“I always considered myself more of a physician than a researcher. However, during my training as a medical oncologist, I gradually developed an interest in research. One day, while grabbing a coffee, Gabe Sonke—now my promotor—asked if I might be interested in pursuing a PhD. I seized the opportunity, and to my surprise I really enjoyed it. The topic turned out to be a great fit for me. In my clinical practice, I try to strike the right balance: when does a patient benefit from more treatment, and when might less actually be the better option? A good example is oligometastatic breast cancer, a rare form of breast cancer with only a few metastases. For a long time, we assumed that higher doses of chemotherapy would improve outcomes. However, in practice, we found that this approach wasn’t more effective, while causing more side effects. We observed similar results in our study on CDK4/6 inhibitors, a type of medicine often used to treat certain types of breast cancer. Delaying this treatment turned out to be just as effective, but much less intense for the patient. This helps us save valuable resources and reduce costs, but more importantly, it helps patients experience fewer side effects. In 2023, we were invited to present these results at a major conference in Chicago, a truly special moment!”
Annemiek van Ommen-Nijhof will defend her thesis on June 13.
Research at the Netherlands Cancer Institute is financially supported by KWF Dutch Cancer Society.
Systemic treatment in breast cancer: towards a golden ratio
prof. dr. G.S. (Gabe) Sonke & prof. dr. A. (Agnes) Jager
dr. I.R.H.M. (Inge) Konings