“During the final phase of my clinical rotations, I met an attending whose research group was working to expand access to promising precision medicines for a broader group of cancer patients. Their clinical trials immediately captured my interest, and I became involved in two nationwide studies. In the first, we investigate whether existing targeted therapies and immunotherapies can be repurposed for cancer types beyond the indications for which they are officially approved.
The second study evaluates approved medicines that are not yet reimbursed because evidence regarding their effectiveness in more vulnerable patients remains limited. One example is cemiplimab, which we administered to patients with a specific type of advanced or metastatic skin cancer. Participation in this trial represented their final treatment option. Our findings demonstrated that the drug also works in more vulnerable patients, which is why this therapy is now covered by insurance. I am quite proud of that. Hearing the stories of people who might not have been here without our trials is even more special.
I now work as a resident at the hospital Ziekenhuis Gelderse Vallei in Ede. In my free time I love cooking and baking. You can learn more about what I make at Karlijnkookt.com.
Karlijn Verkerk will defend her thesis on March 18.
Research at the Netherlands Cancer Institute is financially supported by KWF Dutch Cancer Society and the AVL Foundation.
Emile Voest & Henk Verheul