Brachytherapy for Breast Cancer treatment in the Best Hospitals in the World
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Treatment of Breast cancer
- Reconstruction with an expander or allo prosthesis
- Diep-flap plastic reconstruction with own tissues
- Reconstruction with own tissue or implant after radical mastectomy
- Radical mastectomy
- Chemotherapy
- Lumpectomy and lymphadenectomy by metastases to lymph nodes
- Radiotherapy
- Sectoral resection with flap plastic
- Proton Therapy
- Embolization or chemoembolization
Department of Radiation Therapy and Radiation Oncology
The Department of Radiation Therapy and Radiation Oncology offers all types of modern radiation therapy for the highly effective treatment of benign and malignant tumors. The department has three linear accelerators and systems for brachytherapy, with the help of which the patients are provided with the safest, most effective and most sparing irradiation of tissues affected by oncopathology. The department's tasks also include radiation therapy planning and radiosurgery. An ultramodern technical base, exceptional professionalism and experience of the department's doctors are the cornerstone of the successful clinical practice.
Department of Radiation Therapy
According to the Focus magazine, the Department of Radiation Therapy ranks among the top German medical facilities in the area of its specialization! The department offers all types of modern radiation therapy for cancer treatment at the highest level of university medicine. The priorities of the department's work include the treatment of tumors of the gastrointestinal tract, urogenital system in men, gynecological tumors in women, oncopathologies of the nervous system, as well as head and neck tumors. Each department's specialist strives to ensure all the patients with the most effective and at the same time customized treatment. Due attention is also paid to radiation protection.
University Hospital of Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich
Department of Radiation Therapy
The Department of Radiation Therapy offers all modern services in the field of radiation therapy for cancer treatment. The medical facility uses advanced radiation therapy methods, including intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT), volumetric modulated arc therapy (VMAT), image-guided radiation therapy, brain and lung stereotactic radiosurgery, total body irradiation, brachytherapy, and catheter-based administration of radioactive drugs (afterloading technique). The department is one of the first medical facilities in Germany to successfully use the innovative MR-Linac technology, which makes it possible to obtain high-precision MRI scans during radiation therapy and provide the most effective cancer treatment with optimal protection of the healthy adjacent tissues. It is noteworthy that MR-Linac technology is available only in three healthcare facilities in Germany. The department's radiation therapists cooperate closely with oncologists, chemotherapists, radiologists, and other specialists from related fields, thanks to which patients receive comprehensive treatment.
Department of Radiation Therapy, Radiation Oncology and Proton Therapy
The Department of Radiation Therapy, Radiation Oncology and Proton Therapy offers the full range of modern radiation therapy at the highest medical and technological level. Innovative proton therapy is also within the competence of the medical facility. As the largest medical facility of this kind in Eastern Saxony, the department annually admits about 2,300 cancer patients, 550 of whom are treated on an inpatient basis. In total, the department has about 110 employees, including 26 doctors, 14 physicists, 22 radiological assistants, 22 nurses and 28 employees of various profiles (in radiation biology research laboratories and other sections). The department's doctors cooperate closely with oncologists, chemotherapists and other specialists in related fields, since cancer patients usually require comprehensive treatment that combines several methods. In most cases, patients undergo radiation therapy on an outpatient basis, which eliminates the need for hospitalization. The main value of the department's medical team is the patient's health, so doctors always strive to provide qualified medical care that meets the individual needs of the patient.
Department of Adult and Pediatric Radiation Therapy
According to the Focus magazine, the Department of Adult and Pediatric Radiation Therapy ranks among the top German medical facilities specializing in radiation therapy! The department offers all types of radiation therapy for the treatment of various oncological diseases at the highest level of university medicine. The cancer patients are treated in modern rooms equipped with the state-of-art technology. In many cases, the radiation therapy is carried out on an outpatient basis. The therapeutic options are complemented with psycho-oncological and palliative care.
Department of Radiation Therapy and Radiation Oncology
According to the the Focus magazine, the Department of Radiation Therapy and Radiation Oncology ranks among the top German medical facilities specializing in radiation therapy! The department offers all types of modern radiation therapy for the treatment of malignant neoplasms of various localization. The availability of the cutting-edge radiation therapy technologies, the close cooperation with the specialists from all related disciplines, as well as the experience and competence of doctors provide patients with the individualized treatment and the best therapy results. The department is also part of the Jena University Cancer Center, which employs outstanding professionals who are ready to provide medical care even in the most difficult clinical cases.
