STATE-OF-THE-ART HIGH-PRECISION RADIATION THERAPY AT STRAHLENZENTRUM HAMBURG MVZ
Radiotherapy treats cancer and other conditions. The options at Strahlenzentrum Hamburg are some of the most advanced and pioneering in Germany. Our team’s objective is to approach you sensitively as a human being.
We’re convinced that our people-friendly approach will have a positive impact on your recovery. We focus on you because nothing’s more important to us than your health.
WHAT IS RADIOTHERAPY EXACTLY?
Radiation therapy, also called radiation or radiotherapy (RT), is one of the advanced ways of treating tumours, alongside surgical and drug therapy. What’s more, low dose radiation therapy is applied to treat pain and some inflammatory and/or degenerative joint diseases.
Unlike chemotherapy, radiotherapy is local and only cells in a particular area are destroyed. It eradicates cancer cells by damaging their genetic material and preventing them from dividing any further.
TOLERABILITY, SIDE EFFECTS AND LONG-TERM EFFECTS OF RADIOTHERAPY
The aim of radiotherapy at Strahlenzentrum Hamburg is to destroy tumour cells as comprehensively as possible. Modern methods minimise damage to healthy tissue and organs. This increases tolerance of the radiation and significantly reduces side effects such as irritation.
WHAT ELSE YOU SHOULD KNOW ABOUT RADIOTHERAPY AT STRAHLENZENTRUM HAMBURG
Radiotherapy is usually carried out in single sessions and therefore normally takes several weeks. This makes your treatment sustainable and side effects can therefore be virtually ruled out.
Physicists would describe this tumour therapy as a “percutaneous photon therapy with ionising radiation from a linear accelerator”.
This type of radiation means that the radiation source is some distance from your body. All you have to do is lie in a relaxed position on a couch underneath the device, which gives you doses of radiation through your skin, or “percutaneously” as we experts say.
Any questions? We’d be happy to answer them.
This is just a selection of the illnesses we treat. Contact us if none of your indications is included. We’re there for you.
THE FIRST CONSULTATION
The first consultation with our experts will allow you to discuss all details of your up-and-coming radiotherapy, or radiosurgical Cyberknife treatment in Hamburg. Please feel free to put any questions or voice any concerns. A consultation in English is also no problem. At the same time, we’d like to gain as detailed a picture as possible of you and the progression of your disease. We’d also like to hear about any diagnostic and therapeutic measures already carried out. Your radiotherapist will explain the procedure and treatment goal, as well as possible side effects, in a clear and detailed manner. We will also discuss alternatives to radiotherapy if these are appropriate for you.
We take the time to guide you through this new, unfamiliar situation so that you can make a fully informed decision. If you wish, please take some notes and bring your partner, a family member, or a person you trust to the consultation. It’s ideal if we can review your medical records a few days before this consultation. These are easy to upload HERE. The records and diagnostic images (CT, MRI or PET) allow our team to assess your medical history and consult other doctors treating you or your surgeon if required.
PLANNING RADIOTHERAPY
Our radiotherapists and physicists plan your radiotherapy at Strahlenzentrum Hamburg in detail. In this case, we’re aiming for maximum efficiency but a minimum risk to surrounding healthy tissue. We use imaging techniques like computed tomography (CT) or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to establish the exact location of the tissue requiring treatment. We then define the optimum volume and configuration for the region requiring radiation. We also calculate the best radiation dose and distribution for you.
A consistent procedure demands you adopt exactly the same position for each treatment. We make customised positioning supports for you to ensure this is the case.
A laser beam helps us to align the radiotherapy device with the markings and check positioning is accurate. During the treatment, you lie down and relax in the therapy room. An intercom and video system keep you in constant contact with our team. Should you experience any problems or discomfort, we can stop the radiotherapy at any time if necessary. Depending on the concept, each session lasts between five and 15 minutes.
We’d be happy to answer your questions about special skin care or personal care, diet and any other routines.
A detailed final consultation with your radiotherapist will be carried out after you last session. We want to engage with you personally and as healthcare specialists. During the consultation, we’ll be interested in finding out whether acute symptoms of irritation have subsided promptly. We’ll discuss post-treatment care options and examinations. And above all, we’ll want to know how you’re feeling.
There’s nothing more important than your health. And we’ll treat you with the utmost respect and give you top priority.