Department of Hematology, Hemostaseology, Oncology and Pulmonology - University Hospital Muenster

About the Department of Hematology, Hemostaseology, Oncology and Pulmonology at University Hospital Muenster

The Department of Hematology, Hemostaseology, Oncology and Pulmonology at the University Hospital Muenster offers the full range of diagnostics and treatment of blood diseases, including oncopathologies and blood coagulation disorders, lung diseases, and rare malignant diseases. The department incorporates two modern Bone Marrow Transplantation Centers. In addition, the department belongs to the largest medical facilities in Germany, which specialize in the treatment of malignant lymphomas, acute leukemias, sarcomas, as well as bone marrow transplantation. The physicians of the department are committed to providing patients with the comprehensive medical care of the highest quality, based on the respective attitude towards patients. The Chief Physician of the department is Prof. Dr. med. Georg Lenz.

One of the key focuses of the department is bone marrow transplantation. This procedure has been carried out here since 1999, therefore, the department’s specialists are proud of their exceptional experience in this field. The department was the first in Germany to receive the prestigious JACIE certification, which confirms the highest medical standards of the European level. The specialists of the department perform more than 150 bone marrow transplantations in adults annually, while ensuring the best possible safety for patients. The bone marrow transplantation is indicated in case of diseases, such as acute and chronic forms of leukemia (AML, ALL, CML, CLL), myeloproliferative diseases, lymphomas, including Hodgkin's lymphoma, severe aplastic anemia, multiple myelomas, etc.

Another, but not less important department’s clinical focus is the treatment of oncological diseases. The therapeutic options in this field comprise all modern and the most effective methods. These include conventional types of chemotherapy, immunotherapy with checkpoint inhibitors, targeted therapy of tumors with monoclonal antibodies and small molecules, combined chemoradiotherapy (for example, in the case of lung cancer). In addition, the patients of the department can participate in clinical trials of the most advanced drugs, which can show a positive dynamics even in the most complex and severe clinical cases. The service range is complemented by palliative care, which is used to relieve pain and improve the quality of life of patients, psycho-oncological support, which helps patients to cope with the emotional upheaval and maintain a positive attitude throughout the entire therapeutic process.

In the field of hemostaseology, the physicians of the department provide the diagnostics and treatment of all blood coagulation disorders, which can lead to complex, and, in some cases, irreversible consequences, if not treated timely.

The pulmonologists of the department specialize in the treatment of a broad range of lung diseases and pathologies of other organs affecting the lungs. When treating cancer, the department maintains close cooperation with the experts from related specialties (within the framework of the interdisciplinary tumor boards), which allows them to develop optimal treatment strategies tailored to the specific clinical indications. In the clinical practice, all means of flexible and rigid endoscopy are actively used both for diagnostic and therapeutic purposes, as well as pleural drainage, right heart diagnostics, and ultrasound-guided biopsy.

The department’s range of services includes:

• Diagnostics and treatment of malignant hematological diseases and oncopathologies of the internal organs
  • Therapy
    • Chemotherapy to treat all types of cancer (both on an inpatient and outpatient basis)
    • High-dose chemotherapy
    • Immunotherapeutic methods, for example, the administration of immunoglobulin in the case of autoimmune diseases or immunoglobulin deficiency, administration of antibodies in the case of tumor diseases
    • Targeted therapy, novel means of molecular therapy, for example, the administration of Imatinib in the case of chronic myeloid leukemia
    • Combined chemoradiotherapy
    • Treatment within the framework of clinical trials
    • Palliative care
    • Psycho-oncological support
  • Diagnostics
    • Bone marrow biopsy
    • Spinal fluid biopsy
• Diagnostics and treatment of benign blood diseases and blood coagulation disorders (for example, thrombosis)
• Diagnostics and treatment of lung diseases with a special focus on:
  • Alpha-1-antitrypsin deficiency
  • Immunodeficiency states associated with lung diseases
  • Interstitial and rare lung diseases
  • Cancer of the lungs and other thoracic organs
  • Conditions before and after lung transplantation
  • Pulmonary arterial hypertension
• Other diagnostic and therapeutic option