Prostate cancer is one of the most common forms of cancer in men. Nowadays, prostate MRI is standardly used in the diagnostic traject. A definite diagnosis is based on prostate biopsies. This thesis shows the high accuracy of prostate MRI in the detection and staging of prostate cancer, and at the initiation of an active surveillance protocol. Impact of prostate cancer diagnosis on health-related quality of life deserves more attention. Our findings support the need for patient-centered care and shared decision-making—particularly for frail elderly patients—ideally before PSA testing and further diagnostics. Future research should shift its focus from purely technical performance to embracing patient-centered care and improving health-related quality of life.
Esther Hamoen (1986) finished her study medicine at the University of Groningen in 2010. She started her PhD project in 2011 at the Radiology and Urology Departments of the Radboud University Medical Center Nijmegen. In 2015, she started her urology residency. After a few years, she switched to the geriatrician residency which she will finish in January 2026.