Integrative Oncology
Integrative oncology in Germany: hyperthermia and complementary therapies alongside standard oncology
A cancer diagnosis raises many questions, and patients read about many therapies. St. George Hospital in Bad Aibling, Germany, has practised integrative oncology since 1991. The hospital adds hyperthermia and complementary therapies to standard oncology treatment. The hospital does not replace surgery, chemotherapy or radiotherapy. This page describes what the hospital does, for whom the programme may be considered, what the evidence shows and what integrative oncology cannot do.
- 1991Founded in Bad Aibling
- 70Beds, one site
- 12,000+Lyme patients since 1995
- 30,000+Whole-body hyperthermia sessions
Who this page is for, and who it is not for
This page is for you if
- You receive or plan standard oncology treatment, and you want to add hyperthermia or supportive therapies to it.
- You have completed standard oncology treatment, and you ask which complementary therapies are reasonable for you now.
- You have advanced or recurrent cancer, and you look for additional treatment options.
- You want a second opinion on your treatment strategy.
- You are a relative, and you compare hospitals for a member of your family.
This page is not for you if
- You have a medical emergency. St. George Hospital is a specialist hospital and has no emergency department. The emergency number in Germany is 112.
- You look for a replacement for the surgery, chemotherapy or radiotherapy that your oncologist recommends. The hospital complements standard oncology treatment and does not replace it.
- You expect a promise of cure. The hospital does not make promises of cure.
The oncology team assesses on the basis of your records whether the programme is appropriate for your type and stage of cancer. Whole-body hyperthermia has exclusion criteria. The page on whole-body hyperthermia in hospital lists them.
What the hospital does
Dr. Martin Rößner, Chief Physician, and Dr. Frederick Götte, specialist for haematology and oncology, lead the oncology programme. Dr. Julian Douwes, Chief Medical Officer, develops the treatment protocols. All therapies on this page are complementary to standard oncology treatment. None of these therapies replaces standard oncology treatment.
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, tumour 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 tumour to 40 to 44 °C. 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 anaesthesia. 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 tumour 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 programme 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 programme
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 tumours on the surface of the body and for tumours 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 programme.
How a stay runs, from your first message to aftercare
- Your inquiry. You write to the international patient office through the contact form. You describe your diagnosis and your previous treatment, and you attach the records that you have. The office answers in English or German.
- Review of your records and video consultation. The oncology team reads your records and may ask for additional laboratory tests. Then you speak with a physician by video, in English, before you book any travel. The physician tells you whether the programme is appropriate for you.
- Written proposal. You receive a proposed programme, the expected length of stay and a non-binding cost estimate in writing. Nothing is booked before you have these documents.
- Travel and arrival. The international patient office arranges the transfer from Munich Airport and helps with accommodation for a companion. If you need a medical visa, the office issues the invitation letter.
- Assessment and treatment plan. After the assessment in the hospital the medical team writes your individual treatment plan.
- Treatment weeks. During a stay of 2 to 4 weeks you receive the therapies of your plan every day. A physician sees you every day.
- Discharge and aftercare. You receive a written treatment report for your oncologist at home and a plan for the time after discharge. Follow-up consultations take place by video. Some patients return for further treatment cycles after 3 to 6 months.
Evidence and limits
Local-regional hyperthermia. Local-regional hyperthermia is one of the most extensively researched forms of hyperthermia. Several randomised controlled trials have studied it as an addition to chemotherapy or radiotherapy. The guidelines of the European Society for Hyperthermic Oncology (ESHO) include it.
Whole-body hyperthermia. Clinical trials have studied whole-body hyperthermia mainly in oncology, in combination with chemotherapy or immunotherapy. International oncology guidelines name hyperthermia as an addition to standard cancer treatment, not as a replacement.
Mistletoe therapy. More than 100 clinical studies on mistletoe therapy have been published. The hospital uses mistletoe therapy as a supportive therapy.
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 within an individual treatment concept, 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 does not make promises of cure and gives no prognosis on this page. 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.
Travel, length of stay, costs and languages
Travel
Munich Airport (MUC) is about 60 minutes from Bad Aibling by car. Salzburg Airport (SZG) is about 90 minutes from Bad Aibling by car. The international patient office arranges the transfer. The address of the hospital is Rosenheimer Str. 6-8, 83043 Bad Aibling, Germany.
Length of stay
An integrative oncology programme lasts 2 to 4 weeks. You and the physician agree on the length before the stay begins. The physician plans further treatment cycles individually.
Costs
This page does not list prices. The hospital works with treatment packages and always adapts them to the individual patient. After your inquiry and the review of your case, you receive a non-binding cost estimate in writing, before you travel. Treatment is self-pay. You receive an invoice with diagnoses and descriptions of the procedures. You can submit this invoice to your insurer. Your insurer decides about reimbursement, and the hospital cannot promise reimbursement. Costs and insurance
Languages
Our team speaks German and English. Correspondence, medical consultations and your stay are conducted in English or German.
For other languages, an interpreter can be booked on request.
Questions that patients ask about integrative oncology
Do you replace standard cancer treatment?
No. The integrative oncology programme 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 programme is applicable to most solid tumours and to some cancers of the blood. The oncology team assesses on the basis of your records whether the programme 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 tumour. Whole-body hyperthermia raises the core body temperature. The physician decides which form may be considered for you.
How long does a programme last?
An integrative oncology programme 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?
Please send 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 programme cost?
This page does not list prices. The hospital works with treatment packages and always adapts them to the individual patient. After your inquiry and the review of your case, you receive a non-binding cost estimate in writing, before you travel.
Request a consultation
A video consultation in English before you travel. A physician reviews your findings first; we reply by email within one business day (Mon–Fri).
Mon–Thu 08:00–17:00, Fri 08:00–14:00 (CET/CEST)+49 8061 398-0info@clinicum-stgeorg.de
St. George Hospital is a specialist hospital, not an emergency department. In a medical emergency in Germany, dial 112.