Prof. H.W.M. van Laarhoven PhD

All Publications

Prof. PhD H.W.M. van Laarhoven (Translational research in medical oncology)

Important new targeted therapies are currently under development for the systemic treatment of cancer. However, only a subset of patients will respond to these treatments which are potentially toxic and expensive. In this research programme we aim to bridge preclinical and clinical approaches, to improve cancer treatment as well prediction of response to treatment, based on insights in tumor biology. Building on the knowledge acquired in our previous studies on tumor microenvironment of breast and colorectal cancer, we now focus on oesophagogastric and pancreatic cancer, for which we have developed a tumor and blood biobank. In preclinical studies we evaluate, for example, the dynamics of growth factor receptor expression during systemic cancer treatment and cancer progression and study the interaction between tumor cells and their microenvironment. Experiments to elucidate the identity of genes that are expressed in relation to the tumor microenvironment are part of these studies.

Based on these studies, as a second research line, we are developing new strategies to combine and sequentially introduce targeted agents as well as chemotherapy in the treatment of oesophagogastric cancer. New imaging modalities, including advanced diffusion weighted imaging techniques and PET-scans with a novel tracers, are introduced to assess the tumor micro-environment – with a special emphasis on the visualization of tumor stroma, vascularization, and oxygenation. The potential of these techniques to serve as biomarkers is evaluated. Furthermore, we assess the effect of systemic therapy and the value of biomarkers not only in clinical trials, but also in a 'real world setting',  using data from the Dutch Cancer Registry.

For these two research lines the collaboration with LEXOR and the departments of Pathology, Radiology and Nuclear Medicine in the AMC, as well as the Dutch Cancer Registry, is indispensable.

As a third research line we focuss on the improvement of quality of life in oncological patients. We identified several new factors related to distress (e.g. the experience of time and future perspective), unravelled pathophysiological mechnisms related to severe fatigue after cancer treatment and developed new models of care for surveillance of women with a high genetic cancer risk and for the follow-up of patients after curative treatment of cancer. We have developed a support tool, focusing on ultimate life goals, for advanced cancer patients and have assessed its value in a randomized controlled trial in collaboration with the Department of Pastoral Care as well as the Department of Religious Studies of the Radboud University Nijmegen. A new intervention is currently being developed, incorporating performative arts and literature in the intervention. Also, we have initiated studies to follow-up on the survival and quality of life of esophagogastric and pancreatic cancer patients and develop prediction models for these outcome measures to support personalized treatment decision making.

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Postdocs
MD R. Molenaar
PhD R.H.A. Verhoeven

PhD Students
G. Muishout

Others
BA R.A. Jibodh
BSc J.A. Pijpers
MSc M.J. Prins

Prof. MD MSc PhD M.G.H. Besselink (Pancreatic and Hepato-Biliary Surgery)

• Z.M. Bood
• D.W. Bos
• A. Creemers
• W.P.M. Dijksterhuis
• B.H. Doeve
• I.J.M. Fransen
• I.D. Hartog
• M. Khurshed
• M. Kos
• M.A.G.M. Kroon
• S.C. Kuijper
• M.F. Lansbergen
• T.Y.S. Le Large
• J.F. Linnekamp
• D. Liu
• P. Manoukian
• T.H. Oreel
• M. Pape
• E.N. Pijnappel
• S. Schokker
• C.I. Stroes
• H.G. van den Boorn
• T. van den Ende
• N.C.A. van der Velden
• A.P. van der Zalm
• L.F. van de Water
• J.J. van Kleef
• M.J.M. van Velzen
• L.M. Veen
• N.P.M. Wassenaar
• Y. Weeseman

• Amgen BV
• Antonie van Leeuwenhoek Ziekenhuis
• BAYER B.V.
• Bristol-Myers Squibb Int. Corp.
• Celgene B.V.
• Disphar International BV
• EORTC IASBL/Quality of Life Group
• Erasmus MC
• Europese Unie
• GlaxoSmithKline BV
• Iovance, c/o PRA UK Ltd
• KWF Kankerbestrijding
• Life Sciences Health TKI
• Merck Sharp & Dohme BV
• Nordic Pharma B.V.
• Philips Electronics Nederland B.V. Research
• Servier Affaires Medicales
• Stichting AMC Foundation
• Stichting voor Lever en Maag- Darmonderzoek
• UMC Utrecht
• ZonMw