Kerkhofs received his PhD on Thursday from Maastricht University. One possible explanation for this important difference is a multidisciplinary approach in all stages of oncological treatment, which is standard in BNN hospitals, paired with medicinal treatment following a successful operation. Approximately twenty patients are diagnosed with adrenocortical cancer each year, which makes this a relatively rare form of cancer. Kerkhofs' research found that treating these patients in a specialised hospital contributes to a longer life expectancy

Urine tests

Kerhofs also examined a diagnostic tool that uses a urine test to distinguish between benign and malignant tumours in the adrenal gland. This relatively cheap and harmless urine test is a promising diagnostic tool to detect cancer in the adrenal gland. Kerkhofs and his PhD supervisor Harm Haak therefore advocate the inclusion of a urine test in the diagnostic process to detect adrenal gland tumours.

European expertise centre on adrenocortical cancer

Harm Haak is a PhD supervisor and professor at Maastricht UMC+ and an endocrinologist at MMC. He has carried out extensive national and international research on adrenal tumours. In 2004, he co-founded the Bijnier Netwerk Nederland, a collaboration between endocrinologists, surgeons, pathologists and oncologists from Máxima Medical Centre and other specialised academic hospitals around the country. This network combines and enhances scientific research and expertise in this field. MMC is the leading regional centre for the southeast Netherlands and functions as a tertiary referral facility for other centres.