prof. David Creytens (MD, PhD)

Prof. David Creytens is a clinician scientist / pathologist with a special interest and expertise on bone and soft tissue tumors. His clinical focus includes evaluating histologic and immunohistochemical parameters that predict clinical outcome, and identifying diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers in sarcomas. His aim is to crosslink patient care (diagnostic pathology of bone and soft tissue tumors) with basic research (elucidating the molecular events underlying sarcoma development and progression) in order to establish improved diagnosis, prognosis and treatment for patients with bone and soft tissue tumors. One of his  major research interests are the lipomatous tumors, in particular the 'liposarcomagenesis', and pediatric sarcomas. 

Professor David Creytens and colleague pathologists of the Netherlands, Germany and USA were the first to describe 2 new morphological, immunohistochemical and molecular characterized lipomatous tumor entities (‘atypical spindle cell/pleomorphic lipomatous tumor’ and ‘myxoid pleomorphic liposarcoma’), which are now incorporated as new tumor entities in the 5th edition of the World Health Organization (WHO) Classification of Tumors Pathology and Genetics, 2020. Professor David Creytens has also contributed to several chapters of the new WHO Classification of Tumors Pathology and Genetics, 5th edition. In 2025, Prof. David Creytens has been appointed as expert member of the WHO Editorial Board for the 6th edition of the Classification of Soft Tissue and Bone Tumors.
 

• Master of Medicine (Catholic University Leuven, KUL, 2002)
• Trainee in Pathology (2002-2007)
• Fellow Surgical Pathology, NKI/Antoni Van Leeuwenhoek Ziekenhuis, Amsterdam (The Netherlands) (2006, Dr. J. Peterse)
• Fellow Bone and Soft Tissue Tumor pathology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston (USA) (Prof. dr. C.D.M. Fletcher, 2007)
• Staff pathologist, Maastricht University Medical Center, Maastricht (The Netherlands) (2007-2009)
• Senior staff pathologist, University Hospital Antwerp, Antwerp (UZA) (2009-2012)
• Senior staff pathologist ('adjunct-kliniekhoofd'), Ghent University Hospital (UZ Gent, 2012-2014)
• Senior staff pathologist ('kliniekhoofd', 'Head of Clinics'), Ghent University Hospital (UZ Gent, 2014-present)
• Doctor in Medical Science: 'Clinicopathological, immunohistochemical and molecular characterization of lipomatous tumors: new pathologic insights and diagnostic tools (UGent, 2014)
• Official Lecturer courses Soft Tissue Tumor Pathology, European School of Pathology (ESCOP) (2014-present)
• Reviewer for Histopathology, Genes Chromosomes and Cancer, Journal of Clinical Pathology, Pathology, Virchows Archives, Laboratory Investigation, Human Pathology, Pathology Research and Practice, Journal of Cutaneous Pathology
• Appointed as expert member of the WHO Editorial Board for the 6th edition of the Classification of Soft Tissue and Bone Tumors (2025) 
   

• dr. Jilke De Wilde (MD) - doctoral fellow
• dr. Fleur Cordier (MD, PhD) - postdoctoral researcher, clinician
• dr. Lucas Mathyssens (MD) - doctoral fellow
• dr. Kiara Peirens (MD) - doctoral fellow
• Jens De Temmerman - doctoral fellow
• dr. Renaat Coopman (MD, PhD) - postdoctoral researcher, clinician
   

• A morphomolecular study of 175 'USP6-associated neoplasms': The USP6 fusion partner strongly depends on morphology and location. Histopathology. 2025 (PMID: 41293881)
• Atypical spindle cell/pleomorphic lipomatous tumour: a clinicopathologic, immunohistochemical and molecular study of 55 cases, highlighting TP53 gene alterations as a genetic hallmark of atypical pleomorphic lipomatous tumour. Histopathology, 2025 (PMID: 40405626)
• Atypical Spindle Cell/Pleomorphic Lipomatous Tumor With Hibernoma-Like Morphology: Expanding the Morphological Spectrum. International Journal of Surgical Pathology 2025 (PMID: 39533756)
• Pediatric PLAG1-Rearranged Fibromyxoid Spindle Cell Tumor: An Emerging Distinct Entity or a Fibroblastic ('Non-Lipogenic') Pattern of Lipoblastoma? Pathology International 2025 (PMID: 40988442)
• ALK-rearranged, CD34-positive spindle cell neoplasms resembling dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans: a study of seven cases. Histopathology, 2024 (PMID: 38867577)
• Myxoid pleomorphic liposarcoma-a clinicopathologic, immunohistochemical, molecular genetic and epigenetic study of 12 cases, suggesting a possible relationship with conventional pleomorphic liposarcoma. Modern Pathology, 2021. (PMID: 34168281)
• Atypical teratoid/rhabdoid tumors (ATRTs) with SMARCA4 mutation are molecularly distinct from SMARCB1-deficient cases. Acta Neuropathologica, 2021. (PMID: 33331994)
• Atypical lipomatous tumour/well-differentiated liposarcoma and de-differentiated liposarcoma in patients aged ≤ 40 years: a study of 116 patients. Histopathology. 2019. (PMID: 31471922)
• Atypical pleomorphic lipomatous tumor: a clinicopathologic, immunohistochemical and molecular study of 21 cases emphasizing its relationship to atypical spindle cell lipomatous tumor. American Journal of Surgical Pathology, 2017. (PMID: 28877053)
• Atypical spindle cell lipoma: a clinicopathologic, immunohistochemical and molecular study emphasizing its relationship to classical spindle cell lipoma. Virchows Archives, 2014. (PMID: 24659226)
• Find all publications of prof. Creytens via PubMed
   

• Ghent University Hospital, Corneel Heymanslaan 10, Department of Pathology, PAD Building, entrance 23, route 220, 9000 Ghent, Belgium
• Prof. David Creytens is interested to receive invitations for talks or presentations
• Cancer Centre
• Member of the Consortium for Sarcoma Research Ghent (ConSaRGhent)