Breast center struggles for patients
Created: 08/12/2022, 06:00
By: Hans Moritz
The Breast Center at Klinikum Erding offers many treatment options, which lead to healing in nine out of ten cases.
Chief Physician is Dr.
Birgit Plattner (right).
She is assisted by Breast Care Nurse Anke Hartmann (middle) and Senior Physician Dr.
Johanna Strumpler.
© Klinikum Erding
The breast center at the Erding Clinic could be threatened with extinction.
The patients in the region, of all people, can avert it.
Erding – Around 100 women in the district of Erding are diagnosed with breast cancer every year, nationwide there are over 70,000. What many do not know, including some general practitioners: There is a certified breast center at Klinikum Erding, which works in close cooperation with the Klinikum Rechts der Isar of the Technical University of Munich - and therefore offers all-round care based on the current state of science.
This ignorance now threatens to pose a threat to the breast center headed by chief physician Dr.
Grow out of Birgit Plattner.
Because the joint federal committee of doctors and health insurance companies draws a lower limit for various interventions.
Certified breast centers have to treat at least 100 patients per year, otherwise they are threatened with extinction.
The committee assumes that better treatment successes can be achieved with higher case numbers and more routine.
"I am convinced that we can reach this number if all breast cancer patients turn to us," says Plattner.
Nobody has to put up with long journeys, such as to Munich or Landshut, for sometimes longer periods of therapy.
The level of expertise is comparable.
"I'm at the tumor conferences in Munich every week, where we discuss all cases on an interdisciplinary basis," says the chief physician.
In fact, Erding is in the middle of both cities with a large clinical offer.
"In addition, Erding is a young district, in which breast cancer occurs less frequently," says Plattner.
The group of 50 to 70-year-olds, who are also regularly invited to check-ups, is mainly at risk.
"But I also had a 19-year-old."
According to Plattner, those who choose Erding will have the advantage of a small, well-rehearsed team.
"It's anything but anonymous for us, each of us knows the patients." The Erdinger Breast Center includes several doctors, a psycho-oncologist and a breast care nurse.
This position is occupied by Anke Hartmann, who is also a wound expert.
"She plays an important role for us because she is a guide for our patients who takes them by the hand and accompanies them through the entire treatment," says the gynecologist.
Hartmann founded the Mamma-Café in 2018, which has since become a self-help group.
There, those affected can exchange ideas and get expert advice.
Reinforcement came recently from senior physician Dr.
Johanna Strumpler.
In the reconstruction of the breast, Plattner works with the plastic surgeon Prof. Dr.
dr
Lukas Prantl from the University Hospital Regensburg.
There is also close cooperation with the oncological practice PD Dr.
Jilg and Dr.
Konrad in Erding, who offers chemotherapy at home.
Plattner also points out the district's intention to set up radiation therapy at the clinic, which will further expand the treatment options and save patients long journeys.
Breast cancer is the most common tumor disease in women, statistically speaking, every tenth woman suffers at least one preliminary stage, reports Plattner.
"The treacherous thing is that the cancer can still return after ten years." However, over 80 percent of patients can now be cured within a five-year period.
Only in very few cases do women face amputation.
Should this be necessary, according to Plattner, there are now surgical procedures for reconstructing the breast.
“Good cosmetic results can be achieved with the new methods.”
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“We used to remove all the lymph nodes.
Today it is usually enough to operate on the sentinel lymph node – a much simpler procedure.” Chemotherapy has also been further developed – and is no longer necessary in every case.
"We have more options with antibody and anti-hormonal therapies," explains the South Tyrolean, who has been chief physician at Erdinger Klinikum since 2016.
The causes of breast cancer have not yet been definitively researched.
"A genetic predisposition is proven in five to ten percent of cases," says Plattner.
Other risk factors include obesity, nicotine, alcohol and lack of exercise.
Self-examination is important – “ideally at the beginning of the menstrual period in the shower”.
In order to carry out the self-examination correctly, the Breast Care Nurse will soon be offering courses.
Plattner does not want to think about the end of the breast center and is also open to cooperation with other institutions.
“The Erding site would lose specialists, competence and offers for those affected.
And maybe that's only because many don't know which treatments are possible in Erding."
Contact: The Breast Center at Klinikum Erding can be reached on Tel. (0 81 22) 59 16 48 or by email at brustzentrum-erding@klinikum-erding.de.
Breast consultation hours are every Tuesday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. after registration.
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