Department of Adult and Pediatric Radiation Therapy
The Department of Adult and Pediatric Radiation Therapy provides top-class conduction of all types of modern radiation therapy for the treatment of malignant and benign diseases. In most cases, irradiation is indicated to patients with cancers, but this treatment method is also effective for some benign diseases: tennis elbow, arthrosis, as well as other degenerative and inflammatory joint diseases. The department's doctors offer patients individual consultations and radiation therapy using the very latest medical technologies, which guarantee high precision of irradiation and sparing treatment. The department provides many innovative types of radiation therapy, which can effectively deal with all types of cancer. In addition, the department's doctors welcome the use of symptomatic treatment to improve the patients' quality of life and the effectiveness of irradiation. The specialists often resort to traditional Chinese medicine, acupuncture and other procedures.
Department of Adult and Pediatric Radiation Therapy, Radiation Oncology
According to the Focus magazine, the Department of Adult and Pediatric Radiation Therapy, Radiation Oncology is included in the rating of the top German departments specializing in radiation therapy! The department offers the full range of treatment of oncological diseases using ionizing radiation by means of external (teletherapy) or internal (brachytherapy) tumor radiation. The specialists of the department are doing their best to ensure the most effective cancer therapy, taking into account the very latest advances in science and medical technology, interdisciplinary cooperation and an individual approach.
Department of Radiation Therapy
According to the Focus magazine, the Department of Radiation Therapy is included in the ranking of the top German department specializing in radiation therapy! The department offers all types of modern radiation therapy for the treatment of cancers. The competent medical team of the department annually provides its services to 2,000 patients.
Department of Adult and Pediatric Radiation Therapy, Ion Radiotherapy and Radiation Oncology
The Department of Adult and Pediatric Radiation Therapy, Ion Radiotherapy and Radiation Oncology offers the full range of radiological diagnostics and cancer therapy. A feature of the department is the exact treatment of cancer with the help of heavy ions and proton therapy. Therapy with heavy ions and protons makes it possible to effectively destroy tumors of difficult-to-reach localization, while maintaining healthy tissues. The department belongs to the most modern medical institutions of this level in the international medical arena. It treats more than 3,500 cancer patients every year.
Department of Radiation Therapy and Radiation Oncology
According to the Focus magazine, the Department of Radiation Therapy and Radiation Oncology ranks among the top German departments specializing in radiotherapy! The department offers all types of modern radiation therapy for the treatment of malignant and benign diseases, various functional disorders. Depending on the patient's state of health and the course of the disease, radiation therapy can be carried out on an outpatient or inpatient basis, as well as in combination with other treatment methods, for example, surgery, chemotherapy, immunotherapy, etc. The high-tech equipment, exceptional professionalism of doctors and close cooperation with the specialists from related fields contribute to the provision of first-class and tailored medical care.
Department of Radiation Oncology
According to the Focus magazine, the Department of Radiation Oncology ranks among the top German departments specializing in radiation therapy! The department offers all advanced types of radiation therapy for the treatment of oncological diseases. Any therapeutic procedure is prescribed individually, taking into account the specific situation and course of pathology. The modern medical equipment and outstanding competence of the physicians contribute to the successful clinical practice of the department.
Department of Adult and Pediatric Diagnostic Radiology, Interventional Radiology, Neuroradiology and Radiation Therapy
The Department of Adult and Pediatric Diagnostic Radiology, Interventional Radiology, Neuroradiology and Radiation Therapy offers the full range of services in these medical fields. The competent doctors of the department work with the state-of-the-art systems for CT, MRI, x-ray, ultrasound, angiography, fluoroscopy and other imaging studies in adults and children. In addition, the department specializes in all modern types of radiation therapy and interventional procedures for the treatment of vascular and oncological diseases.
Department of Adult and Pediatric Radiation Therapy
According to the Focus magazine, the Department of Adult and Pediatric Radiation Therapy ranks among the top German departments specializing in radiation therapy! The department offers all types of modern radiation therapy for the treatment of various benign and malignant diseases. The focus is on multimodal interdisciplinary therapy of lung cancer, breast cancer, prostate cancer, sarcomas, malignant lymphomas and tumors in children. The stereotactic radiation therapy is available in the department for the targeted treatment of brain tumors. The department treats more than 1,500 inpatients and about 4,300 outpatients every year, which is the indisputable evidence of the outstanding quality of provided medical services.
