FIGON DMD

Nielka van Erp

Professor of Cancer Pharmacology, Radboudumc

Nielka van Erp (1977, Liempde) studied Pharmacy at Utrecht University. In 2009 she defended her thesis at the LUMC in Leiden. After her promotion and specialization as a hospital pharmacist, she continued her career in the LUMC as a hospital pharmacist and researcher. In 2012, she transferred to Radboudumc to set up a research group on cancer pharmacology. In 2021 she was appointed full professor at Radboud University with the teaching assignment “Cancer Pharmacology”. She received several grants for her research into dose optimization in various cancers as well as for her research into pharmacological interventions to improve the balance between toxicity and effectiveness of anticancer drugs. As a hospital pharmacist, she is responsible for pharmaceutical oncological patient care at Radboudumc. She is a member of the training team and of the policy-making committee for the evaluation of oncological agents in the Netherlands, which determines the clinical value of newly registered oncological drugs, treatment methods and treatment indications.

Presentation: Pharmacological interventions to improve the efficacy – toxicity balance of anticancer drugs

The currently established fixed dose of oral targeted oncolytics may lead to suboptimal treatment of patients with cancer. Some of the oral targeted drugs are overdosed whereby more toxicity is introduced then required for treatment benefit. Some oral oncolytic drugs are suboptimally administered whereby specific side effects are seen that can be circumvented. Others show large interpatient variability that can be reduced by prevented. Several pharmacological approaches that could lead to a better toxicity – efficacy balance have been investigated. Study design and outcomes are shared that show the potential added value of pharmacological interventions to optimize the treatment with oral targeted anticancer drugs.