Complex diagnosis of colorectal cancer in Asklepios Hospital Barmbek

• Oncology and Oncohematology Department
• Surgery Department

Asklepios Barmbek was founded in 1913. The Hospital includes 19 departments and 5 multi-specialty centers.

Asklepios Barmbek is situated in Hamburg, 8 km away from the Rathausmarkt central square and 5 km away from the International Airport.

• It is focused on international patients. Asklepios Barmbek is recognized as No. 1 clinic in the world for foreigners. It ensures that medical tourists will feel comfortable in the Hospital and have full information about the treatment course.
• The advanced center for cancer treatment. Patients from all over the world visit Asklepios Barmbek to cure cancer. Here, oncologists apply the latest techniques: targeted therapy, interventional oncology (sparing operations), radiotherapy of tumors.
• Leading German doctors. Doctors of Asklepios Barmbek are regularly included in TOP 100 list of the best German specialists according to Focus magazine, the most authoritative medical edition in Germany.
• Safe treatment. The special committee works on the premises of the Clinic. It is responsible for the safety of the procedures. Each patient receives a unique bracelet to avoid confusion in prescribing medicines.

No. 1 hospital in the rating of the Medical Travel Quality Alliance (MTQA)

Asklepios Barmbek takes the 1st place in the rating of MTQA, the International Medical Tourism Organization. MTQA representatives visit hospitals around the world and choose those that follow strict quality treatment standards.

TOP 100 of the best clinics in Germany according to the Focus magazine

Since 2012, the Hospital has been regularly including in the list of the 100 best medical centers in Germany among 2,000 applicants. Breast, prostate, colon cancers and Parkinson’s disease treatment are the strong points of the Hospital. The rating of the clinics is based on success rates, the quality of the equipment, doctors' qualifications, patients' reviews, and Bookimed doctors’ expert opinion. 15,000 doctors recommend Asklepios Barmbek.

DIN EN ISO 9001: 2015 Quality Certificate

This is the basic attestation of all Asklepios clinics. The document ensures that an independent ISO Quality Committee verifies the quality of services in the Hospital. It confirms that all procedures are performed under international standards, drugs and medical supplies are certified in the EU.

The Department has the certificate of the German Cancer Society (DKG). Oncologists of the Department treat different types of cancer and have 15-20 years of experience. The medical equipment here complies with international quality standards.

16,000 patients receive treatment in the Department every year.

Oncologists specialize in the treatment of such diseases as:

• liver cancer
• lung cancer
• malignant tumors of the stomach, intestine, and pancreas
• colon neoplasms
• prostate, kidney, bladder, testicle cancers
• lymphoma, leukemia, multiple myeloma
• breast cancer
• uterus and ovaries tumors.

Multidisciplinary approach. What is it?

A medical team develops the treatment plan for Asklepios Barmbek patients. A team consists of several doctors: oncologist, surgeon, radiologist, and chemotherapy specialist. Together they prescribe the most effective and safe surgeries and medications. Such an approach helps to avoid medical error in comparison with the case when one doctor independently plans the treatment.

Council of physicians

Types of cancer therapy in Asklepios Barmbek

• Chemotherapy is the medication treatment of cancer. Undergoing chemotherapy, patients take pills or droppers. Such drugs effectively destroy malignant tissues, but also affect healthy ones — hair follicles, mucous membranes, and hematopoietic cells. This can cause such side effects as hair loss and discomfort in the gastrointestinal tract. Oncologists of Asklepios Barmbek select chemotherapy individually for each patient to reduce the occurrence of side effects.
• Target therapy is a modern drug treatment method. Target drugs affect precisely malignant cells, without damaging the healthy ones. That’s why side effects occur less frequently than after chemotherapy. Doctors prescribe targeted drugs for the treatment of breast and prostate cancer, melanoma, lymphoma, multiple myeloma.
• Multimodal therapy is a chemotherapy in combination with the surgery and/or radiotherapy. Oncologists apply this method to treat colon, pancreas, esophagus, stomach, lungs and breast cancers.
• Interventional oncology is a local effect on the tumor. Doctors use a catheter or needle to inject the drug directly into the vessels leading to cancer. Doctors destroy some neoplasms with the help of ultrasound, the source of which is fixed on the end of the needle. This allows accurately affecting the malignant cells without damaging the healthy ones. The method is used for the therapy of liver, large intestine, stomach, esophagus, breast cancers.

Doctors of the Department specialize in the surgical treatment of benign and malignant tumors.

Endoscopic operations through the body openings 

Doctors perform endoscopic procedures to remove tumors and polyps in the gastrointestinal tract. The operations are minimally invasive, they are performed through the anus or esophagus. Due to the absence of incisions, a patient does not feel severe pain after the procedure. The recovery period takes 1-3 days.

Laparoscopic interventions through 1-3 cm punctures 

Most of the operations at Asklepios Barmbek are laparoscopic. They are performed through small punctures up to 3 cm. Doctors use thin tools and a mini camera to remove the tumor accurately and not damage the surrounding tissues. Surgeons apply laparoscopy to remove hernias, neoplasms in the stomach and urogenital system.

VATS is the gold standard for lung cancer surgery 

VATS is a video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery. Doctors remove the tumor through 1-2 punctures. It allows conducting the operation without the sternum opening. Surgeons watch the whole operation process on the monitor. It increases the accuracy of the procedure. VATS is prescribed in the early stages of lung cancer when the tumor does not spread beyond the organ.

Surgery in Asklepios Barmbek

• medical interpreter for an additional fee
• transfer from/to an airport
• accommodation in a single or double room
• meals according to a menu.

Single ward