Surgery
Specialist surgical assessment and treatment, with the timing of hospital care agreed together.
Surgery at a collaborating center
Self-pay · free initial inquiry · itemized cost overview before you travel
Integrative Oncology
Integrative oncology in Germany: hyperthermia and complementary therapies alongside standard oncology
St. George Hospital in Bad Aibling, Germany, has practiced integrative oncology since 1991. The hospital adds hyperthermia and complementary therapies to standard cancer treatment. It does not replace surgery, chemotherapy or radiotherapy.
Surgery, radiation and CyberKnife at a collaborating center
When indicated, surgery, radiation therapy and CyberKnife treatment are provided at a collaborating center. Its specialist team assesses suitability and delivers the procedure; our team coordinates the hospital program, recovery and follow-up with them.
Radiation therapy
A radiation oncologist plans the technique and schedule for your diagnosis.
Coordinating radiation therapyCyberKnife
Robotic stereotactic radiation for selected indications, assessed by the collaborating radiation center.
About CyberKnifeThe location, appointments and cost arrangements are clarified before travel.
Additional options within your individual plan
Immune therapy and infusions
Review immune therapy, artesunate IV, curcumin IV, high-dose vitamin C and amino-acid infusions, including the evidence and appropriate clinical setting for each.
Heavy-metal assessment
Exposure history and appropriate testing guide whether treatment is indicated. Heavy-metal detoxification is not an established cancer treatment.
Assessment and treatment optionsChemo brain and rehabilitation
Assessment of cognitive symptoms and an individual rehabilitation plan. Neuromodulation for chemo brain remains investigational.
Cognitive rehabilitation optionsTherapeutic plasma exchange is also available for assessment across our condition programs. A cancer diagnosis alone is not an indication for plasma exchange; suitability depends on the specific clinical problem.
Is this program right for you?
It may fit if
- You want hyperthermia or supportive therapies added to standard cancer treatment.
- You have finished standard treatment, or your cancer is advanced or has come back, and you want further options.
- You want a second opinion on your treatment strategy.
It does not fit if
- You want a replacement for surgery, chemotherapy or radiotherapy.
The oncology team checks your records against your type and stage of cancer. Whole-body hyperthermia has exclusion criteria.
Your stay, week by week
Before you travel
- Free initial inquiry, then the International Office requests your records
- Medical review and video call
- Written proposal and itemized cost overview
With you International Office, oncology physician
Arrival and days 1 to 3
- Airport transfer on request, charged extra
- Immune status, tumor markers, organ function and nutrition checked; imaging reviewed
- Your treatment plan is written
With you Attending physician, nursing team
Week 1
- Hyperthermia sessions with recovery days
- Immune therapies and infusions; chemotherapy here only if agreed with your oncologist
- A physician sees you every day
With you Dr. Douwes, Dr. Rößner, Dr. Zabel, nursing team
Week 2
- Repeat tests, plan adjusted with you
With you Attending physician
Weeks 3 to 4, if planned
- Your therapies continue
With you Dr. Douwes, Dr. Rößner, Dr. Zabel, nursing team
After you are home
- Report and follow-up plan for your oncologist
- Further cycles after 3 to 6 months, if planned
- Questions go to the International Office
With you International Office
A typical plan. You and your physician agree on the length before the stay begins.
Who looks after you
Julian Douwes M.D.
Chief Medical Officer
Program leadership and treatment protocol development
Martin Rößner M.D.
Chief Physician
Chief Physician; daily clinical care and patient consultations
Gabriele Zabel M.D.
Attending Physician
Physician on your inpatient care team
Your contacts in the International Office
What the program can include
- Core elementLocal-regional hyperthermia
Heats the tumor region to 40–44 °C / 104.0–111.2 °F for about 60 minutes.
- Core elementWhole-body hyperthermia
Raises the core temperature under monitoring, alongside chemotherapy or immunotherapy.
- If consideredIPT
Insulin-potentiated therapy: insulin, then a fraction of a standard chemotherapy dose.
- If the light can reach the tumorPhotodynamic therapy
A light-sensitive agent, then light on the treatment area.
