Prostate Cancer Treatment in Germany

Prostate cancer is one of the most common medical diagnoses. Experts claim that prostate cancer treatment gives good results with its early detection. Many specialists point out the high success rates of therapy for prostate cancer in Germany.

Content

1. What are treatment options for prostate cancer in Germany?
2. Surgery for prostate cancer treatment in Germany
3. Lutetium treatment for prostate cancer in Germany
4. Treatment of prostate cancer stage 4 in Germany
5. Prognostic factors
6. Why undergo prostate cancer treatment in Germany?
7. The cost of treatment in Germany
8. Treatment in Germany with Booking Health

What are treatment options for prostate cancer in Germany?

Prostate cancer is treated with various methods, such as:

• Radical surgery for removal of the prostate gland for a localized process that does not spread beyond the organ
• Brachytherapy
• Hormone therapy (this isn’t a radical treatment, but the therapy can shrink the tumor)
• Chemotherapy (used to prevent the spread of cancer cells)
• Lutetium treatment

Regimens of prostate cancer treatment are chosen by the doctor individually, with an ultimate goal of maximum impact on the malignant process with minimal side effects. Often prostate cancer is treated with the complex of the above-mentioned techniques or assumes their consecutive use, for example, surgery and hormonal treatment of prostate cancer together with radiation treatment. Clinical practice confirms that the combined approach shows the best results.

Surgery for prostate cancer treatment in Germany

The first-line prostate cancer treatment at the initial stages of the malignant process is robotic laparoscopic (da Vinci) surgery for the total removal of the prostate gland. The advantages of this type of surgery include:

• Minimum contraindications in terms of age and state of health
• Short recovery period
• High effectiveness in terms of complete healing
• Preservation of erection function in 90% of patients
• Absence of problems with urination in 95% of patients
• The short duration of therapy (up to 10 days in the hospital)

Unfortunately, such a surgery is not indicated if the tumor is large, or if there are concomitant infections, as well as in cases where courses of hormonal therapy and chemotherapy have been performed previously.

At the earliest stages of prostate cancer, minimally invasive methods of treatment as well as organ-sparing surgery, including transurethral (through the urethra) or transvesical (through the bladder) surgery may be offered as alternatives.

Lutetium treatment for prostate cancer in Germany

Despite progress and innovations in oncology, the incidence of prostate cancer among the male population of different ages is still very high. Prostate cancer accounts for a quarter of all new-onset malignant neoplasms. The complex treatment of prostate cancer allows to save the lives of many patients, but not all of them show a satisfactory response to conventional therapy. It’s related to those who are most vulnerable and those who are resistant to conventional treatments for prostate cancer, as well as those who have widespread metastases.

Recently, German hospitals have started treating prostate cancer by intravenous injection of a radioactive substance (Lu-177 PSMA therapy) that accumulates in the metastases of prostate cancer. It is worth noting that Lutetium treatment is used only in cases where treatment with hormonal drugs is no longer effective.

The choice of Lu-177 PSMA therapy is not accidental, as after long-term use of hormonal drugs at the advanced stages of the disease cancer cells become resistant to many medications, and doctors previously referred to chemotherapy as the only method available. Now doctors have another therapeutic option to resort to, i.e., the targeted Lu-177 PSMA therapy. Lutetium treatment is an innovation that gives a chance to a group of patients with advanced and therapy-resistant prostate cancer.

The principle of therapy is the intravenous injection of a radioisotope that accumulates in the metastases and destroys cancer cells with ß-radiation from the inside.

A supervised stay in a radiological department of the hospital for up to 72 hours is mandatory during Lutetium treatment. During a patient’s stay, diagnostic measures and symptomatic treatment are performed. All of these are done for the protection of salivary glands and kidneys that could potentially be harmed during the Lutetium treatment. Depending on the current health parameters of the patient, the dosage of medication used for Lu-177 PSMA therapy is determined.

As a rule, Lutetium treatment is well tolerated by patients, as the drug is fast excreted by the kidneys. Complete blood count and PSA blood levels are monitored every 2 weeks, and a course of Lutetium treatment may be repeated in 2 months, if necessary.

Treatment of prostate cancer stage 4 in Germany

In patients with prostate cancer of 4th stage metastases are already present throughout the body. This clinical situation is considered the most complicated, and the term "last-stage prostate cancer" is usually used with stage 4 of the disease. In prostate cancer stage 4, the prognosis is the least favorable.

Many patients who visit doctors for the first time and find out that prostate cancer stage 4 has already developed with all symptoms clearly expressed. The patient is usually disturbed by difficulty urinating, pain, presence of blood in the urine, general weakness, and exhaustion.

