Harry Bartelink: Presidential Symposium Introduction and Session 1: Clinical Applications of Platinum-Based Chemo-Radiation: Selection, Sequencing and Scheduling
Track
:
PRES
Program Code:
PRES100D
SPEAKER:
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His main scientific activities covered both translational research aspects i.e. the interaction of radiotherapy and chemotherapy and predictive assays, as well as clinical research devoted to exploring new treatment opportunities in head and neck, lung, anal and breast cancer. Starting i.e with a clinical trial comparing radical mastectomy and breast conserving therapy, a trial, which was followed by, further optimizing breast-conserving therapy. This trial demonstrated that young patients have a different prognosis than older patients. This has lead to intensive cooperation between the molecular biology and pathology department in looking for a gene profile with microarrays, which can explain the different prognosis in young breast cancer patients. The translation research was aimed at first predicting treatment outcome by first measuring the growth and regression rate of human tumors, adaptation of fractionation schedules by obtaining tumor biopsies and the concomitant use of cisplatin and radiotherapy. The latter leading to improved survival of patients with lung cancer. In the meantime, the research in the radiotherapy department was focused on improvement of quality assurance and image-processing leading to image-guided intensity modulated radiotherapy.