"Not long after starting my studies, I discovered how valuable oncology is. I was immediately interested in being able to provide quality care and support patients. At the same time, I've always been fascinated by the way cancer behaves in the body. Triple-negative breast cancer, for example, is an aggressive tumor that can recur quickly, even after treatment. There is growing evidence that women with tumors surrounded by a great number of lymphocytes have a higher chance of survival. Some of these women might not even need chemotherapy. In my research, I looked at other characteristics that can help us estimate someone’s chances of survival. We found that the presence of tumor cells in blood and/or lymphatic vessels (lymphovascular invasion), as well as scar tissue within the tumor, are associated with a less favorable prognosis. If we discover one of these characteristics, chemotherapy treatment will be a crucial part of the treatment, even in case of a high lymphocyte count. I also coordinated two clinical studies and became a mother of three children during my PhD. During my pregnancies, it could be rather confronting to talk to patients who had young kids."
Leonora de Boo will defend her thesis on September 23.
prof. dr. S.C. Linn
M. Kok