G. de Hertogh Archives

Clinical practice guidelines for the treatment of rectal cancer patients: The Leuven Rectal Cancer Consensus

BJMO - volume 18, issue 7, november 2024

L. Smets MSc, K. Haustermans MD, PhD, A. Wolthuis MD, PhD, G. Bislenghi MD, PhD, E. van Cutsem MD, PhD, L. Debrun BSc, G. de Hertogh MD, PhD, A. D’Hoore MD, PhD, R. Dresen MD, PhD, G. Rasschaert MD, X. Sagaert MD, PhD, S. Tejpar MD, PhD, F. van Herpe MD, J. Dekervel MD, PhD

SUMMARY

The multidisciplinary management of rectal cancer is an evolving field, and these guidelines seek to offer direction for treating this condition. A tailored treatment approach should be based on a multi-disciplinary tumour board discussion taking into account tumour staging, patient performance status, and expectations. Patients with node-negative T1 rectal cancer can be managed by a local excision. In patients with early rectal cancer, primary surgery is the standard-of-care. In some of these patients, an organ-sparing approach by long-course chemoradiotherapy can be an alternative. A total neoadjuvant therapy (TNT)-approach consisting of a combination of (chemo)radiotherapy and chemotherapy is preferred for locally advanced disease.

(BELG J MED ONCOL 2024;18(7):271–278)

Molecular test algorithms for digestive tumours

BJMO - volume 13, issue 1, february 2019

Ir A. Hébrant PhD, Ir , A. Jouret-Mourin MD, PhD, G. Froyen PhD, J. Van der Meulen MD, M. De Man MD, R. Salgado MD, PhD, M. van den Eynde MD, PhD, N. D’Haene MD, PhD, G. Martens MD, PhD, E. van Cutsem MD, PhD, H.A. Poirel MD, PhD, S. Tejpar MD, PhD, J-L. van Laethem MD, PhD, K. Geboes MD, P. Pauwels MD, PhD, F. Dedeurwaerdere MD, B. Maes MD, PhD, J. De Grève MD, PhD, J. Vanhuysse , P. Peeters MD, L. Vanacker MD, M. Gomez-Galdon , M. Chintinne MD, PhD, A. Hendlisz MD, PhD, G. de Hertogh MD, PhD, X. Sagaert MD, PhD, M. Peeters MD, PhD, P. Vannuffel , P. Lefesvre MD, PhD, J. Vermeij , M. Simoens , T. Van den Mooter MD, N. van Damme PhD, M. Van den Bulcke PhD

The Belgian Commission of Personalized Medicine has been created to advise the federal government on all matters related to personalised medicine in oncology, including the reimbursement of molecular tests. Here, we propose the Belgian strategy for molecular testing in the digestive tumours within a scientific-based framework. For each tested biomarker, a clinical test level is attached, which is key to establish the relevance of the test and to define the reimbursement. For each digestive tumour type, the different molecular tests are represented as decision trees with its test utility, test level and a brief technical test description.

(BELG J MED ONCOL 2019;13(1):4–10)