Breast cancer diagnosis

About the department

The Department of Mammology at the Marien Hospital Duesseldorf offers the widest range of services for the prevention, diagnostics and treatment of breast diseases. The main area of ​​the department's specialization is the detection and treatment of breast cancer – the department is certified by the German Cancer Society. The doctors of the medical facility are also competent in the treatment of benign breast diseases and correction of breast malformations, including in men (gynecomastia). Patients are offered special screening programs for breast cancer, which allow excluding the presence of pathology or detecting it in the early stage, which significantly increases the chances of a full recovery. The team of the department's breast specialists uses modern clinical protocols to achieve effective treatment outcomes. The department provides both conservative therapy and surgical treatment, including reconstructive plastic surgery using implants and autologous tissues. The treatment regimen is developed individually, based on a particular clinical case. The Head Physician of the department is Dr. med. Susanne Findt.

The department's team of doctors has long experience in the treatment of breast cancer. Breast cancer is one of the most common malignant pathologies in women, and, unfortunately, the number of patients with this diagnosis is steadily increasing every year. The department carries out comprehensive screening examinations to detect oncology in the early stage, when it is best treated. However, many women do not undergo regular check-ups with a breast specialist, so breast cancer is diagnosed in the advanced stage. In this case, patients require radical treatment, including breast removal surgery. The department offers excellent diagnostic options for patients with suspected breast cancer: high-resolution ultrasound scans, including color Doppler ultrasound and elastography, mammography, tomosynthesis, magnetic resonance imaging, needle biopsy and other tests. Thus, the doctors have in their arsenal all the necessary resources to detect breast cancer, as well as to accurately determine the stage of the oncological process. To treat breast cancer, the specialists of the medical facility resort to conservative and surgical methods. In most cases, it is impossible to cure the disease without surgery. The extent of the intervention is determined depending on the stage of breast cancer. In the advanced stages, mastectomy (total breast removal) is often required, but still the department's surgeons often manage to avoid radical surgery and save the breast. After mastectomy, the breasts can be restored with the help of plastic surgery. Whenever required, surgical treatment is supplemented with chemotherapy, radiation therapy, antibody therapy, antihormone therapy, immunotherapy, etc. In addition, every woman receives competent psychological assistance to normalize her psycho-emotional state caused by the onset of pathology.

Many patients of the department are diagnosed with benign breast diseases: cysts, fibroadenomas, lipomas, mastopathy, mastitis and others. To treat benign pathologies, conservative methods are usually sufficient, but in some clinical cases, minor surgical interventions may also be required. In addition, the department's doctors are competent in the treatment of gynecomastia (abnormal breast enlargement in men). The treatment of pathology usually involves the use of medicines, for example, medicines to reduce the production of prolactin, and if drug therapy is ineffective, surgery is performed.

The department's range of diagnostic and therapeutic options includes:

• Diagnostic services
  • High-resolution ultrasound, including color Doppler and elastography
  • Mammography
  • Tomosynthesis
  • Magnetic resonance imaging
  • Needle biopsy under the guidance of ultrasound, MRI or mammography
  • "Second opinion"
• Therapeutic services
  • Surgery
    • Organ-preserving breast cancer surgery
    • Mastectomy (breast removal) with immediate or delayed reconstruction using implants or autologous tissues
    • Preventive breast removal with immediate reconstruction with a family history of breast cancer
    • Breast plastic surgery for medical indications
      • Contouring plastic surgery
      • Breast reshaping
      • Breast reduction and augmentation
      • Nipple reconstruction
    • Treatment of breast cancer and gynecomastia in men
    • Surgery for benign breast tumors
  • Conservative therapy
    • Drug therapy
    • Systemic therapy
      • Chemotherapy
      • Antibody therapy (targeted therapy)
      • Antihormone therapy
      • Immunotherapy (if clinically indicated)
    • Radiation therapy
      • Classical and hypofractionated irradiation
      • Radiation therapy to irradiate metastases
      • Intraoperative radiation therapy (IORT)
      • Palliative radiation therapy
• Other medical services