Pancreatic cancer surgery in Germany is crucial for improving the long-term survival. However, surgical intervention destroys the primary tumor, while the distant metastases keep growing and spreading. Recent clinical trials show that combination chemotherapy and targeted therapy prevent dissemination of cancer cells through the organism after the surgery. Neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy improves the overall survival significantly as well. Thus, it has been proven that the integrative approach is the most beneficial for patients with pancreatic malignancies.
Clinical manifestations of the pancreatic tumors
Signs of pancreatic cancer rarely arise at the early disease stages. In addition, the first manifestations are non-specific and may appear in a number of other, non-malignant, conditions. Suspecting pancreatic cancer, one should pay attention to:
- Color of eyes and skin – they become yellow, this is called jaundice.
- Color of urine – it becomes dark, while stool is light colored.
- Itching of the undamaged skin.
- Pain in the abdomen or back.
- Swelling in the abdomen.
- Eating disturbances, nausea and vomiting.
- Satiation with small food amount.
- Weight loss.
- Newly diagnosed diabetes mellitus.
Noticing one or few of such symptoms one should visit general practitioner. Further diagnostics of pancreatic cancer in Germany includes physical examination, CA19-9 blood test, endoscopic ultrasound examination, MRI or CT scan, and fine-needle aspiration biopsy.
Integrative scheme of treatment and symptoms management
Pancreatic cancer treatment in Germany has few aims. The first is fighting cancer itself and increasing life expectancy. The second is improving patient’s general health state and quality of life. In order to reach both aims, doctors choose from the following treatment options:
- Surgical treatment is the pancreas resection or removing. This demonstrates good result in patients with small primary tumors, without metastases or the lymph nodes involvement.
- Chemotherapy is administration of drugs that destroy or damage atypical cells. It may be used as the first-line therapy in unresectable or metastatic tumors, providing patients with up to 10-19 additional months of overall survival. Another option is administering chemotherapeutic agents after the surgery, as the mean of relapse prevention.
- Radiation therapy may be performed as the external proton or conventional irradiation. Simultaneous performing radio- and chemotherapy provides patients with additional benefits, as the techniques mutually enhance each other. Another modern method of radiotherapy is the Cyberknife, or stereotactic radiation. Action of Cyberknife is somewhat similar to the surgery, as it has the same precision. The difference is, treatment with Cyberknife excludes skin incisions and damage of the healthy tissues.
- Targeted medications influence not atypical cells, but specific mechanisms that help them grow and spread. These include blocking the specific cellular receptors or signal pathways, preventing formation of the new blood vessels, etc.
In addition, in Germany patients have an opportunity to take part in clinical trials and receive innovative medicines and manipulations for free.
Comfortable treatment abroad with Booking Health
The procedure of treatment of pancreatic cancer in Germany for non-residents has few peculiarities. In addition to standard appointment card and medical reports, a foreign patient needs to take care of journey organization, health insurance, booking the appointment after being in the long waiting list, etc. For those who have little or no experience of treatment abroad, it will be useful to seek help of Booking Health.
Booking Health is the certified international medical tourism provider (certificate ISO 9001:2015) that assists in:
- Choosing the best oncological hospital or department and treating physician for your case.
- Booking an urgent appointment without months of waiting.
- Visa issuing and preparing administrative documents for the journey.
- Translating necessary medical reports in order to avoid examinations repeating.
- Independent monitoring of therapy by our medical experts.
- Communication with treating physician after the medical program completion.
- Control of financial aspects, excluding additional fees for the non-residents (saving up to 50%).
- Booking tickets and accommodation.
- Arranging transfer and services of interpreter.
Travelling abroad with Booking Health, you will stay confident and concentrate at your treatment. All medical and non-medical organizational issues are on us, as well as the support 24/7.
