Lung Cancer Treatment in Germany: Focus on the Chemotherapy

Integrative lung cancer treatment in Germany includes a number of options †conventional and video-assisted surgical interventions, radiation therapy, chemotherapy, targeted and immunotherapy. Despite the fact that surgery is the only curative technique in lung cancer treatment, chemotherapy also provides eligible patients with beneficial results. In addition, recent studies have shown that combination of chemotherapeutic agents with anti-PD-1 immunotherapy is efficient even in patients with nonsquamous non-small-cell lung cancer.

Early signs of lung cancer

Early alarming signs of lung cancer are individual and non-specific (i.e. may be present in other, non-oncological conditions). The most common of them include:

• Chronic cough of the unknown etiology that is resistant to medications.
• Blood in the sputum or rust-colored sputum.
• Pain in the chest that is aggravated during coughing, deep breathing or laughing.
• Shortness of breath during usual physical activity.
• Weight loss, tiredness, fatigue.
• Persistent lung infections.
• Rarely †changes in the shape of fingers (so-called finger clubbing).

In stable presence of one or few symptoms it is better to visit your general practitioner for further diagnosis clarification. Primary diagnostic measures will typically include sputum cytology, bronchoscopy with biopsy, CT scan or MRI.

Types of the malignant lung tumors

Lung cancer can arise from the alveolar tissue, small and small bronchi, or pleura. Despite the anatomical origin, all neoplasms can be referred to non‐small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) or small‐cell lung cancer (SCLC). Determining the precise cancer type and stage is essential for the therapy planning, as different types of tumors are susceptible to different chemotherapeutic agents.

According to the American Cancer Society, NSCLC is more widespread. It is diagnosed in up to 85% of cases. Group of NSCLC tumors consists of large cell neoplasms, bronchoalveolar and squamous cell tumors, adenocarcinomas. Group of SCLC includes malignancies of the neuroendocrine origin.

Lung cancer may also arise as a result of other malignant tumors metastasizing. This is called secondary or metastatic disease. The most common causes of lung metastases include stomach and intestine malignancies, melanomas, and sarcomas.

Choosing the chemotherapeutic regimen

As a rule, chemotherapy administration pursues one of the following aims:

1. Reducing size of the tumor before surgery.
2. Destroying residual atypical cells after the surgery and relapse prevention.
3. Enhancing action of the radiation therapy.
4. Preventing the tumor growth and spreading.

Taking into consideration type and stage of the lung neoplasm, chemotherapy is performed in the following modes:

1. Non‐small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) treatment includes neoadjuvant chemotherapy that is administered before the surgery, consolidation chemotherapy within up to 8 weeks after surgery, and chemoradiotherapy. The most efficient combinations are cisplatin or carboplatin with paclitaxel, etoposide, docetaxel or gemcitabine.
2. Small cell lung cancer (SCLC) treatment includes single-drug chemotherapy as the independent method, administration of the chemotherapeutic agents before or after the surgery, combination of chemotherapeuticals with irradiation. The most efficient schemes are Gemcarbo, carboplatin and etoposide, EP.
3. Advanced cancer treatment typically includes sole chemotherapy, without surgery. In this case drugs can relieve symptoms and improve quality of life for a time. From 1 to 3 drugs may be used in this case. The most effective schemes are CAVE, ACE, CAV, Gemzar, etc.

Planning treatment abroad with Booking Health

You may choose to undergo treatment of lung cancer in Germany, outside your native country, for the financial, medical or private reasons. If you are seeking treatment of lung cancer by chemotherapy in Germany but do not have experience of receiving medical care abroad, it will be more convenient to use services of Booking Health. Booking Health is the only certified international medical tourism provider that successfully works with patients from 75 countries. Booking Health offers:

• Choosing the best center and doctor with specialization in pulmonological oncology.
• Booking appointment date or room in the hospital for the inpatient services.
• Help in visa issuing, preparing papers for the trip.
• Professional translation of the existing medical reports into German, so that a doctor will see the disease dynamics.
• Additional monitoring of therapy by our independent medical experts.
• Distant consultations with attending physician after returning home.
• Control of therapy prices (saving up to 50%), checking the final calculation.
• Booking tickets, accommodation, and transfer.
• Services of interpreter.

Booking Health offers comprehensive support 24/7 while staying abroad. To start treatment in Germany planning, please, leave the request on the company’s website and wait for the call from a specialist.