Clinical insights into the efficacy of immune checkpoint inhibitors in patients with cancer: studies on molecular imaging and the gut microbiome

In her thesis, Laura Kist de Ruijter's explores factors related to the effects of immunotherapy with immune checkpoint inhibitors in patients with cancer. In several clinical studies, Kist de Ruijter studied different contributing components of the anti-tumor immune response, as well as their potential as biomarker to predict treatment outcomes. The studies described, focus on molecular imaging with positron emitting tomography (PET) and the gut microbiome. In two review articles, the potential role of PET is studied for application in oncology clinical trials and in evaluating immunotherapy efficacy. The results of this thesis can ultimately be used to advance treatment with immunotherapy in patients with cancer.