Oncologic Surgery Marburg (Hesse): Prof Dr Detlef K. Bartsch

Card

Prof Dr Detlef K. Bartsch is a surgical oncologist specializing in visceral surgery and the director of the Department of Visceral, Thoracic, and Vascular Surgery. His oncological surgery is integrated into the structure of a top-level cancer center funded by the German Cancer Aid.

Prof Bartsch has a high international reputation in his focus area of oncological endocrine surgery, particularly in gastro-entero-pancreatic tumors (GEP-NET), thyroid carcinomas, and adrenal tumors. The clinic is a center of excellence of the European Neuroendocrine Tumor Society (ENETS).

As a visceral oncology center certified by the German Cancer Society for the treatment of esophageal, pancreatic, and colon cancers, the highly specialized team, under the direction of Prof Bartsch, develops the proper treatment for patients. The aim is always to preserve the organ's function as far as possible using minimally invasive procedures and to minimize pain. Prof Bartsch has been a console surgeon for around 10 years, i.e., he performs robot-assisted surgery using the da Vinci® system wherever possible and appropriate.

Many Years of Experience in the Surgical Treatment of Neuroendocrine Tumors of the Gastroenteropancreatic System (GEP-NET)

Neuroendocrine tumors of the gastrointestinal tract exhibit a wide range of biological characteristics. Some grow very slowly. Others are highly aggressive. These tumors can be hormonally active and trigger symptoms such as flushing, diarrhea, or hypoglycemia. Surgical therapy is the most important measure for long-term healing of localized NET.

The clinic, under the leadership of Prof Bartsch, has outstanding expertise in the differentiated surgical treatment of these types of tumors, particularly neuroendocrine tumors of the pancreas and small intestine. Careful preoperative diagnostics, including somatostatin receptor-based imaging (e.g., Ga-68-DOTATOC-PET/CT) and hormonal laboratory tests, are always performed. The surgery aims to completely remove the tumor and any affected lymph nodes or liver metastases. Close cooperation with the endocrinology, nuclear medicine, and gastroenterology departments is crucial in this context.

State-of-the-Art Pancreatic Surgery for Neuroendocrine Tumors (PET)

Neuroendocrine tumors of the pancreas involve a special surgical challenge. The University Hospital in Marburg, under the leadership of Prof Bartsch, is one of the few centers in Germany with extensive experience in the surgical treatment of these rare tumors. The surgical strategy depends on the size, location, and hormonal activity of the tumor. Thanks to the robot-assisted technique, pancreatic surgery can also be carried out in a particularly tissue-sparing manner.

Typical procedures include distal pancreatectomy, pancreatic head resection, or enucleation of the tumor as an excisional procedure. Depending on the aggressiveness of the tumor, organ-preserving surgeries are also possible. The aim is to achieve complete removal of the tumor while preserving as much healthy pancreatic tissue as possible, ensuring that the pancreas continues to produce insulin and provide digestive enzymes after surgery. This is because a functionally active pancreas offers a significant advantage to the patient in terms of quality of life.

The long-term monitoring of hormonal symptoms is an essential part of the treatment concept for hormone-active tumors, such as insulinomas or gastrinomas, in addition to surgery.

Prof Bartsch's team cares for over 100 families with multiple endocrine neoplasia type 1 (MEN1) and offers patients a standardized early detection program, as well as a comprehensive range of surgical options.

Surgical Treatment of Pancreatic Cancer

Pancreatic carcinoma is among the most unfavorable tumor diseases in visceral surgery - not least due to its late diagnosis and aggressive biology. Surgical therapy is considered the only curative treatment option. Pancreatic cancer specialist Prof Bartsch and his team carry out over 70 complex surgeries on the pancreas in Marburg every year, including Whipple surgery (pancreaticoduodenal resection) and distal pancreatectomy.

These procedures require the highest surgical precision and experience, as tumor tissue often affects not only the pancreas but also surrounding structures such as the bile duct, duodenum, or spleen. The clinic utilizes state-of-the-art imaging techniques, including endosonography and MRCP, and collaborates closely with the oncology and radiotherapy departments. For some patients, neoadjuvant chemotherapy is recommended before surgery to shrink the tumor and improve the chances of a complete resection. Minimally invasive techniques are also increasingly being used here.

Prof Bartsch heads the national case collection for familial pancreatic cancer (FaPaCa) with a standardized early detection program for high-risk individuals.

State-of-the-Art Therapy Approaches for Thyroid Cancer

Thyroid cancer is a relatively rare disease, especially the two aggressive forms, anaplastic and poorly differentiated carcinoma. The surgeries are carried out using continuous neuromonitoring of the vocal cord nerve to minimize the risk of injury. In recent years, Prof Bartsch's team has tested and implemented new, innovative prior drug therapy approaches to be able to remove these tumors surgically as completely as possible.

Patients benefit from closely networked, interdisciplinary care—from the initial suspicion through to surgery and aftercare. The focus is on the individual: each therapy is individually tailored and carried out according to the highest medical standards.

Robot-Assisted Surgeries for Esophageal Cancer

Over the past five years, Prof Bartsch and his team have collaborated with the Clinic for Gastroenterology to focus on the treatment of esophageal cancer. Depending on the type and spread of the tumor, the optimal therapy is discussed in an interdisciplinary tumor conference. The decision on whether endoscopic local therapy, robot-assisted surgical removal, or, if necessary, prior chemotherapy is required is made by the treating physicians. Treatment at the UKGM Marburg is carried out by following the current national guidelines and the latest scientific findings.

Specialist in Colorectal Cancer Surgery at the Uniklinik in Marburg

Colorectal cancer is among the most common cancers in the Western world. Under the direction of Prof Detlef K. Bartsch, the Clinic for Visceral, Thoracic, and Vascular Surgery in Marburg specializes in the surgical treatment of this disease. More than 250 surgeries were carried out on the colon and rectum in 2023 alone, underlining the clinic's enormous expertise in this field.

Surgical treatment of colorectal cancer is based on current guidelines and is planned individually as part of an interdisciplinary tumor conference. The surgery aims to remove the tumor with a sufficient safety margin completely and to include the lymphatic drainage channels to ensure maximum oncological safety.

Minimally invasive procedures are primarily used. Laparoscopic and robot-assisted surgery, in particular, allow for reduced stress for the patient thanks to smaller skin incisions. Patients benefit from less post-operative pain, faster mobilization, and fewer complications such as wound infections or incisional hernias.

Please visit the website of the Oncological Surgery Department at Universitätsklinikum Marburg for more information.