Breast Center in Berlin: Vivantes Hospital Am Urban

The certified breast center in the Vivantes Hospital ‘Am Urban’ building, directed by Dr Claudia Gerber-Schäfer and Dr Marion Paul, provides high-quality care for breast cancer patients based on current guidelines.

The interdisciplinary team consists of exceptionally qualified specialists from a wide range of disciplines, as well as nursing staff who are specially trained in diseases of the breast. Thanks to the many years of combined experience of the various specialist departments, patients are guaranteed fast, reliable diagnosis and timely, appropriate therapy.

Certified Breast Center in Berlin with Many Years of Experience

The Vivantes Breast Center has been certified since 2008 by OnkoZert - on behalf of the German Society for Senology (DGS) and the German Cancer Society (DKG). The Breast Center Am Urban is the largest breast center in Berlin and one of the 5 largest institutions of its kind in Germany. It has been highly recommended by Focus and Tagesspiegel (renowned German publisher) magazines.

The breast cancer specialists always support their patients based on current scientific knowledge and in line with the applicable guidelines.

The team of Dr Claudia Gerber-Schäfer und Dr Marion Paul has many years of experience in the surgical treatment of breast cancer. More than 1,000 breast operations are thus performed each year at the Breast Center of the Hospital Am Urban. Around 800 of those are patients with malignant breast tumours (breast cancer). 76% of medical interventions are breast conserving. In addition, about 300 patients are treated with adjunctive drug therapy each year.

Interdisciplinary Tumour Conferences for Individual Therapy Planning

At the Breast Cancer Center Am Urban in Berlin, the experts take time for you and your relatives, even at short notice, in order to discuss existing findings and, if necessary, to timely plan therapies. Through close interdisciplinary collaboration with numerous other specialists of various disciplines, patients receive interdisciplinary and comprehensive care. This nursing style is coordinated by the Vivantes Am Urban Breast Center.

During the interdisciplinary tumor conference, an individual therapy plan is developed for each patient on basis of current guidelines. This plan is then discussed with the patient individually and, if necessary, with her or his relatives. In addition to participating breast cancer specialists, supporting experts include:

• Diagnostic Radiology
• Pathology
• Radiotherapy
• Internal Medicine/Oncology
• Nuclear Medicine
• Plastic Surgery
• Psycho-Oncology
• Human Genetics

Specialists in Breast Cancer Surgery and Reconstruction

At the Hospital Am Urban, 76% of surgical procedures for breast cancer are carried out as breast-conserving treatment (BCT). Thanks to the biopsy of the sentinel node to check the axilla for any possible tumour spread, late or long-term effects become significantly reduced for patients following tumour operations (e.g. lymphoedema of the arm).

If the entire breast needs to be removed, the Vivantes Breast Center offers various options for breast reconstruction such as simultaneous or staggered implantation of breast implants or autologous tissue (using swivel- or free-flap plastic surgery).

State-of-the-Art Diagnostics and Therapeutic Procedures for Breast Cancer in Berlin

The postoperative aftercare, plus implementation and start of any required chemo or radiation therapy before or after an operation, is all coordinated at the Breast Cancer Center as well. The center Am Urban also offers a scalp cooling procedure for hair preservation during chemotherapy. ‘Happy Med Video Glasses’ for anxiety reduction are available prior to surgery. Thanks to additional naturopathic consultation and escort, patients with breast tumours at the Vivantes Hospital Am Urban receive holistic support from a single source.

Through integration and support within the framework of current studies, latest, state-of-the-art diagnostic methods and therapeutic strategies are always available to patients.

In addition to medical care, those affected also receive comprehensive support from the psycho-oncologists at the Am Urban clinic, who accompany the entire therapy.

Further information is available on the website of the Hospital Am Urban.