Breast Cancer Treatment Methods in Germany

Breast oncology is the most common pathology in women. Uncontrolled division of malignant cells leads to the formation of a tumor, which can spread to neighboring tissues and distant organs. Effective treatment of breast oncology in Germany is based on the systematic approach, the latest diagnostic methods and advanced medications. The five-year survival of patients with localized and metastasized tumors reaches 99%.

Surgery for breast cancer treatment

Surgery is considered the most effective treatment for the initial stages of breast cancer. When the neoplasm is small, a breast-preserving surgery is indicated.

Doctors at German hospitals prefer organ-preserving surgeries in the majority of cases. In case of extensive tissue damage, complete removal of the breast along with hypoderm and regional lymph nodes is performed. Based on indications, it is combined with aesthetic reconstruction of the breast with the help of implants or own tissues.

Conservative treatment for breast cancer

After the surgical treatment of breast cancer in Germany, conservative treatment options are applied. These are systemic therapies that suppress or destroy micrometastases in all body regions.

Chemotherapy is recommended in most cases to kill residual cancer cells. The choice of drugs depends on the condition of the patients and the peculiarities of the tumor. Chemotherapy for breast cancer is carried out in several cycles, at specific intervals. Intervals between cycles allow the body to regenerate. In addition, it is expected that the micrometastases will begin to show themselves during this time and will therefore be destroyed by the next cycle of cytostatic administration.

After organ-preserving surgery, radiation therapy is carried out. Statistically, it reduces the risk of recurrence from 30% to less than 5%. Radiation targets microscopic, indistinguishable, or residual tumor metastases. Even if the surgery has been performed with the utmost care, these can remain. Radiation therapy is necessarily applied in case of incomplete removal of the breast, if cancer lesions are still present or in case of infiltration of skin and muscles.

Targeted therapy is a relatively new molecular-biological method of treating various types of cancer. A variety of targeted drugs have been approved in Germany for the treatment of breast cancer. These are drugs that specifically inhibit the growth of the tumor and prevent the proliferation of blood vessels that supply it. Despite proven efficacy, targeted therapy is not indicated in all cases, because it is efficient only in presence of specific molecular targets. It is also important to note that targeted therapy does not replace standard cancer therapies but successfully complements them in eligible patients.

Immunotherapy. It uses medications that enhance the body’s immune response to fight cancer. Immunomodulators and targeted antibodies make malignant cells visible and give the immune system a chance to destroy them.

How to start treatment in Germany for breast cancer during the lockdown?

Medical tourism is involved in organizing treatment for cancer patients abroad. The process has somewhat transformed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. As a result, organizational nuances appeared (like changes to visa applications) that inexperienced people won't know about.

Fortunately, there are specialized companies that take over the process of treatment organization. Booking Health is the world’s renowned medical tourism company that you can easily contact. Booking Health will help you to select the hospital, arrange consultations, translate your medical reports, help get a medical visa during a lockdown, provide you with transfer, interpreter services and comfortable accommodation, and resolve any other issue.

Of course, Booking Health recommends undergoing cancer treatment in specialized oncological centers in Germany. Feel free to check information about the hospitals for treatment in Germany for breast cancer on the Booking Health website. If you have any questions, go ahead and leave a request with basic medical and contact information.