Cervical cancer (Cervix carcinoma)
Cervical cancer is a common malignant tumour, which accounts for 15% of all the oncological diseases in women. Most of the illness cases happen in the developing countries. Meanwhile, cervical cancer is rarely experienced in the developed countries. This disease mainly affects middle aged women and about 20% of the primary tumour diagnosis is carried out in the elderly patients. Illness is relatively rare in younger women.
The Booking Health portal presents 84 German clinics specializing in cervical cancer (cervix carcinoma) treatment
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Cervical cancer – Diagnostics
Doctors apply both invasive and non-invasive diagnostic procedures to examine the condition of the cervix. However, you need to have a doctor’s exam before any symptoms appear to detect cancer early. Women, who have a background or precancerous diseases and are in the risk group, must be examined regularly (screening tests).
Underlying conditions, which increase the risk of cervical cancer, are divided into the following groups:
- Post traumatic (fistulas, true erosion, scars and ruptures)
- Inflammatory (cervicitis, HPV infection)
- Hormonal imbalances (leukoplakia, polyp, papilloma, endometriosis)
Dysplasia, erythroplasty, as well as any background conditions, accompanied by the appearance of atypical cells, are considered to be precancerous conditions.
Mortality of cervical cancer has been significantly reduced in some developed countries like the USA, Japan, Sweden, and Germany. Women have regular check-ups there. Thus, in 70-80% of cases an illness is detected at an earlier, non-invasive stage, when treatment is the most effective.
Diagnostics techniques are:
- Cytology swab helps to identify preclinical forms of cervical cancer, which are not yet accompanied by visible changes in the structure of the organ.
- Extended colposcopy allows not only to examine the epithelium at a large magnification with the help of an optical device, but also to conduct tests (with acetic acid – to identify vascular atypia, Schiller's test – to reveal pathological cells that do not contain glycogen).
- Biopsy implies taking the tissue fragment for analysis to detect abnormal cells and helps to confirm a diagnosis.
Additional diagnostics techniques can be used to differentiate a stage of the pathological process like: computed tomography, MRI, lungs X-tray, cystoscopy, irrigoscopy and others. The cost of an examination for suspected cervical cancer ranges from 4,000 EUR to 5,500 EUR.
Best clinics for the cervical cancer diagnostics in Germany:
Cervical cancer – Treatment
How to apply for cervical cancer treatment in Germany? This depends on the selected treatment option. Stage 1-3 cervical cancer is mainly treated with the help of surgery. Various operations are conducted, depending on the stage of the illness, age of a patient and her wish to preserve the reproductive function.
- Cervical conization is a cone-shaped excision of pathologically altered tissues from the cervical canal and part of the cervix. Surgery can be performed at an early stages, if a woman wants to maintain reproductive function, and is also prescribed for precancerous conditions treatment. It requires careful monitoring after the operation.
- Extirpation of the uterus is the optimal variant of surgical cervical cancer treatment in Germany for middle-aged or elderly women, who no longer plan to have children. The uterus is completely removed along with the cervix. Sometimes fallopian tubes and ovaries are removed. In some modifications, ovaries can be preserved and withdrawn beyond the pelvic cavity. In all cases, the volume of surgical intervention is determined individually, together with the patient.
- Chemotherapy is prescribed at stage one-three and at the advanced cancer stages before surgery as well as after it. It is administered before surgery if a tumour is more than 4 cm in diameter and metastases in the pelvic lymph nodes are present.
- Radiation therapy is mostly prescribed after the surgery to prevent the recurrence. It can be applied instead of the surgery if there are contraindications or if a patient refuses to undergo a surgery.
The costs for the treatment in the specialized cancer centers in Germany are as follows:
- The cost of chemotherapy is in the range of 8,190-30,230 EUR.
- The cost of radiotherapy is in the same range of 8,190-30,230 EUR.
- The cost of surgical resection is 6,125-24,900 EUR.
Cervical cancer – Innovative treatment
Target therapy is a method of cervical cancer and some other types of cancer treatment, which is based on the use of specific medicines that block rapid growth, development and spreading of the abnormal cells by impacting the molecules inside them. As a result, they lose the ability to differentiate and gradually die, which leads to the regression of the malformation.
This method has a high selectivity for cancer cells, which avoids a number of negative side effects and complications that often occur with the use of traditional chemotherapy. The main mechanism of the drug is still blocking neoangiogenesis (the formation of new vessels feeding the malformation). The result of such an impact is the lack of oxygen in the tumour leading to its eventual death. It is mainly administered for the metastatic cervical cancer treatment in Germany.
