Specialization

Clinical Epidemiology | Clinimetrics | Exercise Oncology | Rehabilitation and Supportive Care in Cancer

Focus of research

Functional Recovery from Cancer:

  • Assessment of (Impairments in) Functional Capacity and Performance: Assessment of changes of functional capacity along the cancer treatment continuum, including the development and validation of functional assessment procedures (i.e., exercise testing or swallowing evaluations), to accurately gauge the impact of cancer and its treatment.
  • Risk Stratification: Identifying patients who are susceptible to poor functional outcomes post-cancer treatment.
  • Targeted Rehabilitation Interventions: Designing, evaluating, and implementing exercise-based rehabilitative strategies to prevent or mitigate functional decline in cancer survivors.
  • Implementation of Interventions: Integrating successful rehabilitation practices into standard care by researching patient and healthcare professional perspectives and developing innovative care implementation projects.

Martijn Stuiver is Associate Group Leader "Functional Recovery from Cancer" in the Cancer Survivorship group at the Netherlands Cancer Institute, Division of Psychosocial Research and Epidemiology. Collaborating closely with Amsterdam UMC, he also holds the position of Lector in Functional Recovery from Cancer and its Treatment at the Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences. In addition, he is associate professor and director of the Master's Program in Evidence-Based Practice in Health Care at the University of Amsterdam (Amsterdam UMC).

The primary goal of Martijn Stuiver's research is to understand the impact of functional impairments caused by cancer and its treatments on daily functioning and quality of life. His research methodologies range from observational studies on functional recovery and unmet rehabilitation needs to mixed-methods social-science studies aimed at capturing the perspectives of patients and healthcare professionals. Stuiver also leads randomized controlled intervention studies and contributes to systematic reviews and guideline development in the field. Stuiver has a large international network and collaborates with researchers in the top cancer institutes in Europe, UK and Australia. This includes several European committee funded multinational trials on cancer rehabilitation.

In addition to his research, Stuiver is dedicated to translating research findings into clinical practice. He has developed several innovative care programs and contributes as a curriculum advisor for post-graduate oncology education. His contributions to the development of national and international evidence-based guidelines in cancer rehabilitation highlight his commitment to advancing the field.

Activities

  • Lector of Functional Recovery from Cancer and its Treatment, Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences.
  • Associate Professor and Director of the Master Evidence-Based Practice in Healthcare, AmsterdamUMC.
  • Founding Member of the Board of Onconet, focusing on improving the accessibility and quality of physical therapy for individuals living with or beyond cancer in the Netherlands.
  • Advising Theme Expert in Oncology at the Dutch Institute for Allied Health Care (NPi).
  • Editorial advisory board member Epidemiology and Statistics, European Journal of Surgical Oncology.
  • Founding steering committee member biennial International Conference on Physical Therapy in Oncology (ICPTO)