema, MD PhD)
         - Experimental Systemic Therapy of Urogenital Tumors (Ronald de Wit, professor)

• Palliative and Supportive Care
         - Palliative and Supportive Care (Carin van der Rijt, professor)

• Henricks L.M., Lunenburg C.A.T.C., de Man F.M., Meulendijks D., Frederix G.W.J., Kienhuis E., Creemers G.-J., Baars A., Dezentjé V.O., Imholz A.L.T., Jeurissen F., Portielje J.E.A., Jansen R.L.H., Hamberg P., ten Tije A.J., Droogendijk H.J., Koopman M., Nieboer P., van de Poel M.H.W., Mandigers C.M.P.W., Rosing H., Beijnen J.H., van Werkhoven E., van Kuilenburg A.B.P., van Schaik R.H.N., Mathijssen R.H.J., Swen J.J., Gelderblom H., Cats A., Guchelaar H.-J., and Schellens J.H.M. DPYD genotype-guided dose individualisation of fluoropyrimidine therapy in patients with cancer: A prospective safety analysis. Lancet Oncol. 19 (11): 1459-1467, 2018. 
• Angus L, Martens JWM, van den Bent MJ, Sillevis Smitt PAE, Sleijfer S, Jager A. Novel methods to diagnose leptomeningeal metastases in breast cancer. Neuro Oncol. 2019 Mar 18;21(4):428-439. doi: 10.1093/neuonc/noy186.
• Kuip EJM, Oldenmenger WH, Oomen-de Hoop E, Verduijn GM, Thijs-Visser MF, de Bruijn P, van Meerten E, Koolen SLW, Mathijssen RHJ, van der Rijt CCD. Pharmacokinetics of Sublingually Delivered Fentanyl in Head and Neck Cancer Patients Treated with Curatively Aimed Chemo or Bioradiotherapy. Cancers (Basel). 2018 Nov 15;10(11). pii: E445. doi: 10.3390/cancers10110445.
• Kunert A, Basak E, Hurkmans D, Klaver Y, van Brakel M, Oostvogels A, Lamers C, Bins S, Koolen S, van der Veldt A, Sleijfer S, Mathijssen R, Aerts J, Debets R. CD45RA⁺CCR7^- CD8 T cells lacking co-stimulatory receptors demonstrate enhanced frequency in NSCLC patients responding to nivolumab. J ImmunoTherapy for Cancer, 2019, 7:149.

DPOG

Center for Personalized Cancer Treatment

Newsarticle on Het AD - Onderzoekers Erasmus MC: pas op met kurkuma

Media attention for research of dr. Eric Geijteman:

• Interview in the Medicijnjournaal
• Newsarticle on Nieuwsuur 'Kanker: langer leven of kwaliteit van leven'
• Interview in Stand van Nederland
• Uitleg resultaten onderzoek tijdens Goed gebruik Geneesmiddelen symposium
• Informatie voor Patiënten die deelnemen aan CPCT-02