Over the last few years the number of patients with lung cancer has grew significantly. This disease is typical for people working in mines, at asbestos plants and other places with high dustiness. To another risk group belong people with chronic lung and airways diseases that haven’t been treated properly. Thus lung cancer can develop in the background of long-standing tracheitis, pneumonia, bronchitis, cystic lesions. Smoking as well as abnormal development of respiratory system may also provoke this disease. The Friedrichshafen Clinic, Germany, offers extensive consultations as far as lung cancer treatment is concerned.
Modern lung cancer diagnostics in Germany
It is hard to detect lung cancer timely. Very often diagnostic results are similar to those of pneumonic fever. Due to the high-level of technical equipment the cancer centers and clinics in Germany are able to detect cancer on its early stages.
One of the major lung cancer diagnostic methods used in Germany is radiography (X-rays). For instance, central lung cancer is usually visualized as a zone with enlarged vascular pattern and/ or bad transparency. Other diagnostic methods may include: computer tomography (CT), bone scanning (bone scintigraphy), positron tomography (PET-CT), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and angiography. Bronchoscopy is another important diagnostic method. The specialist is able to see the compression of bronchi walls or the tumor that grows into the bronchial lumen. During bronchoscopy, a flexible tube with a camera is inserted into the patient’s bronchi to see, if there are any signs of the disease. This method is also used to take biopsy material for further tests.
Lung cancer treatment in Germany
Beam therapy, surgery, chemotherapy, photodynamic treatment and stereotactic surgery treatment with the use of CyberKnife technology are among the most effective treatment methods for lung cancer.
For instance, in case of surgical treatment the entire lung section or a small piece of tissue may be resected, depending on the stage of the disease. On advanced stages, the amputation of the entire organ may be required. In general, surgeries are indicated for ca. 25% of patients in Germany. However, in some cases the patient’s condition doesn’t allow performing a surgery.
Beam therapy implies the use of intensive spot beaming. Beams don’t affect any healthy organs or systems of the body. Radiotherapy is usually performed before surgery in order to decrease the size of the tumor. Such treatment can also be prescribed after the surgery to kill all remaining cancerous cells. The radiation treatment can be combined with chemotherapy, in case there are any contraindications for surgery.
One of the advanced treatment methods used in Germany is radiofrequency ablation. An electric power is injected into a body, destroying the cancerous cells by heating them.
Chemotherapy has the same efficiency as it implies the use of medications that kill cancerous cells in the entire organism. Even if the tumor has already been resected, there is still a possibility that cancerous cells had spread to surrounding organs and tissues. Medications are available as injections, capsules or pills.
Photodynamic treatment method means an injection of special chemical component into blood vessels. The component detects pathologic cells and attaches to them for a certain period of time, thus marking them for the laser beam. As a rule, German specialists use this kind of treatment for microscopic tumors. It helps to control blood strokes, normalize breathing and relieve the symptoms.
A CyberKnife is an attenuated method of surgical treatment, used in some clinics in Germany. It allows minimizing the traumatic effects and making the recovery easier for the patient.
The Friedrichshafen Clinic, Germany offers extensive consultations as far as lung cancer treatment in Germany is concerned. If you have any questions, please contact our international patient service under the number +49 7541 97 82 751 or via email .