“In 2022, I sat in the front row at the ESMO Congress in Paris alongside my colleagues, where my supervisor, Professor John Haanen, presented the results of our study. He was among the first to believe that we could leverage our own immune system to fight tumors. The therapy we investigated uses tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TIL), immune cells that have found their way into the tumor, but that aren’t strong enough to eradicate it on their own. But we can make them more powerful by growing these cells outside the body, turning them into a kind of army and then giving them back to the patient.
I coordinated the Phase III trial evaluating TIL therapy in patients with advanced melanoma. It wasn’t an easy journey. Patients had to be hospitalized for about three weeks. Their courage was incredibly inspirational. For some of our patients, the treatment caused complete regression. On average, the condition stayed away for longer than we observed with standard treatment. This wonderful outcome was met with a standing ovation in Paris. An unforgettable moment. It was a privilege to have been a part of this. I even made a podcast about it.
I am still working at the Netherlands Cancer Institute and am currently training in radiation oncology.”
Maartje Rohaan will defend her thesis on May 6.
Research at the Netherlands Cancer Institute is financially supported by KWF Dutch Cancer Society.
prof. dr. J.B.A.G. Haanen
dr. S. Wilgenhof