Radiation-Oncology | University Hospitals Leuven | Belgium
Dr. Melissa Christiaens is a highly accomplished Radiation Oncologist recognized for her contributions to the advancement of radiotherapy and clinical oncology research. With extensive experience in oncological treatment, she has played a key role in integrating evidence-based radiotherapy techniques into modern cancer care. Her professional expertise spans across radiotherapy quality assurance, pediatric oncology, gynecologic cancers, and multidisciplinary tumor management. As an active member of several leading scientific organizations—including the European Society for Radiotherapy and Oncology, the Paediatric Radiation Oncology Society, the European Society of Gynaecological Oncology, the EuroEwing Consortium, and the Connective Tissue Oncology Society—she consistently collaborates in large-scale international research networks to improve patient outcomes and optimize therapeutic protocols. Her research interests focus on clinical trials in radiotherapy, immuno-oncology integration, and precision treatment strategies for rare and complex cancers. Dr. Christiaens has contributed to numerous high-impact peer-reviewed journals such as The Lancet, Radiotherapy and Oncology, BMC Cancer, and Gynecologic Oncology, where her publications have enhanced the scientific understanding of cancer treatment outcomes, safety, and innovation. Her research skills encompass clinical data interpretation, protocol development, treatment optimization, and evidence synthesis—supported by her commitment to maintaining the highest standards of clinical excellence. Throughout her career, she has demonstrated exceptional leadership in oncology research and education, promoting collaboration and innovation within the global cancer research community. Her achievements continue to inspire advancements in patient-centered cancer therapy and clinical radiobiology. Her enduring scientific legacy is reflected through 1,417 citations, 25 documents, and an h-index of 12, underscoring her influential role in advancing the frontiers of clinical radiotherapy, oncology innovation, and multidisciplinary cancer research.
Featured Publications
1. Pötter, R., Tanderup, K., Schmid, M. P., Jürgenliemk-Schulz, I., Haie-Meder, C., & Christiaens, M., et al. (2021). MRI-guided adaptive brachytherapy in locally advanced cervical cancer (EMBRACE-I): A multicentre prospective cohort study. The Lancet Oncology, 22(4), 538–547. Cited by: 613
2. Zhang, H., Ahearn, T. U., Lecarpentier, J., Barnes, D., Beesley, J., Qi, G., Jiang, X., & Christiaens, M., et al. (2020). Genome-wide association study identifies 32 novel breast cancer susceptibility loci from overall and subtype-specific analyses. Nature Genetics, 52(6), 572–581. Cited by: 466
3. Lorusso, D., Xiang, Y., Hasegawa, K., Scambia, G., Leiva, M., Ramos-Elias, P., & Christiaens, M., et al. (2024). Pembrolizumab or placebo with chemoradiotherapy followed by pembrolizumab or placebo for newly diagnosed, high-risk, locally advanced cervical cancer (ENGOT-cx11/GOG-3047/KEYNOTE-A18). The Lancet, 404(10460), 1321–1332.
Cited by: 323
4. Ajithkumar, T., Horan, G., Padovani, L., Thorp, N., Timmermann, B., Alapetite, C., & Christiaens, M., et al. (2018). SIOPE–Brain tumor group consensus guideline on craniospinal target volume delineation for high-precision radiotherapy. Radiotherapy and Oncology, 128(2), 192–197. Cited by: 113
5. De Ruysscher, D., Sharifi, H., Defraene, G., Kerns, S. L., & Christiaens, M., et al. (2013). Quantification of radiation-induced lung damage with CT scans: The possible benefit for radiogenomics. Acta Oncologica, 52(7), 1405–1410. Cited by: 74