Thyroid cancer treatment

Thyroid cancer treatment in Germany is an opportunity to overcome a terrible disease and return to a familiar way of life without the risk of recurrence. Recently, patients with a disappointing diagnosis of thyroid cancer are becoming more and more common. Before starting therapy, it is necessary to carry out high-quality diagnostics, and German clinics have innovative equipment for this purpose.

This disease is not associated with iodine deficiency. The pathological process has no age and gender characteristics, that is, it can occur at absolutely any age, both in females and males. The insidiousness of the disease is that the first symptoms of the disease can easily be confused with other diagnoses. For this reason, experts recommend a comprehensive diagnosis, which includes not only instrumental studies, but also laboratory tests.

To save a person’s life and completely eliminate the risk of relapse, therapy should be carried out under the supervision of several specialists at once. It is very important that doctors have extensive experience of working with people suffering from an identical diagnosis. In Munich clinics, treatment is comprehensive, in addition to removing the neoplasm, procedures are performed that inhibit the growth of cancer cells and prevent the development of new ones.

Diagnosis of thyroid cancer in Germany

As mentioned above, to determine the cause, features and stage of pathology, a comprehensive examination is required. Before proceeding to the examination, the doctor talks with the patient to determine the clinical picture of this disease. The doctor is interested in how long ago the diagnosis was made, what studies were conducted, what symptoms bother at the moment, whether any treatment was carried out. After obtaining detailed information, the specialist palpates the area of concern.

In German medical centers, diagnosis includes the following activities:

• Ultrasound examination of the thyroid gland. The first thing to do is to identify the features of the tumor: its exact localization, size and shape.
• Computerized tomography. In some cases, an additional scan of the tumor is required if ultrasound has failed to reveal the exact structure of the neoplasm.
• X-rays on four sides of the respiratory system. This is necessary to refute or confirm the presence of metastases.
• Molecular genetic testing. This study will help to find out whether the pathological process is associated with a genetic predisposition.
• Biopsy of the organ. It is necessary in order to determine the nature of the neoplasm. Biological material is taken under anesthesia so that the patient does not experience any discomfort.
• General and dilated urinalysis and blood tests.
• Blood tests for hormones (TTG, T4, T3, PTH). With the help of laboratory tests, it is possible to determine how much the thyroid gland is coping with its task.

Types of thyroid cancer

The thyroid gland is responsible for many vital processes in the body. In medical practice, there are several types of cancer:

• Papillary. The peculiarity of this type of cancer is the shape of the tumor. It is irregular, on the surface there are bulges and hillocks. According to statistics, it is this type is most often diagnosed in patients. The tumor grows quite a long time, with timely treatment there are high chances of completely defeating this disease.
• Follicular. The tumor on the surface has as if bubbles. This form of the disease is characteristic of elderly people. Often there are metastases, it occurs at stage 3-4.
• Medullary. A rarer form of the pathologic process. This type is very dangerous, because it progresses very quickly and actively produces pathogenic, mutation cells. To preserve life, it is required to completely remove the organ and nearby tissues. The peculiarity of the medullary form is that uncharacteristic symptoms are observed, such as prolonged diarrhea, dehydration, etc.
• Anaplastic. Occurs extremely infrequently, the disease is characterized by disruption of the thyroid gland. This type of cancer is characteristic of the elderly, in young people, as a rule, does not occur.

Thyroid cancer treatment methods in Germany

The specific method of treatment is selected individually for each patient. Not only the severity of the cancer, but also other factors such as the exact localization, the size of the neoplasm, the patient’s body characteristics and other important factors are of great importance. Treatment is started only after a thorough diagnosis. German medical centers use various methods.

The most common treatments for thyroid cancer are:

• Surgical intervention.
• Radiation therapy.
• Chemotherapy
• Immunotherapy.

Now let’s talk in more detail about each treatment method.

Surgical intervention

Surgery is necessary when malignancy is suspected. Depending on the degree of the disease, doctors determine the further tactics. With a complex course of the disease it is necessary to carry out a complete resection of the organ. At the 2-3 stage, partial removal of the organ, fascial-futlar dissection or excision of the neck fiber in the presence of metastases is possible. Surgery is performed minimally invasively so as not to affect important nerve endings.