Department of Radiotherapy and Radiation Oncology
The Department of Radiotherapy and Radiation Oncology offers all modern methods of radiotherapy. It treats patients with oncological diseases, as well as benign pathologies, for example, degenerative joint changes. The department specializes in conformal radiation therapy, brachytherapy, intensity modulated radiation therapy, tomotherapy, stereotactic irradiation of malignant and benign brain neoplasms, whole-body irradiation, as well as in combined chemoradiation therapy.
Department of Radiation Therapy
The Department of Radiation Therapy provides patients with the full range of services in this medical field. The primary focus of the department's clinical practice is the conduction of modern types of radiation therapy for treating malignant diseases. The department's specialists also successfully carry out combination treatments, such as radioimmunotherapy and chemoradiotherapy. The department is part of the Cancer Center at the University Hospital Saarland Homburg, which allows radiation therapists to cooperate closely with oncologists, surgeons, and other specialists, providing comprehensive cancer treatment. The department's team of doctors also treats patients with some benign inflammatory diseases. The department's patients most often receive outpatient medical care. There are 24 beds available to accommodate patients in the department. The pride of the department is the advanced technical equipment that allows the specialists to perform high-precision and efficient irradiation. The treatment takes place in a modern building, in the design of which great importance was attached to creating a comfortable environment for the patient. The department admits more than 1,500 patients who receive high-quality European-level treatment every year.
Breast cancer is the disease most commonly experienced by women. It would be a mistake to call breast cancer a purely age-related disease: modern medicine knows cases of breast cancer in nulliparous women and young mothers under the age of 30.
The risk of a breast cancer development increases with the biological aging of the body and changes in the natural female cycle, therefore mammologists and gynecologists recommend a routine examination 1-2 times a year.
Brachytherapy for breast cancer
First applied in practice over 100 years ago, brachytherapy is a method to treat breast cancer from the inside out. It is a precise, highly effective, and well-tolerated therapeutic method of breast cancer treatment that reduces the risk of undesirable damage to healthy tissues and organs, as well as the likelihood of side effects, making it a valuable addition to any radiation oncology program.
Brachytherapy is a type of breast radiation therapy in which tiny amounts of radioactive material sealed in catheters, wires, needles, or seeds are placed directly into the tumor tissue. Due to the precise placing the radiation sources into the tumor, high doses can be applied to small areas. Brachytherapy is commonly used in the medical treatment of breast cancer as monotherapy or as a boost therapy in addition to external beam therapy. However, it may also be used as part of the cancer treatment procedures, such as head and neck cancer, lung cancer, GI tract cancer, and prostate cancer.
Brachytherapy involves the delivery of radioactive elements directly to the tumor without the influence of radiation on the entire organ and adjacent healthy tissues. Radiation therapy is very effective at killing breast cancer cells while sparing the normal surrounding tissue. It is generally performed after the surgical removal of the breast tumor. This treatment is one component of a comprehensive medical treatment plan.
This targeted breast cancer treatment allows radiologists to significantly reduce the number and severity of side effects after irradiation, facilitate the recovery period, and make the patient's stay in the clinic as short as possible. Unlike radiation therapy, brachytherapy in breast cancer treatment is performed in one course.
Radiation oncology treatment at cancer stages 1 and 2 demonstrates excellent positive statistics – the 5-10-year survival rate of women, which in oncology is equated to full recovery, is observed in 75-90% of cases.
At the same time, about 4% of the patients, who underwent the radiation oncology treatments as an alternative to the operation, had to resort to mastectomy caused by tumor recurrence. However, this once again indicates the need for a personalized approach to each specific case of oncology and the selection of the optimal individual treatment protocol.
Types of brachytherapy for breast cancer treatment
Brachytherapy may be temporary or permanent.
Temporary brachytherapy includes placement of radioactive material inside a catheter for a certain amount of time and removing it afterwards. It is divided into a low-dose-rate (LDR) and high-dose-rate (HDR) procedures.
- Low dose-rate (LDR) brachytherapy uses sources of Cesium-137 and Iridium, among others. In this method, an "applicator" is placed in a body or inside a tumor, and a radiation source is inserted into the applicator when the patient stays in a shielded room. The patient remains in an isolated room until the source is removed from the body. This process often requires hospitalization.
- High dose-rate (HDR) brachytherapy can be performed with miniaturized Cobalt-60 or Iridium-192 sources that allow high dose rates to be delivered, that ultimately shortens a hospital stay period. Therefore, HDR brachytherapy can be performed as an outpatient treatment. Brachytherapy is one of the main components of radiation oncology for the medical treatment of breast cancer. Other indications for brachytherapy include prostate cancer, breast cancer, soft tissue sarcomas, some head and neck tumors, and skin cancer.
