Computational Pathology @
The Netherlands Cancer Institute



Cancer is a heterogeneous disease





Cancer is a heterogeneous diseases and although mortality rates have declined the last decade, the total number of patients dying from it annually is Increasing. 1,2 Therefore we need better ways to identify people who may benefit from effective cancer treatment, and avoid treatment related toxicity. Moreover, as a result of the increasing number of choices for surgical, radiotherapy, and systemic therapy including chemotherapy, targeted and immunotherapy, there is a growing possibility and need for biomarker driven personalised cancer therapy, also known as precision oncology.



PRECISION ONCOLOGY





Precision oncology is a targeted approach to the diagnosis and treatment of cancer based on an individual’s specific profile. A biomarker is a measurable and quantifiable biological molecule, which can be a protein, DNA, RNA, or biological compound, which acts as an indicator for a specific biological state or condition3.


In the context of personalised cancer therapy, biomarkers are used to predict the course of the disease (prognostic biomarkers) and predict which patients will have the highest probability (predictive biomarkers) of responding to selected therapies or have adverse side effects with particular therapies.



Molecularly informed





With increasing knowledge of specific genetic alterations and gene expression profiles of tumors and the prognostic and predictive value of these genetic tumor characteristics, more refined patient therapy is starting to be possible. In short: biomarkers are essential for precision oncology.3, 4 Therefore our team aims to find, validate, and implement biomarkers in daily clinical practice to empower precision oncology for patients with breast and ovarian cancer. To help the right person to get the right treatment at the right time.


Our approach >

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