Sint-Lucas General Hospital

At Sint-Lucas General Hospital, oncology studies focus on neoplasms affecting the digestive tract and related organs, with research covering colon cancer, small bowel adenocarcinoma, pancreatic cancer, and HER2-positive gastric cancer. These trials are designed to assess new treatment approaches, improve survival, and better understand how cancer therapies can support people after surgery or in advanced disease.

• Colon carcinoma and recurrence prevention after surgery
• Small bowel adenocarcinoma and adjuvant treatment benefit
• Metastatic pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma and anti-tumor activity
• Gastric and gastroesophageal junction cancer and first-line treatment effectiveness

Overall, this research aims to refine how digestive system cancers are treated, with a strong emphasis on treatment effectiveness and long-term outcomes.

The hospital also has active research in digestive system diseases and immune-mediated inflammation, especially Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis, irritable bowel syndrome, and bile acid diarrhoea. These trials are aimed at improving symptom control, supporting remission, and finding better options for patients living with chronic bowel disorders.

• Crohn’s disease and prevention of postoperative recurrence
• Ulcerative colitis and maintenance of remission
• Irritable bowel syndrome and symptom relief
• Bile acid diarrhoea and improvement of stool consistency

These studies explore both new therapies and treatment strategies that may improve daily quality of life for people with long-term gastrointestinal conditions.

Another important area at this site is immune system disease research, especially eosinophilic esophagitis, a chronic inflammatory condition of the esophagus. The trials are focused on testing new therapies that may reduce inflammation, improve swallowing symptoms, and offer more durable disease control.

• Eosinophilic esophagitis and histologic improvement
• Dysphagia and symptom reduction
• Long-term safety of emerging treatment options
• Inflammation control in chronic esophageal disease

This line of research reflects a broader effort to improve both clinical response and patient comfort in a difficult-to-manage inflammatory disorder.

Clinical trials at Sint-Lucas General Hospital also extend into musculoskeletal diseases and cardiovascular diseases, with studies in rheumatoid arthritis, immunoglobulin A nephropathy, and advanced kidney disease with high cardiovascular risk. The goal is to improve disease control, protect organ function, and reduce major complications over time.

• Rheumatoid arthritis and long-term disease control
• Immunoglobulin A nephropathy and preservation of kidney function
• Advanced chronic kidney disease and cardiovascular event prevention
• Inflammation-related chronic illness and treatment effectiveness

These studies combine symptom management with prevention-focused research, aiming to support better outcomes in chronic inflammatory and cardio-renal conditions.

The oncology portfolio includes focused work on urothelial cancers, particularly high-risk non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer and muscle-invasive urothelial carcinoma. Research in this area is centered on evaluating new therapeutic approaches that may improve response rates, delay progression, and expand treatment options for patients facing difficult bladder cancer diagnoses.

• High-risk non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer and disease control
• Muscle-invasive urothelial carcinoma and treatment response
• Carcinoma in situ and complete response assessment
• Bladder cancer and comparison of new therapies with standard care

These studies are designed to help identify more effective and better-tolerated treatment strategies in bladder cancer care.

There is also clinical trial activity in psychiatry and psychology, especially major depressive disorder. The studies are evaluating new adjunctive treatments for people whose symptoms remain difficult to control, with a focus on improving mood, reducing relapse, and supporting longer-term mental health stability.

• Major depressive disorder and symptom improvement
• Moderate-to-severe anhedonia and relapse prevention
• Adjunctive depression treatment and treatment effectiveness
• Long-term safety of emerging mental health therapies

This research reflects an effort to expand treatment options for depression, especially for patients who need additional support beyond standard antidepressant care.

The site also participates in studies within virus diseases, including research on cytomegalovirus infection. These trials are focused on prevention, safety, and immune protection, with the broader goal of reducing the burden of viral infection in at-risk populations.

• Cytomegalovirus infection prevention
• Vaccine research and immune response
• Safety and tolerability of preventive approaches
• Infection control in healthy participants

Alongside treatment-oriented studies, this area shows the hospital’s interest in preventive medicine and public health-oriented research.