Permanent brachytherapy is also called seed implantation. It includes putting radioactive seeds (about the size of a grain of rice) inside or near the tumor permanently. After several months, the seeds lose their radioactivity.
Before any radiation oncology treatment a patient needs to undergo a complete diagnostic examination so that specialists can study all the characteristics of the tumor – its size, degree of malignancy, and exact localization. The procedure itself is performed on an inpatient or outpatient basis, depending on the selected method of high dose or low dose brachytherapy.
How is the brachytherapy carried out?
When treating breast cancer, radiation therapy is often combined with surgery when the certain part of the breast has been removed or when cancer cells are found in lymph nodes near the breasts. The goal of postoperative radiation therapy is to destroy microscopic small cancerous colonies that remain in the surgical site or nearby lymph nodes.
After partial breast removal, breast radiation therapy reduces risk of the local recurrence, prolongs the healthy period, and reduces breast cancer mortality. If chemotherapy is prescribed after surgery, then radiation therapy is given after it.
Dose planning and target of radiation oncology treatment for breast cancer are done after computed tomography. Radiation therapy is planned for each patient individually.
While planning the dosage of radiation therapy, it is preferable to reduce the radiation doses to healthy tissues, such as the lungs and heart, which are located near the target site of radiation therapy. To minimize the radiation dose to the heart, radiation therapy on the left side of the chest is performed while holding the breath while inhaling or while controlling the breath.
Benefits and side effects of brachytherapy
Radiotherapy plays an essential role in breast-conserving treatment, and external beam irradiation is the most widely used its modality. However, brachytherapy can deliver radiation doses in the targeted region, thereby minimizing exposure of normal surrounding structures.
The use of modern imaging technologies like CT, or even ultrasound and MRI, together with sophisticated treatment planning software, has further improved the accuracy of individualized medical treatments.
Brachytherapy is an option for patients who undergo radiation therapy treatment for an early stage of breast cancer and have several favorable tumor characteristics. These include a small tumor and no evidence of cancer in the lymph nodes. Radiation therapy of the lymph nodes in the armpit, along with other risk factors such as removal of the lymph nodes, can worsen lymph circulation and lead to swelling of the upper limb.
Temporary side effects, such as redness and possible flaking of the skin and breast edema, often occur during radiation oncology treatments, but usually disappear within a month after medical treatment completion. Potential late side effects may occur months or years after breast cancer treatment.
Inflammation of the lungs caused by radiation therapy is a rare but possible postprocedure reaction after radiation therapy for breast cancer. In most cases, this adverse reaction will resolve over time.
The cost of brachytherapy
With Booking Health services, you can book brachytherapy for breast cancer at a affordable price. The cost of the procedure varies in different countries. We can arrange a trip for treatment at fair price. The cost of brachytherapy for breast cancer goes as follows:
- Germany – from 24,000 EUR
- Turkey – from 20,000 EUR
Where can I undergo brachytherapy for breast cancer treatment abroad?
Among foreign hospitals, the best success rates in brachytherapy for breast cancer treatment are demonstrated by:
- MediClin Robert Janker Clinic, Bonn, Germany. The Department of Radiation Therapy and Radiation Oncology offers radiation therapy planning and radiosurgery. The department’s service range is complemented by brachytherapy.
- Medicana International Ankara Hospital, Ankara, Turkey. The Department of Radiation Oncology and CyberKnife Treatment specializes in intensity-modulated radiation therapy, intraoperative radiation therapy, and brachytherapy. It has the most advanced technologies for breast cancer treatment and diagnostics.
- University Hospital Frankfurt am Main, Frankfurt am Main, Germany. The Department of Radiation Therapy ranks among TOP German medical facilities in its area of specialization. It annually treats more than 1,300 patients with oncopathology, and this figure continues to rise.
How can I undergo brachytherapy treatment abroad?
The self-organization of breast cancer treatment abroad can be overwhelming. It requires specific knowledge and experience in medical tourism. It is safer, easier, and less stressful to shift some responsibility onto a medical tourism agency.
Booking Health is the largest and most transparent medical tourism agency in the world. Medical treatment abroad is arranged due to the direct cooperation with leading foreign hospitals.
Booking Health provides the following services:
- Selection of treatment program and medical facility
- Communication with the clinic
- Reducing the overall cost of treatment procedures
- Translation of medical documents
- Help in applying for a visa for the patient and accompanying person
- Flight and accommodation booking
- Interpreting services
To undergo breast cancer treatment abroad for a reasonable price, please leave a request on our website. The medical tourism coordinator will contact you during few hours.