Comprehensive cancer treatment in Germany – from prevention to rehabilitation

Comprehensive cancer treatment in Germany –

from prevention to rehabilitation

According to the information of the World Cancer Research Fund, up to 40% of all cancer cases could have been prevented. Every day thousands of cancer cells appear in the human body. Fortunately, the immune system has efficient mechanisms to destroy them. Thus, cancer risk will be significantly lower in excluding factors that stimulate malignant cells formation. Strengthening the immune system will be an additional advantage.

Most cancer prevention tips are simple and do not require special preparation. Other ones include consultations with a doctor and medical examination. If any of your relatives have ever had cancer, you should pay attention to all of them.

Simple ways to reduce your cancer risk

General cancer prevention recommendations mainly include lifestyle modifications. These may be implemented almost immediately and bring a number of benefits:

1. Avoid using tobacco products. Exposition to the tobacco smoke (including the secondhand smoke) is connected with risk of cancer and heart disease.
2. Avoid or restrict alcohol intake. Alcohol poses risk of development of malignant tumors in liver, colon and rectum, throat, esophagus, and mouth.
3. Choose healthy diet. It has been proved that giving preference to processed meat and by-products increases bowel cancer risks by several times. On the contrary, high content of the whole grains, fruits, vegetables, and pulses food in the diet serves as the anti-cancer measure.
4. Maintain a normal weight. In presence of excessive body mass levels of estrogen rise up. This leads to the development of breast and uterus cancer (these organs are the most sensitive to the estrogen). High level of the insulin contributes to the pancreatic, kidney and bowel neoplasms development.
5. Be physically active. Thirty minutes of daily physical activity decrease risk of breast and colon cancer. In addition, this helps to normalize body mass.
6. Pay attention to the sun exposure. Active sun poses risk of skin cancer (melanoma). It is better to avoid active sun (between 11 am and 3 pm), wear the sunglasses with good UV protection and use the sunscreen with SPF 30 or more.
7. Avoid environmental pollutants, radiation. If you contact with pollutants or radiation due to the professional reasons, you should use all the necessary protective measures.

When the doctor’s assistance is suitable

Special cancer prevention recommendations include medical interventions:

1. Prostate gland cancer screening – digital rectal examination and the PSA blood test should be annually performed in men over 45-50 years.
2. Cervical cancer screening – the cytological examination (Pap smear) should be performed each 3 years in women between 21 and 65 years.
3. Breast cancer screening – the mammography (X-ray examination of the breasts) should be annually performed in women over 45 years.
4. Vaccination – vaccines against the human papillomavirus (HPV) and hepatitis B protect from these viral infections, lowering associated with them oncological risks.
5. General medical check-up, which can reveal indirect oncological signs, like anemia.

When you should suspect having cancer

To be understood better, the most widespread cancer signs are summarized in the thematic mnemonics – CAUTION. Each letter stands for a group of symptoms:

C – Changes in urination or defecation, e.g., feeling of incomplete bladder emptying, presence of blood in the urine or stool.

A sore that hardly heals, e.g., ulcers in the oral cavity or skin ulcers.

U – Unusual discharge or bleeding, e.g., vaginal bleeding between the periods or coughing up sputum with blood.

T – Thickening or tumor presence, e.g., revealing neoplasm in the breast during the self-examination.

I – Indigestion, difficulties with swallowing, e.g., feeling uncomfortable when eating firm foods (while drinking does not cause discomfort).

O – Obvious changes in the shape or state of wart (mole), e.g., ulceration, rapid growth, etc.

N – Nagging cough or voice changes (hoarseness).

All abovementioned complaints are likely to be present in cancer. Nevertheless, they also can be caused by non-malignant conditions, like low immunity, inflammatory bowel disease, infections, etc.

Benefits of cancer treatment in Germany

If despite all the prophylactic measures cancer is suspected or has already been diagnosed, it is better to receive high-tech medical help in the specialized healthcare institution. According to the World Health Organization (WHO) statistics, Germany is among the leading twenty countries with the highest cancer incidence. The same time, this country is proud of the high survival rates and life expectancy of oncological patients. It is possible due to the comprehensive treatment schemes and advanced scientific developments in the sphere of oncology.

Cancer treatment in Germany means:

1. Precise diagnostics. German doctors pay special attention to the histological verification of the diagnosis. Only after the examination of the tumor sample under the microscope type of the cancer is determined and therapy is started. Specialized diagnostic techniques, like PSMA-PET/CT in prostate cancer or PET/CT with 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose, are available here.
2. Drug therapy, including both innovative chemotherapy drugs and medicines for the immunotherapy (like monoclonal antibodies, checkpoint inhibitors).
3. The wide spectrum of surgical interventions – the conventional open surgeries (which are efficient in advanced stage cancer), minimally invasive endoscopic interventions, robot-assisted manipulations (e.g., da Vinci surgery in prostate cancer), radiosurgery in brain tumors and metastases (Gamma Knife, Cyberknife).
4. Different irradiation modalities – 3D conformal radiation therapy (adjusted to the volume and shape of the tumor), brachytherapy, intensity-modulated radiotherapy.
5. Additional treatment options (alternative medicine) – whole body hyperthermia, photodynamic laser therapy, galvanotherapy, treatment with GcMAF, cellular therapy, etc.

Each treatment course is followed by the rehabilitation program. Physical therapy, medicamentous support, and work with a psychotherapist are aimed at improving a patient’s life quality. Thorough medical follow-up is carried out for few months afterwards.

Convenient treatment planning with Booking Health

If arrangement of the medical trip abroad seems complicated, Booking Health will be your reliable assistant in undergoing treatment in the leading German hospitals. Booking Health GmbH is the only world’s certified medical tourism operator (the international quality control certificate ISO 9001:2015). The company provides full-package services, including all medical and organizational aspects:

• Choosing the most appropriate oncological center or department of the university hospital.
• Booking the closest appointment or hospitalization date.
• Elaboration of the preliminary medical program (diagnostics and treatment) without repeating previous examinations.
• Independent monitoring of all diagnostics and treatment stages by our medical experts.
• Help in purchasing and forwarding medications (if necessary).
• Providing favorable treatment costs, without overpricing and additional fees for the foreign patients (saving up to 50%).
• Final control of invoices and return of unspent funds.
• Communication with the clinic after treatment completion.
• Organization of additional examinations and distant consultations, if necessary.
• Booking hotels and plane tickets, transfer organization.
• Services of interpreter and translation of medical documents.

To start preparing for the medical journey, please, leave the request with the basic medical information on the official website of Booking Health.