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Tom van Meerten
dr.

I am a hematologist involved in patient care, clinical and translation research in the field of malignant lymphoma. I focus on translational medicine on diffuse large B cell lymphoma and mantle cell lymphoma. My question by all our findings: how does the patient profit or does it help me to treat the patients. The focus of my research group is on DNA repair, cell cycle and cell death. We test novel combinations of existing anti-cancer agents to ultimately improve the treatment of patients suffering from lymphoma. I participate in the organization of new clinical trials both international (European Mantle cell Lymphoma Network) and national (HOVON). Moreover, I am actively involved in clinical trials concerning the application of CAR T cells for patient with lymphoma.

Mantle Cell Lymphoma of Mucosa-Associated Lymphoid Tissue: A European Mantle Cell Lymphoma Network Study
Published in: HemaSphere
Access to document 10.1097/HS9.0000000000000302 document
While classical nodal mantle cell lymphoma (cMCL) is often associated with involvement of multiple extranodal sites, isolated extranodal disease (ED) at the time of diagnosis is a rare event; data on the outcome of these forms are lacking. On behalf of the European MCL Network, we conducted a retrospective analysis on the clinical characteristics and outcomes of MCL presenting with isolated or predominant ED (MALT MCL). We collected data on 127 patients with MALT MCL diagnosed from 1998 to 2015: 78 patients (61%) were male with a median...
Lucia Morello, Sara Rattotti, Laura Giordano, Mats Jerkeman, Tom van Meerten, Katarzyna Krawczyk, Filipa Moita, Dario Marino, Simone Ferrero, Michal Szymczyk, Igor Aurer, Tarec Christoffer El-Galaly, Alice Di Rocco, Carlo Visco, Giuseppe Carli, Irene Defrancesco, Carmelo Carlo-Stella, Martin Dreyling, Armando Santoro, Luca Arcaini
WEE1 inhibition synergizes with CHOP chemotherapy and radiation therapy through induction of premature mitotic entry and DNA damage in diffuse large B-cell lymphoma
Published in: Therapeutic advances in hematology
Access to document 10.1177/2040620719898373 document
Background: Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) is a heterogeneous disease, characterized by high levels of genomic instability and the activation of DNA damage repair pathways. We previously found high expression of the cell cycle regulator WEE1 in DLBCL cell lines. Here, we investigated the combination of the WEE1 inhibitor, AZD1775, with cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine and prednisone (CHOP) and radiation therapy (RT), with the aim of improving first-line treatment. Methods: Cell viability experiments were performed to determine synergistic combinations. Levels of DNA damage were established using flow cytometry for...
Mathilde R. W. de Jong, Myra Langendonk, Bart Reitsma, Pien Herbers, Monique Lodewijk, Marcel Nijland, Anke van den Berg, Emanuele Ammatuna, Lydia Visser, Tom van Meerten
Heterogeneous Pattern of Dependence on Anti-Apoptotic BCL-2 Family Proteins upon CHOP Treatment in Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma
Published in: International Journal of Molecular Sciences
Access to document 10.3390/ijms20236036 document
Expression of the anti-apoptotic B-cell lymphoma 2 (BCL-2) protein in patients with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) strongly correlates with resistance to standard therapy with cyclophosphamide, vincristine, doxorubicin, prednisolone, and rituximab (R-CHOP). Although studies focus mainly on the contribution of BCL-2, here we also investigate the contribution of other anti-apoptotic proteins to CHOP-therapy resistance in DLBCL. Functional dynamic BCL-2 homology (BH)3 profiling was applied to DLBCL cell lines upon CHOP treatment or single CHOP compounds. Cell-specific anti-apoptotic dependencies were validated with corresponding BH3-mimetics. We found high expression of...
Mathilde Rikje Willemijn de Jong, Myra Langendonk, Bart Reitsma, Marcel Nijland, Anke van den Berg, Emanuele Ammatuna, Lydia Visser, Tom van Meerten
WEE1 Inhibition Enhances Anti-Apoptotic Dependency as a Result of Premature Mitotic Entry and DNA Damage
Published in: Cancers
Access to document 10.3390/cancers11111743 document
Genomically unstable cancers are dependent on specific cell cycle checkpoints to maintain viability and prevent apoptosis. The cell cycle checkpoint protein WEE1 is highly expressed in genomically unstable cancers, including diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL). Although WEE1 inhibition effectively induces apoptosis in cancer cells, the effect of WEE1 inhibition on anti-apoptotic dependency is not well understood. We show that inhibition of WEE1 by AZD1775 induces DNA damage and pre-mitotic entry in DLBCL, thereby enhancing dependency on BCL-2 and/or MCL-1. Combining AZD1775 with anti-apoptotic inhibitors such as venetoclax (BCL-2i)...
Mathilde Rikje Willemijn de Jong, Myra Langendonk, Bart Reitsma, Pien Herbers, Marcel Nijland, Gerwin Huls, Anke van den Berg, Emanuele Ammatuna, Lydia Visser, Tom van Meerten
Tumour necrosis as assessed with F-18-FDG PET is a potential prognostic marker in diffuse large B cell lymphoma independent of MYC rearrangements
Published in: European Radiology
Access to document 10.1007/s00330-019-06178-9 document
OBJECTIVES: MYC gene rearrangements in diffuse large B cell lymphomas (DLBCLs) result in high proliferation rates and are associated with a poor prognosis. Strong proliferation is associated with high metabolic demand and tumour necrosis. The aim of this study was to investigate differences in the presence of necrosis and semiquantitative 18F-FDG PET metrics between DLBCL cases with or without a MYC rearrangement. The prognostic impact of necrosis and semiquantitative 18F-FDG PET parameters was investigated in an explorative survival analysis. METHODS: Fluorescence in situ hybridisation analysis for MYC rearrangements,...
Xaver U Kahle, Menno Hovingh, Walter Noordzij, Annika Seitz, Arjan Diepstra, Lydia Visser, Anke van den Berg, Tom van Meerten, Gerwin Huls, Ronald Boellaard, Thomas C Kwee, Marcel Nijland