Radiotherapy
Our experts for your health
Prof. Dr. med. Michael Pinkawa:
"Thanks to our close networking with the WEGE KLINIK and other interdisciplinary specialists, we can offer affected patients the best outpatient radiotherapy available. We are proud of the trust placed in our work."
Typical clinical pictures in outpatient radiotherapy
At WEGE MVZ, we offer outpatient radiotherapy for the treatment of benign and malignant tumours. Our aim is to inhibit the growth of tumours, alleviate symptoms or cure the disease completely. Thanks to state-of-the-art medical technology, we can treat tumours in almost any area of the body, precisely and efficiently – from brain diseases to gender-specific diseases such as breast cancer in women and prostate cancer in men.
In addition to malignant tumours, we also treat a variety of benign diseases, including benign brain tumours, vascular malformations and functional disorders such as epilepsy or trigeminal neuralgia. Our range of treatments also includes therapies for degenerative-inflammatory diseases (e.g. painful arthrosis, shoulder impingement syndrome, elbow impingement syndrome, heel spurs, painful tendonitis or endocrine orbitopathy) and hyperproliferative diseases (e.g. Dupuytren‘s contracture, plantar fascial fibromatosis [Ledderhose disease], keloid/hypertrophic scars, induratio penis plastica, prophylaxis of heterotopic ossifications, gynaecomastia prophylaxis).
Our treatment methods for outpatient radiotherapy
1 Conventional radiotherapy
In conventional radiotherapy, the affected area of the body is irradiated with targeted, high-energy X-rays. The structure of the diseased cells is thus destroyed at regular intervals, which then prevents them from growing and spreading further.
The treatment of degenerative-inflammatory diseases such as osteoarthritis, heel spurs or tennis elbow is usually carried out twice a week over six sessions.
In the case of malignant diseases, treatment is based on detailed preliminary planning with the help of three-dimensional imaging, such as computer tomography in the radiotherapy position, supplemented by other diagnostic images such as three-dimensional magnetic resonance imaging or PET-CT. Treatment usually lasts from 5 to 7 weeks and is carried out every working day using a complex, intensity- or volume-modulated radiation technique.
2 Stereotaxis
In principle, stereotaxis is comparable to conventional radiotherapy, however its extreme precision makes it particularly suitable for use on smaller tumours in hard-to-reach and sensitive areas of the body, where greater care must be taken than usual to ensure that as little of the healthy tissue around the affected area as possible is irradiated. Due to the high concentration and focussing of the radiation energy, the duration of irradiation can thus be significantly reduced. In individual cases, a single session (20 minutes) may even be sufficient.
3 Brachytherapy
Brachytherapy is used if the affected area is too deep inside the body for external radiation, for example in the case of prostate cancer or gynaecological tumours. For maximum precision and maximum protection of the surrounding tissue, the radiation source is inserted into the body, where it can unfold its full healing effect in the immediate vicinity of the tumour.
If anaesthesia is required for brachytherapy, such as for prostate cancer treatment, in which hollow needles and a radioactive source are inserted into the prostate, the treatment takes place during a short inpatient stay with overnight follow-up at the WEGE KLINIK.
The procedure for outpatient radiotherapy
1 Treatment preparation
Thorough preparation is essential in order to optimally treat your illness. We thus initially take a detailed look at your medical history and, if necessary, carry out a few tests to better understand your physical condition and plan the next steps.
Please bring the following with you to your first consultation:
- Insurance card (people with statutory health insurance)
- Referral by your family doctor or specialist (people with statutory health insurance)
- All findings already received, such as letters, operating theatre reports, pathology findings, etc.
- MRI and CT images (on CD or with valid barcode)
This avoids undergoing unnecessary duplicate tests and gives your doctor a comprehensive insight into your medical history.
Together with our experts from various specialist fields, we will then draw up an individual treatment plan in which the form of therapy and scheduling will be precisely defined. We also then decide whether outpatient treatment is sufficient or whether you should stay at the neighbouring WEGE KLINIK for the duration of your treatment.
2 Radiotherapy
A single session normally lasts no longer than 10 minutes. During this time, you will be in constant contact with the attending doctor and the medical radiation technologist. After your first treatment session, you will receive the appointments for the subsequent sessions. Particularly in the case of larger tumours, healthy tissue can be spared as much as possible by dividing the radiation dose into several small amounts to be delivered at intervals.
3 Follow-up treatment
Following your treatment, we will discuss the next steps in a final consultation. Your attending physician will explain what you should be aware of in the short term and refer you back to your family doctor, oncologist or specialist. You will then have regular follow-ups with us, either every three months or once a year, depending on your condition. This allows us to monitor whether the treatment has been successful in the long term.
Your advantages at the WEGE MVZ
Our patients benefit from the direct link between our MVZ and the WEGE KLINK. The specialists and excellent medical technology to be found there (such as state-of-the-art linear accelerators) enable precise diagnoses and the best forms of treatment. In addition to direct communication with the WEGE KLINIK, we are also in constant contact with external clinics, enabling us to pool expertise and make quick decisions.
Close networking with the WEGE KLINIK also ensures that we can optimally coordinate your entire treatment plan right from the start. The short distances and direct coordination with the specialist staff create clarity about time scheduling, vacancy location, and the focal points of your treatment. This avoids unnecessary tests and, in a best-case scenario, significantly reduces the duration of your treatment. So, you can return to your everyday life as quickly as possible.
Physiotherapy exercises are often carried out during or after cancer treatment to support the therapy and prevent immediate treatment aftereffects such as oedema or restricted mobility. At WEGE MVZ, we collaborate with expert physiotherapists who specialise in the specific needs of oncological patients, thus enabling you to receive optimal treatment.
Our patients‘ health is our top priority. Every one of our daily actions is geared towards this goal. To ensure this, we continuously take part in further training to keep abreast of the latest medical developments. In addition, regular internal and external quality controls provide a consistently high level of treatment that you can rely on. We are proud that our quality management system is officially certified in accordance with DIN EN ISO 9001:2015.
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