Primary spinal cord astrocytomas are rare and account for only 6-8% of all spinal cord tumors. The treatment of this disease is complicated, so many patients prefer to receive medical care in a country with advanced medicine. Doctors in Germany achieve excellent results even when treating high-grade astrocytoma. The first-line therapy is tumor resection using intraoperative neuromonitoring to remove more tumor tissue and reduce the risk of complications. Surgery is followed by radiation therapy to reduce the risk of disease recurrence.
Content
- Surgical treatment
- Radiation therapy
- Chemotherapy
- Rehabilitation
The basis of treatment is a surgical technique. In German clinics, neuromonitoring is mandatory during operations. Surgery is followed by radiation therapy to reduce the risk of recurrence.
You can undergo treatment in the following clinics: Charite University Hospital Berlin, Catholic Clinic Koblenz-Montabaur, University Hospital Freiburg.
Please leave your request with medical information on the Booking Health website. Our medical consultant, who specializes in the treatment of spinal tumors will help you select a surgeon and draw up a preliminary medical care program. Travel managers will fully arrange your trip. During your treatment in Germany, you will be accompanied by an interpreter, and your personal coordinator will be available 24/7.
Surgical treatment
Surgical resection and decompression are optimal treatments for spinal cord astrocytoma. In most cases, grade 1 and 2 tumors are successfully removed completely. Such a resection is called total.
At the same time, the complete surgical removal of an astrocytoma with grade 3-4 is not always possible. Such neoplasms do not have clear margins with surrounding tissues growing into them. This makes total removal unsafe, leading to severe neurological deficits. Grade 3 tumors can be removed totally only in 12% of cases, while grade 4 tumors can almost never be removed. The remnants of the tumor can be destroyed with radiation, so most patients receive adjuvant radiation therapy.
German neurosurgeons use continuous neuromonitoring during surgery. In this case, the intervention becomes safer, and the likelihood of total astrocytoma removal increases. In turn, total removal ensures better patient survival as compared to partial removal. Surgeons use motor evoked potentials (MEPs) for neuromonitoring. Dura plastic surgery is usually performed as the safest option for maximal decompression (reducing pressure on the spinal cord).
Radiation therapy
Irradiation is not usually used as the main treatment option. The results of radiation therapy for spinal cord astrocytoma are much worse than those of surgery.
Radiation therapy is most often carried out after surgery. It reduces the risk of recurrence and prolongs the recurrence-free period. Irradiation increases the life expectancy of patients. Studies have proved the benefit of combination treatment over surgery alone. The tumor removal followed by radiation therapy has increased the median survival of patients to more than 5 years. The technique is effective for any grade of astrocytoma.
Radiation therapy is also an integral part of the treatment of recurrent astrocytomas.
The very latest irradiation techniques are applied in Germany. Doctors use intensity-modulated radiation therapy, stereotactic radiation therapy, and volumetric modulated arc therapy. Some clinics use proton therapy, which is the safest method for the destruction of spinal cord tumors, providing the lowest risk of post-radiation complications.
Chemotherapy
Chemotherapy is rarely used for the treatment of spinal cord astrocytoma. The frequency of clinical response to treatment is low. This technique is used only in cases where the tumor has recurred or continues to progress after surgery and radiation therapy.
Some clinics prescribe chemotherapy after surgery to reduce the risk of recurrence. Research is ongoing to assess how effective this therapeutic approach is.
Rehabilitation
The tumor itself and the surgery to remove it often cause neurological disorders. They worsen the quality of human life and can lead to disability. To regain your ability to work, or at least the ability to fulfill activities of daily living, you can undergo rehabilitation in Germany. It starts immediately after the operation and lasts for several months, until all the goals of the rehabilitation process are achieved.
German Neurorehabilitation Centers use the very latest techniques, including:
- Robot-assisted mechanotherapy
- Verticalization
- Physiotherapy
- Locomotor training
- Training on robot-assisted fitness equipment, in the swimming pool, the use of exoskeletons
- Biofeedback and virtual reality
- Pharmacological support and cell therapy
If you plan to undergo diagnostics and treatment of spinal cord astrocytoma in Germany, you are welcome to visit the Booking Health website. Here you will find out the cost of surgery in different clinics in Germany, compare the prices and book a treatment program at the best price. You will receive insurance that will cover additional costs for diagnostic or therapeutic procedures. The Booking Health staff will select the best clinic specializing in the treatment of spinal cord tumors and arrange your trip to Germany.
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:
Verywell Health
Medscape
Healthline
