( Dr. Jurgen Futterer, Dr. Paul Span)
The focus of this theme is the diagnostic/prognostic efficacy and effectiveness of biomarkers, imaging techniques, cancer screening (general population) and routine follow-up policies (clinical population). In a sense, this theme ‘starts where translational research stops’. Because validation of diagnostic and prognostic tests is a continuum from development until clinical and public health evaluation the theme does not exclude early stage (development) research but the focus is on the clinical and public health efficacy. Implementation research is not part of the theme.
(Prof. Jack Schalken, Dr. Marjolijn Ligtenberg)
A common paradigm of this research theme is that cancer is a genetic disease and that tumor genetics is an increasingly important factor in personalized treatment of cancer. Both cancer predisposing factors in the germline and tumor specific genetic and epi-genetic changes are studied with the objective to understand the etiology and clinical behaviour of tumors with the ultimate aim to optimize surveillance, diagnostics, prognostics, and prediction of effective therapies.
(Prof. Hein Goozsen, Dr. Jan Bussink)
Local therapies include diagnostic and therapeutic challenges of all modes of treatment other than systemic therapy, i.e. excisional treatment, radiotherapy, focal chemotherapy.
(Prof. Winette van der Graaf, Dr. Joop Jansen)
Targeted therapy aims at improving the selection of the optimal therapy with the least side effects for individual patients. This personalised medicine is reached with a multidisciplinary approach in the diagnostic and therapeutic phase of treatment, and with a translation of basic research to the clinic and vice versa.
(Dr. Sita Vermeulen, Dr. masrieke Gielissen)
This theme includes all research concerning measuring and improving quality of life and care for cancer patients and their families during all phases of cancer, evaluation of effectiveness and economic implications of health care interventions, shared decision making, and epidemiological research into lifestyle and molecular/genetic factors for cancer etiology, diagnosis and prognosis. Inevitable, this theme is highly multi-disciplinary and shares boundaries and interests with the other research themes within the Research Institute for Oncology.