- From your immune profileImmune therapies
Dendritic cells, mistletoe, thymus peptides, high-dose vitamin C.
The therapies in detail
Every therapy here is added to standard cancer treatment. We agree the plan with your oncologist and do not change your cancer medication without them.
Show the therapy descriptions
Dr. Julian Douwes leads infectiology, neurorehabilitation and complementary oncology and develops the treatment protocols. Dr. Martin Rößner, Chief Physician, is responsible for day-to-day clinical care and sees patients. Dr. Gabriele Zabel is part of the inpatient care team. Dr. Frederik Götte contributes to the tumor board; his direct patient care, like Dr. Peter Holzhauer’s, is for German patients.
1. Review of your records and assessment in the hospital
Before your arrival the oncology team reviews your medical history, your pathology reports, your imaging and the records of your previous treatments. After your arrival the physicians assess your immune status, tumor markers, nutritional status, organ function and general condition. How integrative cancer treatment works at the hospital
2. Core element: local-regional hyperthermia
Local-regional hyperthermia is also called locoregional hyperthermia. It heats the region of a tumor to 40–44 °C / 104.0–111.2 °F. Applicators on the surface of the body deliver electromagnetic energy to the tissue. The system controls the temperature. A session takes about 60 minutes and needs no anesthesia. Sessions usually take place 2 to 3 times per week. The hospital uses local-regional hyperthermia alongside chemotherapy or radiotherapy. What local-regional hyperthermia involves
3. Core element: whole-body hyperthermia
Whole-body hyperthermia raises the core body temperature under continuous medical monitoring. For tumor patients the hospital uses it alongside chemotherapy or immunotherapy. A session takes 4 to 6 hours. What a session of whole-body hyperthermia involves
4. Coordination with your standard oncology treatment
The hospital coordinates the program with your oncologist at home. The hospital can give certain chemotherapy regimens during your stay. The hospital does not change your cancer medication without this coordination. The integrative oncology program
5. Insulin-potentiated low-dose chemotherapy (IPT)
In IPT the patient first receives a controlled dose of insulin. Then the patient receives a fraction of the standard dose of a chemotherapy drug. Then the patient receives glucose. A physician and a nurse stay with the patient for the whole session of about 2 to 3 hours. The physician explains to you whether IPT may be considered and what is known about it. How IPT works
6. Photodynamic therapy (PDT)
In photodynamic therapy the patient first receives a light-sensitive agent, by infusion or on the skin. After a waiting period the physician exposes the treatment area to light of a specific wavelength. The light exposure takes 15 to 45 minutes and is generally painless. After the session your skin and your eyes are sensitive to light for a period that the physician specifies. The hospital uses photodynamic therapy for tumors on the surface of the body and for tumors that the light can reach. What photodynamic therapy involves
7. Immune therapies, including dendritic cell therapy
Depending on your findings, the plan can include dendritic cell therapy, mistletoe therapy (Viscum album), thymus peptides and high-dose vitamin C infusions. The physician selects these therapies on the basis of your immune profile and your diagnosis. What immune therapy involves
8. Supportive care
Nutritional medicine and support for stress management accompany the program.
Where you stay and are treated
Infusion room · St. George Hospital 
Patient room on the ward · St. George Hospital 
Laboratory · St. George Hospital 
Dining hall · St. George Hospital
You stay in a hospital room for the whole program. The International Office helps with accommodation for a companion.
Getting to Bad Aibling
Munich → Bad Aibling Regional overview
- A8 motorway
- Railway
- Airport connection
Regional schematic, not to scale. The airport connection and railway are simplified.
- Fly to Munich (MUC) Munich Airport is about 60 minutes from Bad Aibling by car.
- Car or train to Bad Aibling By train, or by car with a transfer arranged on request and charged extra.
- Planned admission You arrive on the date the International Office has booked.
