PhD defence N.C.W. (Nadia) Kamminga

Below is a brief summary of the dissertation: 

Due to earlier diagnosis and improved treatments, the number of people surviving melanoma is steadily increasing. Yet many survivors experience lasting impacts of the disease and its treatment—physically, psychologically, and socially. Despite this, survivorship care remains underdeveloped.

This PhD thesis explores the experiences and needs of melanoma survivors across all disease stages, including those treated with immunotherapy, and gathers perspectives from healthcare providers. Using qualitative methods, it highlights unmet needs in patient education, psychosocial support, and continuity of care. Even patients with early-stage melanoma often face emotional distress, fear of recurrence, and persistent physical complaints—challenges that are frequently overlooked in routine follow-up care.

The findings informed the co-development of a personalised, digital survivorship care plan (SCP), based on input from patients, healthcare professionals, and IT specialists. The thesis also investigates whether large language model-based chatbots (e.g. AI) can offer reliable answers to melanoma-related patient questions, complementing existing information resources.

This research provides a comprehensive foundation for improving survivorship care in melanoma, emphasising the need for personalised, holistic, and accessible support that is tailored to individual needs and stage of disease.