PhD defence L. (Lindsay) Angus

During the past decades the treatment of patients with cancer has gradually shifted from “a one-size-fits-all” approach to a more personalized approach in which specific patient- and tumor characteristics are taken into account. Traditionally, patients with metastatic cancer were and still are treated depending on the tissue of origin, however, improved understanding of molecular mechanisms driving cancer progression and mechanisms underlying treatment resistance has increasingly led to trials stratifying based on molecular profiles rather than only on the anatomical origin of the primary tumor. Sequencing efforts of tumor tissue have led to extensive characterization of mostly primary tumors1-4. For example for breast cancer, these efforts have identified a heterogeneous repertoire of disease drivers, evidence of clonal evolution and underlying mutational processes2,5. The analyses of the first cohort of whole genomes of primary breast cancer have revealed that the vast majority of aberrations are passenger events and it has been estimated that primary breast cancer on average “only” harbors four driver mutations per tumor2 . Importantly, no two tumors seems to be genomically identical6 and, although originating from the same organ, might need a completely different therapeutic approach. Focusing on molecular characteristics, certain predictive and prognostic factors have already been incorporated into clinical care. Here, the molecular tests which are currently performed for metastatic breast- and colorectal cancer, and melanoma – tumor types described in this thesis – will be summarized.

The PhD defences do not take place publicly in the usual way in the Senate Hall at campus Woudestein or in the Professor Andries Querido Room at the Erasmus MC. The candidates will defend their dissertation either in a small group or online.