Radiation therapy

Depending on the aggressiveness of the tumor, radiation therapy is given. It is usually given after the tumor has been removed. It is aimed at the thyroid gland and nearby tissues. It is necessary in order to destroy cancer cells that may have remained at the site of the removed malignant tumor.

Chemotherapy

The doctors at the Munich clinics are experienced in treating thyroid cancer with chemotherapy. This technique is a necessary step, it suppresses cancer cells and prevents the appearance of new ones. For the highest result, chemotherapy should be carried out not once, but a full course prescribed by the attending physician. In the course of treatment, the safest possible drugs are used, which minimize the risk of adverse reactions from the body.

Immunotherapy

Another important point is to saturate the body with vitamins, which it needs so much in this difficult diagnosis. The patient is prescribed various medications that are aimed at increasing immunity.

Cost of thyroid cancer treatment in Germany

Name of service	Price, €	Optional
Diagnosticsandinspection	5000–5500	5 days inpatient
Diagnosis with chemotherapy	3500–8150	3 days, outpatient
Complete removal of the thyroid gland	12800	9 days inpatient
Partial resection of an organ	10800	10 days, inpatient

Causes and symptoms of thyroid cancer

It is almost unrealistic to name a specific cause that caused cancer of an organ. Even doctors and scientists find it difficult to give a precise answer to this question. There are only a number of factors that can increase the risk of the disease several times:

• Hereditary predisposition. If someone close to you has had this pathology — you should be more attentive to your body and make preventive examinations.
• Advanced age. According to statistics, thyroid oncology most often occurs after the age of 60.
• Too frequent exposure of the body to radiation. This occurs with X-rays, fluorography, etc. Frequent manipulations of this kind provoke mutation of cells.
• Hazardous working conditions. Work with ionizing radiation in medical personnel, people in hot shops, or activities involving heavy metals is considered hazardous.
• Tobacco smoking. Cigarette smoke contains a lot of harmful and dangerous impurities for the body.
• Depressed state. Constant stress destroys the immune system and the body’s defenses. Low immunity provokes various pathologies in the body, including cancer.
• Gynecological diseases. As strange as it may sound, but in the female sex the cause of thyroid problems can be gynecological diseases that provoke hormonal failure.
• Uncontrolled hormone therapy.
• Enlarged goiter.

Now let’s talk about what symptoms can signal that you need to urgently consult a doctor. To begin with, we note that the normal functioning of this organ should not cause anxiety, discomfort or painful sensations.

The first symptom, by which you can judge about the malfunction is an enlarged gland, which is visible to the naked eye. If we are talking about the initial stages, there is no pain when palpating, but the thickening is clearly noticeable. Note that only in 10% of cases the detected lump is cancer, so there is no need to panic early, just visit a doctor and undergo a full examination.

If we are talking about the later stages, in this case, such signs may bother you:

• The neck got wider, thicker.
• I started having problems with my respiratory system. It became difficult to breathe, especially during physical activity.
• When I swallow, there’s something in the way, like a lump in my throat.
• Regular coughing, especially when lying down.
• Painful sensations in the neck area.
• The voice has changed, sometimes it becomes too rough, other times it becomes too husky.

Germany’s best oncologists

German oncology centers have the best oncologists with many years of experience. It is important to choose a doctor who has extensive experience in thyroid surgery. This organ has thousands of nerve endings around it, so surgical intervention should only be performed by a professional.

If you would like help in finding a specialist, contact our company. We will choose the best doctor in Munich according to your needs and wishes. We take care of all the work, so you have nothing to worry about. We monitor the work of various clinics on a daily basis and have the most up-to-date information on the statistics of successful therapy. We want to help you and make your treatment process not only comfortable, but also effective!

In order not to become a victim of a terrible diagnosis — we recommend you to undergo preventive diagnostics. Of course, even such a measure is not able to protect a person from cancer. But still, the detection of the pathological process at 1-2 stages is much easier to treat and does not cause recurrences. If you are diagnosed, it does not mean that your life is over. This is a signal that it is time to act and defeat this disease! In no case do not delay, immediately make an appointment with a specialist!