Treatment of stomach cancer in Germany

Gastric cancer treatment in Germany follows progressive protocols and gives patients a high chance of recovery at different stages of the disease. According to the WHO, gastric adenocarcinoma is one of the top 6 types of cancer and causes 800,000 deaths annually. Men get the disease twice as often as women. A special danger is the late detection of pathology, when cancer has spread to neighboring tissues and organs. 

Gastric cancer treatment in Germany combines the most effective, innovative and traditional methods. The plan of individual therapy is developed by a group of specialists. It includes oncologists, surgeons, radiologists, gastroenterologists, geneticists, nutritionists, and rehabilitation specialists. This allows German doctors to achieve maximum results in the treatment of gastric cancer at all stages.

Germany is recognized as one of the world leaders in the fight against malignant tumors. Patients from abroad come to German doctors for the following reasons:

1. High professionalism of oncologists. Doctors have the right to practice only after long training and internship. 
2. There are university clinics in Germany, where scientists together with doctors develop and implement new technologies of cancer diagnostics and innovative drugs. Foreign patients can participate in clinical trials and undergo advanced gastric cancer treatment in Germany.
3. German hospitals are equipped with medical equipment of the latest modifications. 
4. A wide range of technologies are available for the intensive rehabilitation of patients after complex interventions.

Gastric cancer treatment in Germany is highly effective – 5-year survival rate of patients at early stages exceeds 80%.

To make a diagnosis, the patient is assigned a thorough examination. It includes:

1. Gastroscopy. It allows you to detect the disease and determine the stage. During the procedure, the doctor takes a small sample of tumor tissue for examination. If it is impossible to analyze the patient, a virtual gastroscopy is assigned. The study uses 3D computer modeling to visualize the stomach tissue without penetrating the body.
2. To assess the state of the abdominal cavity organs and the degree of metastasis of organs and tissues, CT, MRI and endoscopic ultrasound are prescribed. 
3. PET-CT is a modern method of detecting the smallest cancer cells in the body by injecting a radioactive substance. It accumulates in malignant cells and glows when scanned.
4. Laboratory tests of blood, urine and feces for hidden blood.

Diagnosis of stomach cancer in Germany is carried out quickly – within 3-4 days.

Surgery is the gold standard for gastric cancer treatment in Germany. German specialists try to remove the tumor as far as possible and preserve a person’s digestive functions. The choice of method is based on the size and localization of the tumor, as well as the degree of metastasis. 

Preference is given to minimally invasive interventions, among which are:

1. Endoscopic resection. The procedure is performed through the oral cavity using an endoscope. It does not involve incisions in the abdominal cavity. If the cancer is detected in time, when the tumor has not gone beyond the mucosa, endoscopic resection may be the only method of therapy. 
2. Partial resection – excision of the tumor with preservation of the organ. It is indicated in the presence of a neoplasm inside the stomach.
3. Gastrectomy – complete removal of the organ and lymph nodes with the subsequent formation of the stomach from intestinal tissue. This allows patients to preserve digestive function and lead a full lifestyle. The operation is performed with extensive tumors.

During the intervention, the doctor conducts a rapid test of tumor tissue to maximize the preservation of the organ.

German onco-surgeons use the latest generation Da Vinci Xi robotic surgical system for partial or complete stomach removal. The operation is performed through minimal incisions of up to 2 cm. The doctor controls the robotic surgeon’s actions using a remote control and a manipulator. Robotic treatment of gastric cancer in Germany has many advantages:

• the surgeon can remove cancerous foci with jewel-like precision, and in case of total gastrectomy – to perform reconstruction of the alimentary tract;
• the risk of bleeding and infection is minimized;
• patients recover faster.

Doctors at the Charite Hospital in Berlin, the University Hospital of Dusseldorf, and the University Hospital Essen specialize in robotic gastric surgery.

At stage 4 in inoperable adenocarcinoma, doctors use palliative surgery. Such operations do not aim to remove the neoplasm completely, they are aimed at:

• preventing bleeding;
• reduce the size of the tumor;
• eliminate pain symptoms;
• restoring patency of the gastrointestinal tract;
• improving the quality of life of the person.

Surgeons perform:

1. Gastric bypass. The doctor connects the upper part of the stomach and intestine with a shunt to allow food to bypass the tumor.
2. Unostomy. The procedure will allow the patient to receive nutrition through the abdominal wall by taking the small intestine outside. 
3. Laser ablation. An endoscopic procedure in which the doctor applies a laser to the cancerous focus. 
4. Gastric stenting. The surgeon places a narrow tube in the stomach, the end of which leads out into the duodenum. This allows food to pass through if the tumor is large. 

