Treatment of throat cancer in Germany

Laryngeal cancer treatment in Germany is performed by qualified doctors using all the possibilities of modern medicine. The success rate of therapy here is one of the highest in the world.

According to WHO statistics, throat cancer accounts for 4% of all detected oncologic pathologies. Men are 20 times more susceptible to the disease than women. 90% of patients are diagnosed with squamous cell carcinoma, the leading cause of which doctors call infection with human papillomavirus (HPV). To the key risk factors oncologists include alcohol abuse, smoking, age over 55 years.

German specialists treat laryngeal cancer as gently as possible: in most cases, they manage to save the patient’s larynx and speech functions and minimize the risk of recurrence.

Squamous cell carcinoma is well-treatable and has a positive prognosis. If the tumor is detected at the initial stages and proper therapy German doctors manage to completely cure the patient in 90-95% of cases. 

A person may not always suspect laryngeal cancer. In the early stages, the symptoms resemble acute respiratory infections: 

• sore throat;
• coughing;
• hoarseness;
• difficulty swallowing;
• sensation of a lump when swallowing. 

If the manifestations do not disappear for several weeks, it is necessary to consult a specialist.

German oncologists are focused on early detection of neoplasms. Leading clinics, such as the University Hospital of Freiburg, use the “Tumor staging” advanced diagnostic technology. It lets us get a complete picture of the patient’s condition within 2-3 days. Among the diagnostic techniques:

1. Laryngoscopy – examination of the larynx. The doctor inserts a laryngoscope into the patient’s larynx and takes a biopsy of tumor tissue for histological examination.
2. MRI, CT – appointed to clarify the tumor’s size, structure, and localization.
3. Ultrasound of the lymph nodes of the neck.
4. PET-CT – scanning of the whole body. Allows detailed visualization of the smallest changes in tissues, including the zero stage of the disease, when the tumor size is limited to 2 mm. The study shows all possible metastases in the body and helps doctors to develop an optimal therapy strategy.
5. Bone scintigraphy. Conducted using a gamma camera and a special radioactive substance that accumulates in the bones and illuminates the localization of cancer foci. 

When throat cancer is detected in Germany, surgeons use minimally invasive techniques:

1. Endoscopic surgery. A gentle intervention involves the removal of the tumor and a small part of the adjacent tissues. Manipulations are performed by transoral access using an endoscope and long instruments. The procedure is carried out without extensive incisions or blood loss and is characterized by low traumatism. 
2. Laser microsurgery. At the Helios Berlin-Buch Clinic, laryngeal neoplasms are removed using a device – a CO2 laser scalpel through the mouth.
3. Transoral robotic surgery (TORS). The Da Vinci machine is used for precise manipulations. It allows the preservation of respiratory and swallowing functions and reduces postoperative complications to zero. 

In minimally invasive interventions on the larynx, the patient’s speech functions are not dramatically affected. After sessions with a speech therapist, they are fully restored.

If the tumor has managed to grow into the larynx, German surgeons try to perform the procedure gently and preserve part of the patient’s organs and speech. The type of intervention is determined by the size and location of the cancerous focus and the general condition of the person:

1. If only part of the larynx is affected, the patient undergoes a partial laryngectomy. 
2. When the tumor is concentrated in the middle part of the larynx, surgeons perform hemilaringectomy. 
3. If the vocal cords are affected by cancer, they are removed partially or entirely during a chordectomy.
4. Total laryngectomy provides for the complete organ removal and is indicated exclusively in case of extensive tumors. 

If there is a high risk of cancer spreading to the lymph nodes and thyroid gland, surgeons may decide to remove them. 

Patients’ recovery after laryngeal surgery is complex. A team of specialists works individually with each person: otolaryngologists, therapists, phoniatrists, speech therapists, physiotherapists, psychologists.

Patients are prescribed pressotherapy- apparatus lymphatic drainage massage to reduce the risk of thrombosis and improve blood circulation.

If the patient has been fitted with a tracheostomy – a special breathing tube connected to the trachea – he or she is taught care skills. 

If the patient has deformities of the larynx, surgeons perform plastic reconstructive surgeries: plasticization of the vocal cords and removal of postoperative scars on the neck. 

To restore the patient’s speech skills after surgical removal of a laryngeal tumor, the Asklepios Clinic in Hamburg can offer:

1. Voice manipulator (electronic larynx). This is a special device that converts a person’s muscle vibrations into speech. To do this, it is applied to the active point on the neck and words are spoken.
2. Voice prosthetics – implantation of a special valve between the trachea and esophagus. The device allows you to form tracheo-esophageal speech using air from the lungs and the articulation apparatus. An additional advantage is eliminating the risk of food entering the respiratory tract thanks to the valve.

