Interdisciplinary co-operation
Today, all medical disciplines involved in the diagnosis and treatment of cancer work together on an interdisciplinary basis. To this end, medical centres have been established for a whole range of cancers in recent years. The pioneers were the breast centres, where patients suffering from breast cancer are treated. At Ulm University Hospital there is also a Visceral Oncology Centre, which primarily treats patients with bowel cancer, a Skin Tumour Centre, a Head and Neck Tumour Centre, a Gynaecological Cancer Centre, a Sarcoma Centre and a Prostate Cancer Centre. All centres are combined at Ulm University Hospital under the umbrella of the Comprehensive Cancer Center Ulm (CCCU) - Tumour Centre Alb-Allgäu-Bodensee.
Comprehensive treatment
Patients with cancer receive comprehensive treatment at these centres. A medical conference, the so-called tumour board, discusses an individual treatment strategy for each patient on the basis of all examinations and the medical guidelines for the respective disease. Oncologists, surgeons, radiologists, radiotherapists, pathologists and, depending on the cancer, other specialists take part in the tumour boards. Studies have now impressively demonstrated that the combined knowledge of the individual specialists in the medical centres leads to a significant improvement in the quality of treatment for cancer.
Treatment recommendation
The treatment recommendation from the tumour conference is then explained in detail to the patient, who is shown the treatment risks and possible alternatives. In addition, patients at the CCCU and the affiliated cancer centres are accompanied by a wide range of support services. Psycho-oncology helps patients to cope with their illness and accompanies them through the often stressful therapy. The social services and bridging care provide support in organising help after hospital treatment. Self-help groups and sports programmes specifically for cancer patients complement the treatment. Seriously ill patients with incurable cancer receive comprehensive care through outpatient or inpatient palliative medicine.
Medical studies
The CCCU at Ulm University Hospital also participates in a large number of national and international medical studies. This means that in certain cases, patients can also be offered new, promising treatment alternatives and drugs.