One in eight women in Germany will be diagnosed with breast cancer in the course of their life. They all need first-class medical treatment and people who can support them competently and empathetically, ideally not far from home. Those affected have been able to find such an offer in the breast center of the Ebersberg district clinic for 20 years.
Anja A. (name changed) did not expect that the ultrasound examination by her gynecologist would show anything abnormal. She was only in her early 40s. But it would take a year and a half of chemotherapy, 35 radiation treatments and an operation before the woman from the Ebersberg district beat breast cancer with doctors, nurses and therapists from the breast center in Ebersberg at her side. Anja A. says: “I never felt lost there.”
Christina Grundner, Stephan Hasmüller and Helen Budiman (from left) accompany women diagnosed with breast cancer in the certified breast center at the Ebersberg district clinic. (Photo: District Clinic/oh)
Gynecologist Stephan Hasmüller gave Anja A. the news in September 2022: “You are cancer-free.” But he was also the doctor who had to tell her that she had a malignant tumor. Hasmüller is the senior physician in the department of gynecology and obstetrics in Ebersberg and looks after most of the breast center’s patients from the beginning to the end of their therapy. There have been around 160 women so far this year. Hasmüller explains the findings, answers questions and is a senior breast surgeon, meaning he is very experienced in removing breast tumors. “Therapy has become more and more individualized in recent years,” he says. Today we look at what type of tumor it is and then decide which treatment has the best chance of success. Surgery, radiation, chemo, what combination?
In the breast center of the Ebersberg district clinic, an interdisciplinary team of doctors from various disciplines discusses this crucial question in a “tumor conference”. Hasmüller calls this bundling expertise. Especially for breast cancer patients, it is the head physician of gynecology and obstetrics Helen Budiman, who is also head of the breast center, and Stephan Hasmüller who advise and make decisions together with the women. Sometimes very individual. Hasmüller remembers a professional musician who was afraid of the numbness in her fingers, which can be a side effect of chemotherapy. “The last thing she wanted to do was permanently lose the feeling in her fingers. We found an alternative.”
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Various studies come to the conclusion that the chances of survival for women in certified breast centers are higher. This in Ebersberg is checked by the German Cancer Society, which, according to chief physician Budiman, uses the highest scientific standards and is therefore “stricter” than other certification companies. This also applies to the parallel certification of the cooperation partners, for example the oncological gynecologist Isolde Gröll, who looks after the women during their outpatient chemotherapy.
Budiman and Hasmüller are the only ones who operate on breast cancer patients in Ebersberg. To do this, we must always be up to date with the latest science. “We attend several congresses and training courses about breast cancer every year,” says the chief physician. This is also a requirement for being certified as a breast center, because this means that women receive the latest therapies and medications. The findings resulting from this in Ebersberg flow back into breast cancer research. There are also specialized nursing staff on the gynecological ward.
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But the certification also guarantees one thing: “It takes a maximum of a week from the first call with us to the first appointment in the consultation hours.” That’s what Christina Grundner says – the first voice that women hear when they contact the breast center at the Ebersberg district clinic . She ensures that all important appointments are coordinated and waiting times remain short. “Many women fear that they will have to wait a long time before they get help. That’s why it’s important to me that this becomes better known,” says Grundner.
Anja A. remembers the names of the people who accompanied her in the breast center back then. About the long list of appointments that Christina Grundner gave her at the beginning. About the conversation she had with Stephan Hasmüller shortly before her operation. And that she was often told at the Ebersberg Breast Center that she could call at any time if she had any questions. Today she is cancer-free, does a lot of sports, but has to have regular checkups and take medication. Maybe she was always an optimist. In any case, she says about the time in which she fought breast cancer: “It made me stronger.”
This text appears to be an excerpt from an article discussing the Ebersberg district clinic’s certified breast centre and its approach to breast cancer treatment.
Here are some key takeaways:
* **Individualized Treatment:** The center emphasizes personalized treatment plans based on the specific type of tumor.
* **Interdisciplinary Team:** Doctors from various disciplines, including gynecology, oncology, and surgery, collaborate in “tumor conferences” to determine the best course of action for each patient.
* **Certified Expertise:** The center is certified by the german Cancer Society, adhering to high scientific standards and ensuring patients receive the latest therapies and medications.
* **Continuous Learning:** Physicians like Budiman and Hasmüller actively participate in conferences and training to stay abreast of the latest advancements in breast cancer research.
* **Patient-Centric Approach:** The center considers individual patient needs and preferences, such as the case of the musician concerned about chemotherapy’s impact on her fingers.
Let me know if you want me to analyze a specific part of the excerpt in more detail!
