Multiple Myeloma — Chemotherapy: treatment in the Best Hospitals of Germany
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Department of Hematology and Oncology
The Department of Hematology and Oncology offers the full range of services in these medical fields. It diagnoses and treats all benign and malignant blood diseases, cancers. The huge clinical experience and high competence of the doctors working in the department allow them to achieve excellent treatment results even in the most severe cases.
Department of Hematology, Oncology, Rheumatology, Infectology and Bone Marrow Transplantation
The Department of Hematology, Oncology, Rheumatology, Infectology and Bone Marrow Transplantation offers modern diagnostics and treatment in all areas of its specialization. The medical facility treats patients with solid malignant tumors of various locations, malignant and benign diseases of the hematopoietic system, rheumatic diseases, and infections. The department enjoys a reputation as one of the leading health facilities for bone marrow transplants in Germany, which is confirmed by accreditation in accordance with JACIE standards. More than 80 allogeneic and more than 100 autologous bone marrow transplants are performed in the medical facility annually. In addition, the department successfully carries out innovative CAR T-cell therapy, which is available only in the most advanced medical centers worldwide. The department is part of the Comprehensive Cancer Center Ulm (CCCU), where a multidisciplinary team of highly professional doctors takes care of the health of patients. The high quality of medical services is confirmed by the certification of the German Cancer Society (DKG). The health of patients is in the safe hands of experienced specialists who strive to provide each patient with the most effective treatment using advanced therapeutic methods. The medical facility has 112 beds and many specialized outpatient clinics.
Department of Hematology and Oncology
The Department of Hematology and Oncology offers the full range of diagnostics and treatment of blood diseases, coagulation disorders, oncological diseases and related pathological conditions. The treatment is provided both on an outpatient and inpatient basis. The patient is offered a comprehensive treatment, including intensive care to eliminate side effects associated with the tumor and therapy, development of individual recommendations on nutrition, physiotherapeutic measures and psycho-oncological care.
Multiple myeloma is a cancer that develops from plasma cells. These cells are usually formed from B lymphocytes in the event of contact with an infection to produce antibodies. Multiple myeloma causes very high antibody levels in the blood, but they are defective, they thicken the blood, and at the same time, the immune system remains weakened. Myeloma cells produce substances that cause bone demineralization and kidney problems. Multiple myeloma can be controlled with medications. Multiple myeloma treatment includes chemotherapy and other drugs that are not cytostatic.
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Doctors in Germany use the latest medications to treat multiple myeloma. Even in complex cases when myeloma does not respond to standard treatment, German specialists achieve excellent results as they use stem cell transplant procedures and CAR T-cell therapy.
You can undergo your treatment at one of the following hospitals: University Hospital Heidelberg, Charite University Hospital Berlin, or University Hospital Frankfurt am Main.
Booking Health will take care of the arrangements for your trip, from choosing a hospital and a treatment method to assistance in applying for a visa and booking accommodation. An interpreter from the Booking Health company will accompany you to the hospital, and a personal medical coordinator will help you with any questions that may arise 24/7.
What medications can be used in Germany?
Chemotherapy in Germany is carried out with cytostatics. These drugs block cell division and are especially effective for those cells that are dividing rapidly. Therefore, in the first place, it is cancer cells that are affected, and healthy ones to a lesser extent.
Only classical cytostatic chemotherapy is usually classified as chemotherapy. However, many other types of medications can also be used for myeloma:
- glucocorticoids;
- immunomodulators;
- proteasome inhibitors;
- CD38 and SLAMF7 monoclonal antibodies;
- antibody-drug conjugates;
- nuclear export inhibitors.
Germany offers the latest medications for treating multiple myeloma, including those that are not yet used or have limited use in most countries in the world. They help doctors to achieve excellent results in the treatment of the disease.
As a rule, initial treatment includes a combination of 2 or 3 drugs. But in the case of insufficient effect or the development of a relapse of the disease, the therapy regimen changes. Doctors use other drugs and also increase their number. For example, the DCEP regimen involves the use of four medications, and the DT-PACE regimen includes the use of six drugs at once, to which, if necessary, a seventh can be added as well.
If most treatments have been tried and the tumor continues to progress, doctors use antibody-drug conjugates. These are combinations of antibodies with chemotherapy drugs. Antibodies deliver drugs directly to cancer cells by targeting BCMA receptors that are not found in healthy tissues.
Chemotherapy before a bone marrow transplant
A bone marrow transplant helps to achieve excellent results even in the most severe cases of multiple myeloma. Doctors use high-dose chemotherapy, sometimes along with radiation therapy, to kill all cancer cells in the body. High doses of drugs, however, also irreversibly damage the bone marrow, which can be restored with a stem cell transplant.
A bone marrow transplant can be autologous or allogeneic. In the first case, the patient's own cells are used, collected before the start of chemotherapy. In the second case, the donor's bone marrow is transplanted.
An autologous transplant is considered the standard method for treating myeloma. Allogeneic bone marrow transplantation is used primarily in clinical trials.
You can travel to Germany to undergo your cancer diagnostics, cancer treatment, and cancer rehabilitation. Hospitals in this country offer the highest level of medical care. Doctors use the latest drugs that successfully treat even the most aggressive forms of cancer. You are welcome to use the Booking Health service to travel to Germany. Our website presents prices, you can compare the cost of treatment in different Cancer Centers and choose a medical care program. Our employees will help you to select the most suitable clinics in Germany and take care of the organization of your trip.
Authors:
The article was edited by medical experts, board-certified doctors Dr. Nadezhda Ivanisova and Dr. Vadim Zhiliuk. 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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