PhD Conferral Mrs. Lotte M. Knapen, MSc.

Keywords: cancer, type 2 diabetes mellitus, real-life, safety, effectiveness, optimization

“Insight in disease and drug interactions, with treatment optimisation of patients with cancer”

Cancer and type 2 diabetes mellitus are common conditions that pose a major threat to global health. Fortunately, better treatment options are becoming available for both disorders. However, the moment these new drugs become available - many uncertainties remain regarding their effects. This dissertation investigates the 1) side effects of a selection of drugs in the long term, 2) effectiveness in daily practice and 3) options for optimizing treatment. Results reveal that the use of (new) antidiabetic drugs in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus does not present an increased risk of developing cancer. Furthermore, the results show that the effectiveness of new anti-cancer treatments in daily practice is slightly shorter than the results achieved in large randomized clinical trials. Finally, a finger prick method has been successfully developed and validated for measuring the concentration of an anticancer drug in the cancer setting. In conclusion, this dissertation provides essential new insights into the safety and effectiveness of new treatment options with antidiabetic and anti-cancer drugs in daily practice.