Breast Conservation Surgery - BCS Cost in Germany

The cost of breast conservation surgery (BCS) in Germany typically ranges from $7,000 to $25,000 USD, depending on the hospital, city, and type of procedure.

Breast conservation surgery (BCS), or lumpectomy, removes the breast cancer with a margin of healthy tissue while keeping the rest of the breast. In Germany, the total depends on:

• Lymph node surgery: sentinel node biopsy or clearance.
• Re-excision: further surgery if margins are not clear.
• Radiotherapy: usually needed afterwards.
• Hospital stay: often a day case or one night.

Cancer Research UK explains that breast conserving surgery and mastectomy work equally well in curing breast cancer for suitable patients. Radiotherapy is usually needed after BCS, given over 1 to 3 weeks.

If the cancer returns in the same breast, it cannot usually be treated with radiotherapy again, so mastectomy may be needed.

The removed tissue is checked to see whether the edges (margins) are clear of cancer. If cancer reaches the margin, more surgery may be needed.

Lymph nodes are checked with a sentinel node biopsy or removed if needed.

International patients are usually treated in Germany as self-paying patients: the hospital reviews the medical reports, sends a cost estimate and asks for an advance payment before admission, then settles the final bill after discharge.

Inpatient hospital care in Germany is billed under the German DRG system, which depends on the main diagnosis, other diagnoses and the procedures carried out, so the final amount is known only after the stay.

Many German hospitals have cancer centres certified by the German Cancer Society (Deutsche Krebsgesellschaft), which must show every year that they meet tumour-specific requirements based on medical guidelines.