{"id":10656,"date":"2026-02-05T16:26:39","date_gmt":"2026-02-05T15:26:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.hartwigmedicalfoundation.nl\/?p=10656"},"modified":"2026-02-09T12:21:00","modified_gmt":"2026-02-09T11:21:00","slug":"united-in-unique-learning-for-and-from-patients-to-improve-cancer-care","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.hartwigmedicalfoundation.nl\/en\/united-in-unique-learning-for-and-from-patients-to-improve-cancer-care\/","title":{"rendered":"Care pathway broad molecular diagnostics approved, important step forward"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

On World Cancer Day<\/strong>, we reflected on the enormous impact of cancer. But this impact is visible every day\u2014on patients, their loved ones, healthcare professionals, and society at large.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

New figures from IKNL show that in the Netherlands alone, nearly 135,000 people<\/strong> are diagnosed with cancer each year. At the same time, the decline in, among other things, metastatic colorectal cancer demonstrates that targeted efforts\u2014such as early diagnostics and population-based screening\u2014save lives. Progress is possible when we combine knowledge.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This progress also raises a new question: how do we ensure that all patients with cancer have access to the best possible, data-driven and personalized treatment?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Only together we can make care better and more personal. That is what United in Unique<\/strong> stands for\u2014and what the Hartwig Medical Foundation is committed to every day: learning from<\/em> and for<\/em> each unique patient to improve treatments.
United in Unique is therefore not a slogan, but a shared mission for oncology care today and tomorrow.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Biomarkers<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Cancer is not a uniform disease. Even within common tumors, such as colorectal cancer, there are major biological differences. Biomarkers determine whether a patient will benefit from a specific treatment and therefore form the basis of personalized care. This question becomes even more critical in advanced cancer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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‘ Once cancer has progressed, the question remains: which treatment fits this one patient?
Without molecular diagnostics, the answer is largely trial and error.’
\u2014 Hilde Nienhuis, internist\u2013oncologist at UMC Utrecht and lead of the medical team at Hartwig<\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Reimbursement of comprehensive molecular diagnostics: an important step forward<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

There is positive news on this front. The Dutch Association of Medical Oncology (NVMO)<\/strong> has approved and publicly released the care pathway Comprehensive Molecular Diagnostics<\/strong><\/a>. As a result, comprehensive molecular diagnostics\u2014including whole genome sequencing (WGS)\u2014are now reimbursed for adult patients who:<\/p>\n\n\n\n