During the last decade, therapeutic protocols for lung cancer have shifted to more sparing and targeted techniques. German oncologists and thoracic surgeons successfully use video-assisted and robotic interventions, chemoembolization of tumor vessels, advanced chemotherapeutic regimens, different irradiation modalities, immunotherapy, and targeted therapy. In most cases, treatment in the leading German hospitals leads to long-term remission and improvement of quality of life.
Types of surgery for lung cancer
Surgery is the first-line treatment option for lung cancer. Types of surgical treatment in German cancer clinics include:
- Pneumonectomy (total removal of the affected lung)
- Lobectomy (removal of one lobe of the lung)
- Segmentectomy (removal of one or more segments of the lung)
- Sublobar resection (excising of a section of the lung with the tumor)
- Mediastinal lymph dissection (removal of mediastinal lymph nodes)
Surgical interventions in Germany are carried out with the help of modern, less traumatic methods. Doctors actively apply thoracoscopic techniques, e.g. VATS. Such lung cancer treatment facilitates recovery and improves functional outcomes.
Radiation therapy
Radiation therapy for lung cancer is prescribed according to the results of preliminary diagnostics, including lung biopsy, ultrasound scan, CT scan, or MRI. As a rule, irradiation is performed for the following purposes:
- Destroying small neoplasms
- Suppressing remaining after the surgery malignant cells
- Treatment of the recurrent pathology
- Part of palliative therapy
Radiotherapy is also used as a substitute for surgery if the cancer is inoperable, or the patient refuses a surgical intervention.
A more sparing type of external irradiation is proton therapy. Protons have the unique ability to penetrate healthy tissues and target only the tumor, so they are much safer than photons and X-rays. Proton treatment of lung cancer in a German centers allows up to 80% of the radiation to be precisely directed to the malignant tumor. With this method, the risk of heart damage is eliminated, and the severity of complications is reduced.
Systemic treatments
Chemotherapy is the first-line systemic treatment in people with lung cancer, that currently is supplemented by targeted therapy and immunotherapy.
Targeted drugs affect only tumor cells. Lung cancer treatment in German clinics involves the personalized selection of these drugs based on the tumor’s genetic characteristics. Targeted drugs can also substitute traditional chemotherapy.
Immunotherapy is a method of activating a patient’s immune system to fight malignant cells. This treatment is well tolerated and is applied at different stages of lung cancer. Unique immunotherapy in German clinics helps stop the progression of cancer, reduces the tumor volume, and returns people to a relatively high quality of life. However, immunotherapy may not be indicated for all lung cancer cases, so a patient undergoes an examination before it is prescribed.
How much does cancer treatment in Germany cost?
The final cost of treatment depends on several factors:
- Diagnosis
- Stage of the disease
- Necessary diagnostic and therapeutic procedures
- Therapy prescribed
- Patient’s condition
- Chosen hospital and physician
Booking Health medical consultants can help you roughly calculate the price for lung cancer treatment in Germany. Final calculations are made after an examination.
You can find the prices in the leading lung cancer treatment hospitals in Germany on the Booking Health website.
Starting lung cancer treatment in Germany
The easiest way to start treatment in Germany is to use the services of the reliable specialized company – Booking Health. It will help you find a clinic, prepare the necessary documents, and make appointments as quickly as possible.
Booking Health will become your guide, organizing everything and making this process stress-free. In addition to the organizational services, Booking Health provides the cost of treatment guarantee and insurance from complications. If the prepaid procedures are no longer necessary, their cost will be refunded to the patient by Booking Health.
If you want to know more about the available treatment options, leave your request on the Booking Health website.