These types of surgeries may also aim to prepare the patient for multi-stage surgical treatment combined with therapy.

Treatment with chemopreparations is the primary method of conservative therapy for gastric cancer. It is carried out at different stages of the tumor process:

• neoadjuvant chemotherapy – prescribed before the removal of the tumor to reduce it;
• adjuvant chemotherapy – administered after surgery for the final destruction of cancer cells to minimize the risk of recurrence. 

Innovative drugs with low toxicity are available in German hospitals. They are easily tolerated, and side complications are rarely recorded in the patient.

This is intra-abdominal regional hyperthermic chemotherapy, which is carried out in the process of surgical intervention. A special solution is used, heated to 41,5-42 ° C, and injected with the help of a pump. In abdominal carcinomatosis, residual cancer cells sensitive to heat are destroyed.

The advantages of HIPEC therapy include:

• the ability to use a solution of high concentration, which is localized in the tumor focus and does not go beyond it;
• almost complete absence of negative side effects inherent in intravenous chemotherapy, in which the drug is distributed throughout the body;
• it is a one-time procedure.

Patients with stage 4 gastric cancer report improved overall health and quality of life.

These are varieties of biotherapy that show optimistic results in the treatment of cancer, including the last stage. German oncologists use:

• immunotherapy to activate a person’s own defense system to fight the tumor;
• targeting drugs to identify and block malignant cells;
• anti-cancer vaccines – personalized preparations, which are made from the patient’s blood with the addition of special antigens.

The Immuno-Oncology Center Cologne IOZK offers patients various advanced immune therapy technologies.

Radiation therapy is administered after surgical treatment of cancer to eliminate all foci. 

In hospitals in Germany, such as the University Hospital Freiburg, modern types of radiotherapy are available. They affect the cancer foci without damaging neighboring healthy tissues and organs. Among them: 

1. Narrowly focused radiation therapy. They use linear gas pedals from the latest generation of CyberKnife, TrueBeam. They deliver a high dose of radiation with an accuracy of 1 mm.
2. MR Linac radiotherapy. It gives the opportunity to irradiate cancer foci located in moving organs: lungs and heart. The procedure is carried out using a linear gas pedal under MRI control. 
3. Gamma knife. Allows you to direct to the tumor many thin powerful beams of gamma radiation, which converge at one point and destroy the DNA of the tumor cells.

Some medical centers in Germany offer proton therapy. This is a gentle version of radiation therapy that has minimal side effects. The specialized West German Proton Therapy Center in Essen (WPE) is one such clinic.

The cost of gastric cancer treatment is regulated by the German Ministry of Health. Therefore, the price of therapy does not differ much from hospital to hospital. 

The approximate price of the main procedures for gastric cancer treatment in Germany:

• Gamma Knife – $9600-$11750;
• HIPEC-therapy – $23500-$25600;
• Chemotherapy – $2900-$3750;
• gastrectomy – $37400-$45000.

Upon your request, Experts Medical coordinators will provide up-to-date information on how much gastric cancer treatment costs at the best hospitals in Germany.

Such medical institutions in Germany demonstrate the best results in the treatment of gastric cancer:

1. Nordwest Hospital in Frankfurt am Main. One of the 22 hospitals in the world certified by the ESMO. Stomach cancer is treated by world-renowned specialists – oncologist Elke Yeager, surgeon Thomas Kraus. It has the status of a university clinic, where they develop targeted drugs, individual anti-cancer vaccines. 
2. Helios Hospital Berlin-Buch – specializes in oncology and oncosurgery. It is among the top hospitals in Germany. It is equipped with a laboratory for immunophenotyping, cytologic and molecular genetic studies. 
3. Asklepios Clinic in Hamburg. Oncosurgeons have extensive experience in removing tumors by minimally traumatic methods. The leading specialist is Prof. Karl Jürgen Oldhafer, who has performed thousands of successful gastrectomies. 

Patients highly appreciate the results of gastric cancer treatment in Germany, which is confirmed by positive reviews on the Experts Medical website.

Doctors-coordinators of Experts Medical international company will organize a trip for gastric cancer treatment in Germany in the shortest possible time. 

It is enough to leave a request on the website to get help in choosing the best hospitals and doctors and to find out how much gastric cancer treatment in Germany costs. Experts will prepare medical documents, submit them to the doctor to study and develop a preliminary treatment plan, and organize a consultation with him.

For the entire period of stay in Germany for gastric cancer treatment, the patient will have access to the assistance of a personal mentor from Experts Medical.