On Friday 5 September at 14:00, Christina Glismand Truelsen defends her PhD dissertation entitled "Optimised radiotherapy for primary and recurrent rectal cancer".

Rectal cancer represents a significant health burden in Denmark, with approximately 1,500 new cases each year. A subgroup of patients at higher risk of recurrence benefits from combined treatment, including radiotherapy prior to surgery, to reduce the likelihood of relapse. Despite this, a smaller group still develops local recurrence, posing a therapeutic challenge.

This PhD project has, through several clinical studies, investigated modern radiotherapy for newly diagnosed rectal cancer, focusing on side effects, patient-reported quality of life, and biomarkers, as well as the clinical and technical feasibility of proton therapy for locally recurrent rectal cancer.

The thesis reflects a paradigm shift toward individualized treatment, where the integration of advanced radiotherapy, biomarkers, and the patient perspective is central to optimizing the balance between treatment efficacy, side effects, and quality of life.

The summary is written by the PhD student.

The defence is public and takes place in Auditorium C114-101, Entrance C, Aarhus University Hospital. Please see the press release for more information. 

Contact

PhD student Christina Glismand Truelsen
Mail: chtrue@rm.dk 

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