Breast cancer is one of the most common diseases in the world. The total incidence rate is 50 people per 100 thousand population per year. However, if it comes to women only, this indicator is twice as high as 100 cases per 100 thousand female population. The reason for this is that the incidence of breast cancer cases among men does not exceed 1%.
Early diagnostics
In the early stages, breast cancer can be successfully treated. It is only important to detect it timely. Given the high total incidence of this pathology, each country with developed medicine carries out screening. This is an examination of people who do not have any symptoms. It aims to detect a tumor in the early stage.
Here are the main diagnostic procedures used:
- breast ultrasound (in young women);
- radiography (mammography);
- breast examination and palpation by a mammologist.
In Germany, you can undergo a check-up for the detection of female cancers. You will spend only one day, but in return you will be confident in good health. Should a breast tumor be detected, treatment can be provided immediately after the diagnostics.
The surgical techniques for small neoplasms are very sparing. In Germany, doctors perform organ-preserving operations (sectoral resection). Thanks to postoperative radiotherapy, relapses are very rare. Should neoplasms be detected late, when the patient feels the manifestation of symptoms and the tumor reaches a large size, relapses after treatment are more likely. In this case, the surgeons perform a total removal of the breast with lymph nodes and adjacent tissues (muscles, lymph nodes, subcutaneous tissue, sometimes a part of the chest wall), whereas the surgical procedure and postoperative radiotherapy are complemented by chemotherapy.
Below you can see other treatments used for breast cancer:
- hormone therapy, in case of the detection of sex hormone receptors during the diagnostics;
- intraoperative radiation therapy;
- brachytherapy;
- immunotherapy.
Diagnosis confirmation
The stages of breast cancer diagnostics are as follows:
- A woman sees a doctor to either undergo a preventive examination or when symptoms are detected.
- The patient undergoes an examination aimed at the detection of the tumor itself.
- The next step is biopsy and histological confirmation that this is a malignant neoplasm.
- If the diagnostics has confirmed that it is cancer, the doctors carry out the further studies, which aim to establish its features (the availability of hormone receptors, molecular type).
- Instrumental diagnostics to assess the spread of the process: determination of the size and location of the primary tumor and detection of possible metastases.
The tumor itself can be detected by ultrasound or X-ray. These examinations are followed by biopsy. The material obtained is forwarded for the histological examination. In most cases, its results show no signs of malignancy. Nonetheless, there may be diagnosed cancer and in this case treatment starts as early as possible. The main treatment method is surgery. Only surgery can cure the disease completely. Other methods and procedures are used as a supplement and they reduce the risk of recurrence.
Which hospitals can offer diagnostics?
The Booking Health company can arrange for you both medical and diagnostic procedures, surgery and postoperative recovery, as well as any other medical services in the best hospitals in the world. Here are a few medical centers where you can go:
University Hospital Tuebingen. According to the Focus magazine, it is one of the best hospitals in Germany, which provides medical care for breast cancer patients. It carries out mammography screening, imaging diagnostics, minimally invasive biopsy. If necessary, either surgery or conservative treatment procedures are applied.
Charite University Hospital Berlin. The hospital provides high-quality diagnostics with the determination of the breast cancer index, HER2 status, the presence of estrogen and progesterone receptors. The service spectrum includes Oncotype DX and Mammaprint. The hospital uses the very latest advances in surgery. The patients may also undergo irradiation not in the postoperative period, but directly during the operation. This procedure reduces the risk of recurrence.
University Hospital Frankfurt am Main. The hospital ranks among the best in Germany specializing in breast cancer treatment. It operates the Breast Center. The hospital provides both therapeutic and diagnostic services. It is engaged in scientific research in the field of breast cancer diagnostics and treatment.
Arrangement of diagnostics
To undergo examination in the best hospitals in Germany or other developed countries, you can use Booking Health services. The German medical centers offer preventive examinations, diagnostics in the case of disturbing symptoms or suspected relapse of the oncological disease. Here are our services and benefits:
- Selection of the best hospital specializing in the breast cancer diagnostics, surgery, conservative therapy.
- Reduced cost of treatment due to the lack of coefficients for foreign patients.
- Establishment of communication with the attending physician.
- Preparation of the examination program taking into account the previous diagnostic procedures.
- Arrangement of additional examinations, if necessary, (for example, in case of the development of additional symptoms).
- Arrangement of examination at the most suitable dates for the patient.
- Control of the program and the cost of the procedures, return of unspent funds.
- Buying of medicines and their forwarding.
We will not only help you select the and reduce the cost of treatment, but also will provide other additional services. The Booking Health staff will help you draw up documents for traveling abroad, book a hotel for you. We will provide you with the interpreting services, meet you at the airport and take you to the hospital, as well as provide a return transfer.
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