Breast cancer can be diagnosed both in women and men (less than 1% of all patients). Today, the disease is no longer a sentence. If you face this problem, consider treating breast cancer in specialized German centers. Qualified German oncologists will start from the comprehensive examination and elaborate individual therapeutic scheme based on its results. Due to the vast experience, the 10-year survival rate for women with non-metastatic breast cancer reaches 84%.
Surgery for breast cancer
The overall treatment plan is always developed according to the stage of the disease. Therefore, German specialists carry out diagnostics first.
When planning the surgery, doctors decide on the necessity of lymph nodes removal. The patient receives an injection of a contrast agent into the region of the tumor. Thanks to this, the doctor determines whether the lymph nodes are affected. Sparing healthy lymph nodes reduces risks of postoperative swelling and poor functioning of the upper extremity on the affected side.
For over 30 years, organ-sparing surgeries have been successfully carried out in Germany. Such an operation is the standard surgical method for early breast cancer. With that said, there are several ways to conduct surgery. The main ones include the removal of tumor only, partial breast removal and total breast removal with the subsequent reconstruction. The removed tissues undergo histological analysis.
Radiotherapy and chemotherapy for breast cancer
Radiotherapy for breast cancer is aimed at destroying malignant cells that weren’t removed during the surgery. It prevents a recurrence of the disease and the development of metastases.
Since cancerous tissues and healthy tissues are both exposed to radiation, the total dosage of radiation is divided into small ones. There are other methods of radiotherapy that can minimize the impact on healthy tissues, an example being brachytherapy. Fortunately, healthy tissues can regenerate; cancerous tissues do not. Thus, irradiation is carried out over several weeks to cause tumor necrosis.
In turn, chemotherapy aims to kill and stop the growth of the malignant cells. Cancer cells divide faster than healthy ones, and they are more sensitive to chemotherapeutic agents.
There are different types of chemotherapeutic drugs that target different mechanisms of tumor proliferation; as a rule, they are prescribed in combination. It’s done to increase the effect of the drugs and reduce possible side effects.
Choosing a clinic for breast cancer treatment
It is best to entrust breast cancer therapy to a clinic with vast experience in this medical sphere.
In Germany, doctors admit hundreds of patients and carry out about 800 courses of chemotherapy annually. Surgeons perform at least 50 operations annually to remove breast tumors.
If a clinic is specialized, all kinds of medical care for breast cancer are available here. To maintain their certification, clinics are regularly evaluated. Currently, the leading healthcare facilities are:
- University Hospital Tuebingen
- University Hospital Ulm
- University Hospital Frankfurt-am-Main
- Charite University Hospital Berlin
- University Hospital Muenster
Feel free to check information about the leading hospitals for breast cancer treatment in Germany on the Booking Health website. You can also check out the prices for treatment of breast cancer.
How to start breast cancer treatment in Germany?
Booking Health is the international medical tourism company that offers the organization of treatment at the world’s renowned clinics.
Booking Health helps you select the clinic and the best specialist, communicates with doctors and hospital administration, arranges the trip, takes care about translation of medical reports and interpreting, etc.
The choice of a medical facility is based on its qualification profile, the experience of specialists, and patient reviews. Close cooperation with leading specialists at German clinics allows Booking Health to make urgent appointments for high-tech therapy.
If you want to check prices and start your treatment in Germany, fill in the request form at Booking Health website.