As a hematologist I am always looking for new development that might improve patient care. My main research focus is on patients with Hodgkin lymphoma and multiple myeloma. I am involved in both translational and clinical studies. In cooperation with the Pathology, I am active in the field of biomarkers, such as TARC in Hodgkin lymphoma. For the design, development and execution of clinical trials, I am an active member of both international (EORTC) and national (HOVON) organizations. For example, I am the national PI of the EORTC COBRA trial in Hodgkin lymphoma. Moreover, I am co-PI of the translational research in two international trials. In addition, I am part of the Dutch guideline writing committee for Hodgkin lymphoma. In myeloma, I am investigating innovative treatment options to improve outcome.
Long-Term Cause-Specific Mortality in Hodgkin Lymphoma Patients
Published in: Journal of the National Cancer Institute
BACKGROUND: Few studies have examined the impact of treatment-related morbidity on long-term, cause-specific mortality in Hodgkin lymphoma (HL) patients. METHODS: This multicenter cohort included 4919 HL patients, treated before age 51 years between 1965 and 2000, with a median follow-up of 20.2 years. Standardized mortality ratios, absolute excess mortality (AEM) per 10 000 person-years, and cause-specific cumulative mortality by stage and primary treatment, accounting for competing risks, were calculated. RESULTS: HL patients experienced a 5.1-fold (AEM = 123 excess deaths per 10 000 person-years) higher risk of death due to causes...
Simone de Vries, Michael Schaapveld, Cécile P.M. Janus, Laurien A. Daniëls, Eefke J. Petersen, Richard W.M. van der Maazen, Josée M. Zijlstra, Max Beijert, Marten R. Nijziel, Karijn M.S. Verschueren, Leontien C.M. Kremer, Anna M. van Eggermond, Pieternella J. Lugtenburg, Augustinus D.G. Krol, Judith M. Roesink,
Wouter J. Plattel, Dick Johan van Spronsen,
Gustaaf W. van Imhoff, Jan Paul de Boer, Berthe M.P. AlemanFlora E. van Leeuwen
Combining brentuximab vedotin with dexamethasone, high-dose cytarabine and cisplatin as salvage treatment in relapsed or refractory Hodgkin lymphoma: the phase II HOVON/LLPC Transplant BRaVE study
Published in: Haematologica
Achieving a metabolic complete response (mCR) before high-dose chemotherapy (HDC) and autologous peripheral blood stem-cell transplant (auto-PBSCT) predicts progression free survival (PFS) in relapsed/refractory classical Hodgkin lymphoma (R/R cHL). We added brentuximab vedotin (BV) to DHAP to improve the mCR rate. In a Phase I dose-escalation part in 12 patients, we showed that BV-DHAP is feasible. This Phase II study included 55 R/R cHL patients (23 primary refractory). Treatment consisted of three 21-day cycles of BV 1.8 mg/kg on day 1, and DHAP (dexamethasone 40mg days 1-4, cisplatin...
Marie José Kersten, Julia Driessen, Josée M Zijlstra,
Wouter J Plattel, Franck Morschhauser, Pieternella J Lugtenburg, Pauline Brice, Martin Hutchings, Thomas Gastinne, Roberto Liu, Coreline N Burggraaff,
Marcel Nijland, Sanne H Tonino, Anne I J Arens, Roelf Valkema, Harm van Tinteren, Marta Lopez-Yurda,
Arjan Diepstra, Daphne De Jong, Anton Hagenbeek
Soluble PD-L1 is a promising disease biomarker but does not reflect tissue expression in classic Hodgkin lymphoma
Published in: British Journal of Haematology
Individually, tissue and soluble markers involved in the programmed cell death protein 1/programmed death-ligand (PD-1/PD-L) axis have been described as biomarkers with clinical value in classical Hodgkin lymphoma (cHL). In the context of the success of immune checkpoint blockade therapy in cHL, it is interesting to discover whether plasma levels of proteins in the PD-1/PD-L axis are a reflection of expression by the corresponding tissue. Paired tissue and plasma samples of cHL patients were collected and analysed for PD-1, PD-L1 and PD-L2 levels. In addition, vascular endothelial growth...
Primary therapy and relative survival in classical Hodgkin lymphoma: a nationwide population-based study in the Netherlands, 1989-2017
Published in: Leukemia
Population-based studies of classical Hodgkin lymphoma (cHL) in contemporary clinical practice are scarce. The aim of this nationwide population-based study is to assess trends in primary therapy and relative survival (RS) during 1989-2017. We included 9,985 patients with cHL. Radiotherapy alone was virtually not applied as from 2000 among patients aged 18-69 years with stage I/II disease, following the broader application of chemotherapy combined with radiotherapy. Chemotherapy only was the preferred treatment for patients with stage III/IV disease. Throughout the entire study period, around 20% of patients aged...
Julia Driessen, Otto Visser, Josée M Zijlstra, Pieternella J Lugtenburg,
Wouter J Plattel, Marie José Kersten, Avinash G Dinmohamed
Borrelia burgdorferi mimicking central nervous system relapse in diffuse large B cell lymphoma
Published in: Annals of Hematology