Rosenheimer Str. 6-8
83043 Bad Aibling, Germany
What it costs
Included
- The treatment package set out in your proposal
Additional costs
- Individual add-ons your plan needs
- Airport transfers (charged extra)
How payment works
- Itemized cost overview before you travel
- Deposit before admission
- Itemized final invoice for your insurer
Reimbursement
Self-pay; reimbursement is never promised. We can put US patients in touch with an independent office that works on a success basis; the hospital is not involved.
Evidence and limits
Randomized trials support local-regional hyperthermia added to radiotherapy or chemotherapy in named cancers. For whole-body hyperthermia and several other therapies the evidence is more limited, and we promise no cure.
Read the evidence and the limits
Local-regional hyperthermia: strong in named indications. Randomized trials have studied it as an addition to radiotherapy or chemotherapy. In locally advanced pelvic tumors, adding hyperthermia to radiotherapy improved complete response and, in cervical cancer, survival (van der Zee et al., Lancet, 2000); in locoregional recurrent breast cancer a meta-analysis found higher complete response rates with hyperthermia plus radiotherapy (Datta et al., Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys, 2016); in high-risk soft-tissue sarcoma the EORTC trial of chemotherapy with regional hyperthermia showed longer disease-free survival and, in the long-term analysis, improved overall survival (Issels et al., Lancet Oncology, 2010; Issels et al., JAMA Oncology, 2018). Outside those settings the evidence is moderate to emerging, and the physician says so.
Whole-body hyperthermia: moderate to emerging in oncology. Clinical studies have examined whole-body hyperthermia in combination with chemotherapy or immunotherapy; randomized data with survival endpoints are limited. The hospital uses it as an addition to standard cancer treatment, never as a replacement, and the whole-body hyperthermia program page lists the exclusion criteria.
Mistletoe therapy: moderate for quality of life. A meta-analysis of 26 studies found a medium-sized improvement in quality of life in cancer patients treated with mistletoe extracts, with most studies at some risk of bias (Loef and Walach, BMC Complement Med Ther, 2020). The hospital uses mistletoe as a supportive therapy, within the frame ASCO endorsed for integrative therapies during cancer treatment (Lyman et al., J Clin Oncol, 2018).
IPT. Physicians have used IPT for several decades. The published literature consists of clinical observations, case series and pharmacological studies. IPT is not part of guideline care. The hospital offers IPT as an individual treatment attempt. The physician explains the current state of knowledge before you consent.
Photodynamic therapy and dendritic cell therapy. Photodynamic therapy is approved for several cancer indications in several countries. Clinical trials worldwide have studied dendritic cell therapy. The level of evidence differs between these therapies. The physician explains the level of evidence for each therapy before you give your consent.
What integrative oncology cannot do. Integrative oncology does not replace surgery, chemotherapy or radiotherapy. The hospital makes no promise of cure and gives no prognosis online. How a patient responds differs from patient to patient. The physicians document the course of the treatment, so that your oncologist at home can follow it.
Safety. Hyperthermia has an established safety profile when an experienced medical team performs it. Every therapy has risks. The physician explains the risks of each therapy before you give your consent.
How it works
From your first message to aftercare
The International Office handles your inquiry, records, travel and follow-up questions.
Step 1: Initial inquiry
A short message by online form, email or phone. The initial inquiry is free of charge.
Free of charge
Step 2: Reply from the International Office
The International Office reviews your message and your case directly and gets back to you.
Step 3: Secure transfer of records
After the first contact, the International Office requests your medical records and tells you how to send them securely.
Step 4: Medical review and video call
Your records are reviewed medically. A video call with a medically trained member of the International Office is free of charge; a video consultation with a physician is usually charged, and the International Office explains the fee before booking.
Video call with the International Office: free of charge
Step 5: Treatment proposal and cost overview
You receive an individual treatment proposal and an itemized cost overview in writing.
Step 6: Travel, stay and aftercare
The International Office helps you plan travel and your stay. You go home with detailed written plans for your doctor; follow-up questions go to the International Office.
Frequently asked questions
Questions that patients ask about integrative oncology
Do you replace standard cancer treatment?
No. The integrative oncology program complements standard oncology treatment such as surgery, chemotherapy and radiotherapy. Many patients receive the therapies of the hospital alongside the treatment of their oncologist at home.
