Dr. Christine Boers-Doets · Side Effects Expert in Cancer Medication
Cancer medicine only delivers its value when side effects are under control.
I help clinicians, patients and industry keep people on their cancer treatment — by preventing and managing adverse events instead of reaching for dose reductions and interruptions.
Who I am
A nurse-scientist who turned side-effect care into a system
I am Dr. Christine Boers-Doets, PhD — an oncology nurse turned researcher, author and speaker. For more than two decades I have studied why the side effects of targeted therapy and immunotherapy so often derail treatment, and what it takes to bring them under control.
My work spans the clinic, the research protocol and the lecture hall: validated measurement tools, international guidelines, and a six-step method that teams can actually use at the bedside.
Why it matters
Side effects – not the cancer – often decide whether treatment continues.
More than half of patients on modern cancer drugs face dose delays, and roughly one in three need a dose reduction – frequently because of side effects that could have been prevented or controlled.*
“We can do so much more for patients than we do right now – especially when it comes to prevention.”
*Figures cited by Dr. Boers-Doets in her 2024 OncoDaily interview on empowering patients through side-effect care.
The method
The TARGET System: six steps from guesswork to control
TARGET is my six-step approach to adverse events. It was built for the mucocutaneous side effects of targeted therapy, but the logic applies to almost any adverse event – and it starts before you ever reach for a dose adjustment.
Terminology
Name the adverse event precisely, so everyone means the same thing.
Assessment
Evaluate what the patient is actually experiencing.
Reporting
Capture it consistently, in clinic and in research.
Grading
Score severity in a way that drives the right response.
Education
Prepare the patient and the team before problems start.
Treatment
Intervene early to keep patients on their planned therapy.
How I help
Bringing side-effect expertise to where care happens
For clinicians & care teams
Accredited training, masterclasses and implementation programmes that turn side-effect management into a repeatable standard of care.
For patients
Clear, science-based guidance so patients understand what to expect, what to watch for, and how to stay in control of their treatment.
For industry & conferences
Keynotes, advisory work and educational curricula for pharmaceutical teams, homecare organisations and international congresses.
Recognised work
Research that reaches the guidelines clinicians rely on
My work has appeared in the journals and consensus panels that shape supportive cancer care worldwide.
Bring side-effect expertise to your team.
Whether you are planning a congress, training a care team, or building patient education – let’s talk about keeping more patients on the treatment that can help them.