The World Health Organisation (WHO) declares cancer as a leading cause of death worldwide. It is estimated that cancer is the cause of 10 million deaths in 2020. And it is a proven fact by many scientific agencies that early detection followed by early treatment can prevent death.
What is Cancer?
In general, the normal human body cells grow, become older and die off. The new cells grow and this is a continuous process in the human body. However, due to some abnormal internal conditions, some cells of the human body grow and multiply abnormally forming lumps called tumours.
Tumours are either benign or malignant (cancerous).
Benign tumours are confined to the location or the organ where they are formed.
Malignant or cancerous tumours invade nearby cells spreading the cancerous cells to other parts of the body. This process is called metastasis.
What Types Of Cancers Can Occur In The Human Body?
Cancer is actually the generic term given to abnormally growing, invading mass of cells in any body part. And based on the body part they reside in and invade, the cancers are of different types.
Leukaemia, lymphoma, myeloma, sarcoma, carcinoma and melanoma are the broad categories of cancers.
Based on the specific body part that the cancerous tissue develops and resides in, there are different types of cancers.
Breast cancer, brain cancer, colorectal cancer, cervical, kidney cancer, liver cancer, lung cancer, pancreatic cancer, ovarian cancer, oral cancer, prostate cancer, skin cancer, intestinal cancer, duodenal cancer, testicular cancer, thyroid cancer, uterine cancer are some majorly occurring cancers in today's world.
If the Cancerous Cells are from One's Own Body, Why Should they be Treated?
Although cancerous cells are from one’s body, they can cause severe symptoms when they grow out of order. The malignant cells move to other body parts causing the disease to spread and infect healthy organs thus interfering with their functioning.
Cancerous cells occupy the space and take up the nutrients that are needed by healthy body cells and interfere with organ functioning and finally impact the healthy normal life of the person.
How are Cancers Treated?
As the cancers are diverse so are the treatment options. Whatever the treatment procedure may be, the main goal is to either
-
Kill, shrink or remove the cancerous lump
-
Slow down the growth of cancerous cells
-
Relieve the patient from chronic, painful symptoms and lead a normal life
What are the Cancer Treatment Procedures?
The treatment procedure that is opted for each patient varies with others. This is largely dependent on the type of cancer, its stage, the patient's age and response to the treatment and many others.
The usual treatment procedures are
-
Chemotherapy: Uses drugs to kill or slow down the growth of cancerous cells.
-
Hormone therapy: Some cancers like prostate and breast cancers require the body’s endocrine hormones for growth. They are treated by hormones which can stop or slow the growth of cancer.
-
Immunotherapy: The human immune system detects any kind of foreign substances and fights them, helping their removal from the body. Cancer treatment by immunotherapy helps the immune system to fight against cancerous cells.
-
Radiation therapy: The usage of high-dose radiation to kill cancerous cells and tissue masses is radiation therapy. The high-intensity radiation destroys the DNA of the cancerous cells beyond their ability to self-repair. And hence the cancerous cells cannot progress their life and die off after a certain period of receiving radiation therapy.
-
Stem cell transplant: This treatment does not directly work against cancer but it supports the body’s recovery process after receiving the radiation or chemotherapy. Leukaemia and lymphoma patients are treated with stem cell transplant therapy.
-
Surgery: The surgical removal of cancerous tissue or even sometimes organs by performing oncological surgeries under local or general anaesthesia is another method for cancer treatment.
-
Photodynamic therapy: A photosensitizer drug is activated by focusing the laser. This in turn causes damage to cancerous cells by the sequential reactions post-exposure.
Although the treatments like hyperthermia were proved successful in many clinical trials, the requirement of specialised equipment makes it a less available procedure.
Are There Any Side Effects Associated With Cancer Treatment?
Cancer treatment has many side effects. Some of them include pain, blood clots, hair loss, nausea, vomiting, oedema or swelling of body tissues due to lymph accumulation, and problems with thinking and the brain.
Neutropenia is another serious side effect of cancer treatment where the patient experiences a lowered count of white blood cells and in turn a severely lowered immunity.
Medical practitioners advise certain lifestyle changes for the cancer patient post-treatment to recover from these adverse side effects.
Can Cancer Get Back Even After Treatment?
Although there are many success stories for completely cured cancers, there are also many simultaneous stories of cancers retaliating back after effective treatment.
The stage of cancer and its type is the major setting factor for cancer to set back after treatment. Each cancer treatment is unique and is to be treated differently according to the patient's age and response to the treatment.
Some cancerous cells may become resistant to the treatment and not get killed off during treatment. They may revive soon to form new masses and start their cancerous symptoms after treatment.
Sometimes, the surgical removal of cancerous tissues may leave some cancerous cells in the body. Sometimes, chemotherapy or radiation may kill almost all cancerous cells leaving very few behind in the body. These may set back to form new lumps of cancer post-treatment.
Is There Any Specific Post-Treatment Care For Cancer?
The post-treatment has a great part to play in the well-being of a cancer patient.
A post-treatment medical follow-up is essential and must never be ignored. During the discharge from the hospital, the patients will be conveyed about the follow-up plan which includes regular medical check-ups for a certain period of time.
During these check-ups, the doctors or the healthcare providers conduct a physical examination, blood tests, MRIs, CT scans and endoscopic tests as per the requirement according to the patient's medical history.
This is to ensure that the patient is progressively recovering well and the treatment has entirely removed the cancerous cells or tissues.
During discharge, the patients and their near attendees are notified about lifestyle changes and occupational or physical therapies if required. The post-treatment plan varies according to the treatment and also with the speed of recovery.
Why Should One Choose Germany For Cancer Treatment?
