Lung cancer treatment in Germany. Innovative methods of therapy
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If you need information about innovative treatments for stage 4 lung cancer in Germany, you can find it
Lung cancer is a severe disease with an unfavorable prognosis. If the disease is detected during the first stage, the five-year survival of patients in developed countries reaches 70%.
But the problem is that patients with lung cancer are usually diagnosed during the advanced stages. Therefore, the average five-year survival rate of patients is only 10%. At the same time, 80% of patients die within a year after diagnosis.
As can be seen from these statistics, treatment of lung cancer causes serious difficulties. But it has to be noted that this data was collected several years ago. Other methods of the disease treatment have appeared since, so the statistics would certainly have been improved.
Today, patients can receive innovative treatment for lung cancer, which can increase life expectancy in Germany.
Content
- Innovative treatment techniques
- Surgical treatment
- Radiation therapy
- Other treatment techniques
- Benefits of lung cancer treatment in Germany
- What hospitals are recommended for lung cancer treatment?
- How to go for treatment in Germany?
Innovative treatment techniques
Standard treatment for lung cancer includes surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation therapy. Unfortunately, most cases of the disease involve unresectable tumors. Therefore, doctors can operate on only 20% of patients. The other part of the patients has a neoplasm of a large size, there are distant metastases, or there are somatic diseases, which are contraindications for surgical intervention.
Chemotherapy and radiation therapy are normally auxiliary methods. They are used together with surgical treatment or without surgery in order to increase the life expectancy of a patient with unresectable cancer.
Surgical treatment
The latest surgical methods of treatment are applied in Germany to fight lung cancer. This helps achieve better treatment results and greatly impacts life expectancy.
- Robot-assisted surgeries are also used in Germany. It is highly accurate when removing the affected tissues. This increases not only the risk of complications but also helps to make patients’ post-operative rehabilitation faster.
- Bronchoscopy and thoracoscopic operations remove the tumor without thoracotomy (open operative access to the thorax). Microsurgical instruments are inserted through the bronchi or through small incisions, which are usually done in the intercostal spaces. These are the most sparing operations. They are the safest and least traumatic for the patient.
- Bronchoscopic electrocoagulation. The method is used for palliative treatment. A coagulant is inserted into the tumor through the bronchi. There is local heating of the tumor to high temperatures, resulting in its death and decrease in volume.
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Radiation therapy
Both conventional distant radiation therapy and innovative techniques are applied in Germany.
- Stereotactic radiosurgery is the technique when a cyber knife is used as a main surgical instrument. This is a radio surgical device that allows you to remove the tumor in the deep tissues. Precise stereotactic guidance allows you to remove the tumor even in those parts of the body that move together with the patient's breathing. Tumour receives a high dose of radiation and is destroyed.
- Endoluminal brachytherapy is used as a palliative method of lung cancer treatment. It improves the patient's quality of life by reducing the tumor's size. Brachytherapy involves contact irradiation by the introduction of radioactive granules into the body. The term “endoluminal” means that manipulation is performed in the lumen of the organ. Endoluminal brachytherapy allows the radiation to target the tumor locally, minimally affecting surrounding tissues.
- The system of adaptive respiratory gating allows you to accurately target the tumor tissue during the irradiation of the patient. The RGB system makes X-rays and fixes the movement of the tumor during breathing. Then there is the synchronization of the radiation flux and the location of the tumor at this moment. A beam of gamma rays is aimed at the tumor only when it is in the zone of its impact. In this way, it is possible to avoid unnecessary exposure to healthy tissues.
Other treatment techniques
New methods of lung cancer treatment always arise, except for surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy, making it all more effective.
- Dendrite cells immune therapy. Dendrite cells are obtained from the patient’s blood or bone marrow. They are further cultivated and then injected into the patient’s body subcutaneously. This way, dendrite cells fight the tumor. The research shows that this treatment technique is more beneficial than chemo and radiation therapy. Meanwhile, it is better tolerated and is available for outpatient treatment.
- Endoscopic photodynamic therapy. A dye (photosensitizer) is introduced into the patient's body, and it selectively accumulates in the tissues of the tumor. Then a light source of a certain spectrum is introduced into the bronchi. Under the influence of light radiation inside the tumor cells, a large number of free radicals appear, which leads to their necrosis. Painted cancer cells are more susceptible to it. The advantage of this method is low systemic toxicity and the possibility of local exposure to tumor sites available for illumination.
- Proton therapy is a costly and high-tech treatment method applied only in certain centers in Germany. It is used as an alternative to radiation therapy. But it differs from it by sparing exposure to the surrounding healthy tissues.
Benefits of lung cancer treatment in Germany
The treatment of lung cancer in Germany is more effective than passing the course of therapy in clinics of the still developing countries. There are several reasons for this, namely:
- Availability of innovative methods of treatment
- Years of established treatment of lung cancer enable optimal results
- Availability of the latest drugs for chemotherapy and targeted therapy
- Presence of highly qualified doctors among the hospital staff who have vast experience in the treatment of lung cancer
The healthcare system in Germany is ahead of its times. Therefore, there are better survival statistics for patients with any form of cancer, including lung cancer.
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What hospitals are recommended for lung cancer treatment?
Lung cancer treatment is carried out at large multidisciplinary hospitals and small specialized centers. One of the advantages of large hospitals is the teamwork of physicians: here, you can easily combine surgery and radiation therapy or have a consultation with the necessary healthcare specialist. Small centers can demonstrate excellent results in a particular type of treatment; for example, this concerns proton therapy centers.
Here are several German hospitals that are most popular in terms of lung cancer:
- St. Vincentius Hospital Karlsruhe – Academic Hospital of the University of Freiburg, Department of Pulmonology
- University Hospital Heidelberg, Department of Cardiology, Angiology and Pulmonology
- University Hospital RWTH Aachen, Department of Cardiology, Pulmonology and Angiology
- University Hospital Frankfurt-am-Main, Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology, Pulmonology, Allergology, Endocrinology and Diabetology
- University Hospital Jena, Department of Cardiology, Angiology, Pulmonology and Intensive Care
How to go for treatment in Germany?
Before you start planning the trip, you must first determine the hospital. We will help you to find a medical facility where you will receive qualitative treatment at a reasonable price.
The booking of medical services at Booking Health abroad will help you find out the real cost of therapeutic programs and the list of diagnostic and treatment procedures included.
When organizing treatment in Germany through BookingHealth, you will also receive:
- Assistance in the arranging of examination and treatment in the hospital.
- Reduced waiting time. Lung cancer treatment should be started as early as possible in order to increase the chances of a favorable outcome.
- A package of services (booking flights, hotels, transfer to the hospital).
- Interpretation services, as well as translation of medical records.
- Insurance covering unforeseen medical expenses, which will last 48 months (4 years) during and after treatment at the German hospital.
- Free consultation of a doctor within three months after discharge from the hospital.
- A chance to save up to 70% of the general treatment costs.
Just leave a request on our Booking Health website, and we will choose the best hospital for you within 24 hours.
Choose treatment abroad and you will for sure get the best results!
Authors:
The article was edited by medical experts, board certified doctors Dr. Vadim Zhiliuk and Dr. Sergey Pashchenko. For the treatment of the conditions referred to in the article, you must consult a doctor; the information in the article is not intended for self-medication!
Sources:
Cancer Treatment Centers of America
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