Treatment of prostate cancer stage 4 is prescribed individually and is determined by the peculiarities of the tumor and the presence of metastases. For many patients, surgical treatment of prostate cancer stage 4 isn’t an option, so they receive treatment in the form of either hormone therapy or radiotherapy (or chemotherapy).

Hormone therapy is effective because tumor growth is stimulated by the hormone testosterone. It is possible to slow down the growth of the tumor and metastases by decreasing testosterone levels. This method does not provide a complete cure, but it can improve the patient's quality of life and reduce symptoms. Hormone therapy has its side effects, which can include erectile dysfunction and gynecomastia (male breast enlargement).

Treatment of prostate cancer stage 4 with radiation therapy helps to restrict the growth of the primary neoplasm and reduce metastases but does not lead to a complete cure. This type of treatment allows patients to remain sexually active.

Prognostic factors

Prostate cancer is a disease that occupies the first place in mortality statistics in men in many countries. A malignant tumor of the prostate grows rather slowly (about 10 years can pass from the appearance of the first malignant cells to the development of symptoms), but quickly disseminates throughout the body, spreading cancer cells in the bone structures (spine, pelvic bones, ribs, etc.) or, less often, in internal organs (lungs, liver, central nervous system).

Often the first symptoms of prostate cancer are signs of metastatic growth (bone pain, weakness, etc.). Therefore, the main prognostic factor is the stage of the disease.

In the local process, the main prognostic factor is the integrity of the prostate capsule, which indicates a limitation of the process to the boundaries of the prostate gland. In case of capsule invasion, the absence of tumor spreading to adjacent organs and tissues is important. In cases where the tumor has spread to other pelvic organs (stage 4 of the disease), the prognosis is always unpredictable.

Prognosis is most favorable if prostate cancer is detected at the first stage when the tumor is not palpable. It is only possible to detect this kind of pathology by an increase in PSA blood levels. That is why many older patients undergo a checkup in Germany in order to detect prostate cancer at the early stage of development when a complete cure is possible.

As with other cancers, in addition to the stage of the process and the size of the primary tumor, the following factors influence treatment effectiveness:

• The degree of differentiation of the tumor cells (undifferentiated tumors are prone to rapid metastasizing, grow faster, and recur more often)
• The age and health state of the patient
• The quality of medical care provided

Why undergo prostate cancer treatment in Germany?

Germany is a country with a very high level of medicine. For example, high-tech approaches, including the use of the da Vinci robot, have been used in Germany for 15 years. The method allows specialists to perform complicated but less traumatic operations on the prostate gland. Every manipulation performed in German hospitals implies the use of high-tech equipment, some of which is hard to find in other countries.

The effectiveness of treatment in German hospitals is also based on the fact that doctors focus their efforts on early disease detection, and prostate cancer is not an exception. Oncology is treated easier at the onset of the disease than at the advanced stage.

You are welcome to check out the full list of certified German hospitals for prostate cancer treatment on the Booking Health website.

The cost of treatment in Germany

Prices for cancer treatment abroad don’t seem low. However, if you calculate the cost of treatment for prostate cancer at the place of your residence, where you aren’t really sure about the quality of medical services provided, then the cost of treatment in Germany will not seem irrational at all.

Besides, treatment in Germany has a significant advantage in quality and effectiveness. The cost of treatment will depend on the type of the disease, as well as on the types of German hospitals (state, private, university, etc.). The average prices for different treatments are listed below:

• The cost of nerve-sparing da Vinci prostatectomy for prostate cancer is between 12,600 EUR and 28,200 EUR.
• The cost of radiation therapy for prostate cancer is between 14,000 EUR and 30,900 EUR.
• The cost of the interstitial brachytherapy for prostate cancer is between 13,600 EUR and 22,600 EUR.
• The cost of Lutetium-177 PSMA therapy for prostate cancer is between 31,060 EUR and 44,070 EUR.

You can look through the prices for other procedures on the Booking Health website.

Treatment in Germany with Booking Health

If you care about your health, treatment in Germany is one of the best options for you. The combination of the knowledge of leading specialists and the use of the latest medical equipment will not only allow diagnosing prostate cancer timely but also cope with such a dangerous disease. Besides, you should know that the option of treatment abroad is available for you and you can feel all the advantages of treatment in Germany patients experience.

You can organize treatment in Germany by yourself, or you can have the whole treatment organized for you. Booking Health will arrange every step of treatment in Germany, from the translation of your medical documents, providing assistance in getting a medical visa, and booking tickets and transfers, to providing you with a personal interpreter, if needed.

Feel free to contact Booking Health by leaving the request on the website, so that a medical advisor can reach out to you to answer all of your questions.

Authors:

The article was edited by medical experts, board certified doctors Dr. Nadezhda Ivanisova 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!

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Sources:

National Cancer Institute

National Library of Medicine

Medical News Today