Neutron capture therapy is the treatment technique based on local exposure to a neutron beam, which destroys cancer cells. Specific non-radioactive medicines, which are absorbed by atypical cells, are introduced into the patient’s body. The activity of the medicament increases several times after a weak irradiation of the affected area with a neutron beam.
This leads to a powerful anti-tumour effect with the destruction of the malformation from the inside. The dose of irradiation remains much lower than those of conventional radiological therapy. This helps to reduce the negative effects of treatment; and high selectivity of the technique ensures the safety of surrounding tissues.
Treatment of stage 4 cervical cancer
The treatment of stage 4 cervical cancer uses different approaches depending on whether the tumor is locally advanced or metastatic. The main treatment method for stage IVA cancer is radiation therapy. When dealing with the treatment of stage 4 cervical cancer with metastases (IVB), the main role is given to systemic therapy.
Chemotherapy is the main one among the systemic methods for stage 4 cancer. Targeted therapy with VEGF inhibitors can also be used.
Doctors in developed countries use antibody-drug conjugates for the treatment of stage 4 cervical cancer. These are monoclonal antibodies that deliver attached chemotherapy drugs directly to cancer cells. Patients with high PD-L1 expression are treated with immunotherapy for stage 4 cervical cancer with the drug pembrolizumab (Keytruda), which prevents the tumor from evading attacks by the immune system.
Dendritic cells for cervical cancer
Treatment of stage 4 cancer often involves experimental methods if standard methods fail to be effective. Advanced medical centers offer dendritic cell (DC) immunotherapy.
A dendritic cell-based vaccine for cervical cancer is made individually for each patient. Blood is taken from a person, monocytes are extracted, and they are ensured to mature into DCs, treated with antigens, and repeatedly injected into the body.
Although cervical cancer treatment with dendritic cell therapy is still not considered a standard method to combat this disease, dendritic cell therapy is already being used at some foreign medical centers.
Best clinics for the cervical cancer treatment in Germany:
University Hospital of Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich
Cervical cancer – Rehabilitation
After treatment of complex oncological diseases most patients require rehabilitation. It includes the following aspects:
- Prevention of complications that may occur as a result of treatment. It can be pneumonia, lymphostasis, thromboembolic or infectious complications.
- Restoration of general health. The elimination of the consequences after surgeries and chemotherapy is carried out. The functions of internal organs are restored with the help of various medical and rehabilitation options.
- Restoration of occupation. A person must not just stay alive. He must have physical and intellectual capabilities, which are sufficient for employment.
- Psychological support. First of all, it is required for patients, whose occupational performance was harmed because of the disease. Patients with deterioration of appearance also will benefit from psychological help.
- Restoration of appearance. If necessary, you can use surgical and other methods in Germany to restore appearance defects caused by cancer. For example, to carry out the reconstruction of the breast.
- Social and domestic rehabilitation. A person with reduced workability is trained to act in the society and perform everyday tasks in new conditions.
In German clinics, rehabilitation is carried out in a comprehensive manner. The patients are provided with qualitative care here. Doctors' monitoring and conservative treatment allow to avoid complications, which usually happen after treatment of oncological diseases. Psychotherapy, physiotherapy and physical therapy are actively used in Germany.
Specialists in different medical spheres take part in the rehabilitation process. These are massage therapists, speech therapists, specialists in physiotherapy exercises, physiotherapists. Social and occupational therapy is carried out, as well. If necessary, people are taught how to eat properly, take care of a colostomy or urostomy, etc.
In Germany, rehabilitation is carried out with the maximum level of comfort for the patient. A person feels the results quite quickly and it improves his motivation and promotes further recovery.
Best clinics for oncological rehabilitation in Germany:
Author:
The article was edited by medical expert, board certified Dr. Nadezhda Ivanisova. 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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The cost of services includes
Here you can find the cost of treatment for this disease at the German University Hospitals. Leave a request and we will provide a free consultation with a doctor and will start organizing the whole treatment process.
The program includes the following:
- Issuing of an invitation for getting a visa for treatment as quick as possible
- Fixing an appointment at a time convenient for you
- Preliminary organization of a comprehensive examination and discussion of the forthcoming treatment plan
- Arranging transfer from the airport to the hospital and back to the airport
- Provision of interpreting services and services of a personal medical coordinator
- If necessary, assistance in the organization of further surgical treatment
- Provision of a medical insurance against treatment complications covering up to 200,000 euro
- Preparation and translation of medical records and recommendations from the hospital
- Assistance in the subsequent communication with your attending physician, including consultations on repeated X-ray images through the unique medical document management system E-doc