German clinics may offer the patient cryodestruction – freezing the tumor at low temperatures to completely destroy it.

Optimistic results in cancer of the larynx, palate, and tongue show infrared heating of the tumor in the range of 41-45°C.

Radiotherapy is prescribed before surgical intervention to reduce the tumor and after it – to destroy the remaining malignant cells. The most effective techniques are used:

1. Intensity Modulated Radiotherapy (IMRT). Doctors use linear gas pedals of the latest modifications. Thanks to this, the rays are directed to the center of the tumor. Neighboring tissues and healthy organs are not affected. The device allows you to adjust the intensity of radiation during the procedure. 
2. Tomotherapy – remote radiotherapy. It allows the tumor to be irradiated from all sides thanks to a radiation source that rotates around the patient. 
3. Brachytherapy – contact radiotherapy, which introduces a radioactive source directly into or near the tumor. The procedure is performed under the control of a CT scan, ultrasound, or X-ray. 

German clinics are known for their advanced equipment for radiation therapy. This includes the TrueBeam STx system, which allows irradiating cancerous foci with an accuracy of 1 mm. Compared to other countries, where earlier units are still used, radiotherapy in Germany is faster, and patients have virtually no adverse reactions.

Proton therapy is an advanced radiation treatment method performed in a limited number of clinics worldwide, among them the specialized West German Proton Therapy Center in Essen (WPE). Instead of radiation, a beam of protons is used, which has a feature called the Bragg peak. This is the highest concentration of beam energy that experts carefully calculate so that it is directed at the center of the tumor. 

Proton therapy is characterized by high efficiency and virtually no adverse reactions. It is especially indicated for tumors located near important organs.

Proton therapy in Germany is also available at the University Hospital of Düsseldorf, the University Hospital of Cologne, and the Charité Clinic in Berlin. 

Included in the main treatment protocols can be administered at different stages. It is effective as part of complex therapy. German clinics develop and use drugs that have low toxicity so patients do not notice significant side effects.

Targeted therapy includes targeted drugs that can find and attack malignant cells exclusively. They manage to stop the uncontrolled growth of neoplasms. It is essential to choose the right targeting drug, for which molecular histological analysis is performed at the CeGaT genetic laboratory in Tübingen to identify gene mutations in tumor tissues.

Immunotherapy is based on the human body’s ability to resist cancer processes. It is highly effective even at stage 4 of cancer. At the IOZK Immuno-Oncology Center Cologne, various types of treatment are available. 

Doctors make an anti-cancer vaccine from the patient’s tumor tissue, which activates T-lymphocytes capable of destroying cancer cells. Monoclonal antibody-based drugs, checkpoint inhibitors, are widely used. These drugs can detect degenerated cells and enhance the immune response. 

High results of immunotherapy at the Nordwest Clinic in Frankfurt am Main. The medical center has the status of a university clinic, where they conduct genome research and develop innovative drugs and personalized cancer vaccines.

Key parameters determine the cost of throat cancer treatment in German hospitals: 

• the stage of the disease;
• the methods of surgery and therapy;
• the number of days spent in the hospital;
• the need for rehabilitation procedures, their type and duration.

Approximate prices for basic procedures:

• oncologist consultation – from $600;
• complex diagnostics – from $4350;
• PET-CT – from $2200;
• laryngectomy – from $2000.

Experts Medical’s coordinating physicians can help you find the best price options for throat cancer treatment in Germany.

Patients who have undergone laryngeal cancer treatment in Germany note the main advantages:

• fast and accurate examination;
• professionalism of German doctors;
• caring attitude of medical staff;
• individual approach;
• the opportunity to undergo treatment with innovative drugs;
• psychological support and rehabilitation using effective methods;
• comfortable conditions of stay in hospitals. 

Doctors and international company Experts Medical coordinators will help organize a trip to Germany for laryngeal cancer treatment. It is enough to leave a request on the website to get help in choosing the best German clinic and doctor. Experts will help prepare medical documents, submit them to the doctor for study, and make a preliminary treatment plan. At the patient’s request, the company will organize a consultation with the doctor, book tickets and hotel rooms, and solve the transfer issue. 

During the throat cancer treatment in Germany, Experts Medical will provide the patient with a personal supervisor for a safe and comfortable stay.