“One of the reasons I wanted to pursue a PhD was that it’s useful for a physician to have an understanding of research. My research focused on ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS), a potential cancer precursor found in the milk ducts. It shows up on mammograms as little white spots known as calcifications. The ‘C’ in the abbreviation—carcinoma—isn’t quite fitting. More than half of women with DCIS will never develop cancer, but the name carries a lot of weight. As a physician, you want to act immediately. But our study showed that three-quarter of women preferred to wait and monitor the situation. If the condition does develop into cancer, they can always opt for treatment later. I worked with a large international network of hospitals to explore whether factors like DCIS size could reliably predict someone’s risk of developing cancer. The results showed that the size is not a predictor. It was fascinating to see how dedicated all the researchers here are. I’m also quite driven myself. I’m currently working as a physician at Zuyderland Medical Center in Heerlen, Sittard, and Geleen.”
Renée Schmitz will defend her thesis on December 18.
Research at the Netherlands Cancer Institute is financially supported by KWF Dutch Cancer Society.
prof. dr. J. Wesseling & prof. dr. M.K. Schmidt
E.H. Lips