Germany has many oncology-specialised hospitals with high-quality precise equipment. Many German hospitals even have language translation services through which global patients seeking medical support are benefitted.
The German hospitals with oncology speciality are supported by the German's best oncology specialists. Patients seeking help for different carcinomas like breast cancers, leukaemias, cancers of the genital tract, and gastric and oesophageal tumours have benefitted the best.
The wide range of availability of the treatments like radiotherapy, chemotherapy and surgical approaches offers a wider arena for cancer patients to choose German hospitals for cancer treatment.
How To Choose The Right Doctor And Hospital For Cancer Treatment?
While choosing the right doctor and hospital, the patients should ensure that the medical service provider has the entire set of specialists including medical oncologists, surgical oncologists, and radiation oncologists.
Certain organ-related cancers like breast cancer, cervical cancer, bladder or kidney cancer require medical guidance from specialists related to that particular organ like a gyne-oncologist, uro-oncologist etc.
Best Hospitals For Cancer Treatment In Germany
-
Helios Hospital, Berlin: The oncology department was started in 1898 and present day, there are nearly 70 departments in oncology care and treatment at Helios Hospital, Berlin.
-
University Hospital Heidelberg: It is well renowned for treating cancers and works in partnership with the German Cancer Research Centre at National Centre for Tumour diseases registered by the American comprehensive Cancer centre.
-
Carl Gustav Carus University Hospital, Dresden: It is one of the reputed hospitals in Germany and has been awarded The Best Oncology centre by the German Cancer Aid Society in 2007.
-
Helios Park Hospital, Leipzig: It has an international help desk for helping patients from across the world. Because of its success rate in cancer treatment, it is certified as a high-class centre by the German cancer society.
-
Solingen Municipal Hospital, Solingen: The doctors in this hospital are highly rated and the hospital even provides a translator service for foreign patients as well. The centre offers the best cancer treatment and for this reason, it received the “The best cancer treatment clinic in Germany” by the German Cancer Society.
-
Freiburg University Hospital, Freiburg: It is a part of the University of Freiburg's medical research unit. The department of Oncology and Hematology from the University of Freiburg was placed in the top 4 best cancer-treating clinics in Germany.
Best Doctor Providing Cancer Treatment In Germany
-
Prof. Dr Med. Michael Untch: He specialised in Gyaneoncology having 38+ years of experience. His interest areas are cancer surgery, breast cancer preoperative systemic therapy, chemotherapy, urinary incontinence, and uterine dysplasia.
-
Pd Dr Med Peter Reichardt: Being a medical oncologist with 35+ years of experience he is an expert in treating soft tissue sarcomas, bone tumours, malignant skin tumours, gastric, oesophageal, pancreatic, neuroendocrine, bile duct and gall bladder carcinomas.
-
Dr Med. Marek Budner: Having 31+ years of experience, Dr Med. Marek Budner is a surgical oncology specialist. His area of expertise deals with the treatment of breast diseases including plastic and reconstructive breast surgery, mammary carcinomas, oncoplastic breast surgery, and coloscopic diagnosis of the lower genital tract.
-
Prof. Dr Anca-Ligia Grosu: She has 25+ years of experience and is a renowned radiation oncologist. Her interest areas are radiosurgery, stereotactic radiotherapy, tomotherapy and intraoperative radiotherapy.
-
Prof. Dr Dimos Baltas: He is a well-experienced radiation oncologist with 32 years of experience.
Cost Of Cancer Treatment In Germany
Treatment of cancer varies from person to person and varies with age, gender, stage and type of cancer. And hence the cost of treatment also varies for each person. The average starting costs of cancer treatment in Germany are listed below.
| Name of the treatment | Starting cost of treatment (USD) |
| 2000 (per single induction) | |
| 21000 | |
| 14000 | |
| Surgical treatment of oral cancer | 8000 |
| Surgical treatment of prostate cancer | 25000 |
| 50000 | |
| 5000 | |
| 20000 | |
| 25000 | |
| 7000 | |
| 9000 |
How To Proceed For Medical Visa For Cancer Treatment In Germany?
In order to obtain cancer treatment in Germany, the patients must obtain a medical visa from the German authorities.
The required documents are
-
A medical certificate from a physician stating the medical condition (the type and stage of cancer) and requirements of the cancer treatment.
-
Documents reflecting the German hospital and concerned oncologists and oncology surgeons agreeing to treat the particular patient.
-
Valid passport
-
Proofs of civil status
-
Proofs of financial status
-
European health insurance and related papers
Role Of Vaidam Healthcare
Vaidam has been helping medical travellers from different countries to get the best treatment in the best hospitals in different nations including Germany. To get support from Vaidam’s team, you are free to raise a request quote.
To Conclude
Germany has the best medical services in various areas of cancer treatment. Many oncology departments of German hospitals have received the best cancer treatment clinics for their international quality standards. The highly skilled oncology experts and the availability of translator services at German Cancer clinics make them ideal for medical travellers across the world to avail the cancer treatment services.
Frequently Asked Questions
-
What is the survival rate of a patient undergoing cancer treatment?
Ans: Although there are risks of the revival of cancer even after treatment, an efficient treatment guarantees a five-year survival rate of 60-70%.
-
Is cancer caused by genetic issues?
Ans: Cancer is caused by cellular DNA damage of varied causes mostly of environmental origin. It can be said to be a consequence of genetic issues.
-
If cancer is caused by genetic issues, is it an inheritable disease?
Ans: Cancer itself is not an inheritable disease. But the causative faulty gene that can probably undergo mutation can pass from parents to children and can run along in families.
Send Enquiry