Which types of cancer do you treat?
The hospital treats patients with many types of cancer, including prostate, breast, colorectal, pancreatic, lung and ovarian cancer. The program is applicable to most solid tumors and to some cancers of the blood. The oncology team assesses on the basis of your records whether the program is appropriate for your type and stage of cancer.
Can I continue my chemotherapy during the stay?
Yes. The hospital coordinates the treatment with your oncologist at home. The hospital can give certain chemotherapy regimens during your stay. The hospital does not change your cancer medication without this coordination.
What is the role of hyperthermia?
The hospital uses hyperthermia in addition to chemotherapy, radiotherapy or immunotherapy. Local-regional hyperthermia heats the region of the tumor. Whole-body hyperthermia raises the core body temperature. The physician decides which form may be considered for you.
How long does a program last?
An integrative oncology program lasts 2 to 4 weeks. The length depends on the type and stage of the cancer and on your treatment plan. You and the physician agree on the length before the stay begins. Some patients return for further treatment cycles.
Which records do you need from me?
After your first message the International Office requests your pathology reports, your imaging, the records of your previous treatments, letters from your physicians and a list of your current medication with doses. Incomplete records are acceptable for the first review.
What does the program cost?
Costs are individual: a package price plus the individual add-ons your plan needs. After your inquiry and the review of your case, you receive an itemized cost overview in writing, before you travel. A deposit is paid before admission, and airport transfers are charged extra.
References
- Comparison of radiotherapy alone with radiotherapy plus hyperthermia in locally advanced pelvic tumours: a prospective, randomised, multicentre trial. Lancet 2000. PMID 10791373
- Hyperthermia and radiation therapy in locoregional recurrent breast cancers: a systematic review and meta-analysis. International Journal of Radiation Oncology, Biology, Physics 2016. PMID 26899950
- Neo-adjuvant chemotherapy alone or with regional hyperthermia for localised high-risk soft-tissue sarcoma: a randomised phase 3 multicentre study. Lancet Oncology 2010. PMID 20434400
- Effect of neoadjuvant chemotherapy plus regional hyperthermia on long-term outcomes among patients with localized high-risk soft tissue sarcoma: the EORTC 62961-ESHO 95 randomized clinical trial. JAMA Oncology 2018. PMID 29450452
- Quality of life in cancer patients treated with mistletoe: a systematic review and meta-analysis. BMC Complementary Medicine and Therapies 2020. PMID 32690087
- Integrative therapies during and after breast cancer treatment: ASCO endorsement of the SIO clinical practice guideline. Journal of Clinical Oncology 2018. PMID 29889605
Thank you. Your inquiry has reached the International Office.
The International Office reviews your message and your case directly and gets back to you. To add something, call +49 8061 398-0.
Please do not send medical records yet. The International Office requests them and tells you how to send them securely.
The next steps
Step 2: Reply from the International Office
The International Office reviews your message and your case directly and gets back to you.
Step 3: Secure transfer of records
After the first contact, the International Office requests your medical records and tells you how to send them securely.
Step 4: Medical review and video call
Your records are reviewed medically. A video call with a medically trained member of the International Office is free of charge; a video consultation with a physician is usually charged, and the International Office explains the fee before booking.
Video call with the International Office: free of charge
Step 5: Treatment proposal and cost overview
You receive an individual treatment proposal and an itemized cost overview in writing.
Step 6: Travel, stay and aftercare
The International Office helps you plan travel and your stay. You go home with detailed written plans for your doctor; follow-up questions go to the International Office.
Send a free inquiry
A few sentences about your situation are enough. Medical records are requested later through a secure channel, so please do not paste them here.
Send a free inquiry
The initial inquiry is free of charge. The International Office reviews your message and your case directly and gets back to you.
- Phone
- +49 8061 398-0
- Hours
- Mon–Thu 08:00–17:00, Fri 08:00–14:00 German time (CET/CEST); in the US Mon–Thu 2–11 a.m. ET, Fri 2–8 a.m. ET.
Munich Airport (MUC), about 60 minutes by car.