Selecting a hospital to get treated for cancer maybe one of the most decisive moments in your entire life. Europe houses some of the most modern and patient-friendly oncology centers in the world, which are not only equipped with the latest technologies but are also staffed by globally trained experts, provide innovative therapies and deliver world-class care. So, whether you are looking for the best breast cancer hospital in Europe, top multidisciplinary oncology hospitals, or affordable treatment with good quality abroad, European hospitals have a lot to offer. In addition to excellent survival rates, they demonstrate warm empathy and provide cost-effective treatment.
This comprehensive guide below acquaints you with the best cancer hospitals in Europe, their costs, pros, patient testimonials, accreditations, and what you should consider before going away for treatment. If you are fighting breast, lung, prostate, or colon cancer, or any other cancer, this guide will help you find the best cancer hospitals in Europe that suit your needs. In addition, it lets you know where you can have the best breast cancer hospital in Europe with personalized care and advanced oncology technologies.
Why Choose Europe?
Access to Unparalleled Technology and Specialist Care
By far, though, the biggest reason people will arrange cancer care abroad is because we have cutting-edge technology, research, and expertise that's unavailable anywhere else in the world.
From specialist diagnostics and treatment planning to a wide range of radiotherapy treatments tailored to the type of cancer and your particular needs, many people consider this to seek a second opinion if their primary option is unavailable.
Lower Waiting Times
Depending on the type of cancer you have been diagnosed with, you may be placed onto a waiting list for certain types of specialist treatment; this can leave you waiting for several months, if not years, for the care that you should be getting as soon as possible.
Waiting lists and priority given to conditions vary considerably by country, region or province, depending on access, demand and prognosis.
Value-based care
Depending on where you live and what treatments are covered under your public health system, a comparable treatment may ultimately be more expensive to stay in your home country than it may be to travel and stay abroad. This is especially the case in countries like the US, where cancer treatment can be prohibitively costly should you not have sufficient health insurance or your provider decides not to pay for your treatment.
Whether one is looking for the best cancer hospital or specifically the best breast cancer hospital in Europe, traveling abroad allows access to higher survival rates, advanced reconstructive surgery, and innovative medical protocols not always available locally.
Cost for Cancer Treatment in Europe
Costs for cancer treatment are significantly lower in Europe due to price negotiations with pharmaceutical companies and government subsidies.
Patients frequently pay minimal or no fees for surgeries, chemotherapy, radiation, and follow-up care.
While the cost-containment measures are beneficial for affordability, they result in some high-cost drugs or therapies being limited in availability.
For example, the cost of breast cancer surgery in Europe may range from $3,000 to $8,000, while in the US it can be as high as $20,000 to $40,000.
Chemotherapy is often 30-50% less expensive.
This renders European destinations extremely attractive for patients seeking a high-value breast cancer hospital in Europe or specialized oncology care at an affordable cost.
Cancer Treatment Packages
While cancer treatment plans with pre-packaged "all-inclusive" offers are not common, a lot of European medical tourism companies provide packages that can include the treatment, the place of stay, and the logistics. These packages are usually tailored according to the patient's condition and can be located in countries like Germany, Turkey, and Spain that are famous for their oncology centers and medical infrastructure.
How Medical Tourism Packages Work
Personalization: Providers create a tailored plan for a specific cancer, stage, and appropriate treatment-was surgery, chemotherapy, or immunotherapy presented-aside from just presenting a regular package.
Inclusions: The package deals can cover the expenses of medical procedures, hospitalization, and diagnostic tests. Additionally, some packages can also cover some follow-up care.
Logistics: Many deals also package non-medical services to make the process easier for international patients. These can include: Airport transfers and ground transportation Accommodation for the patient and family members accompanying the patient Transport services Visa and travel assistance
Cost: The overall amount of money at the end of the day is widely dependent on the nature of the treatment that is required. A mastectomy in Germany may cost somewhere between €10,900 and €18,200, while complicated treatments like dendritic cell therapy can be as expensive as €20,000-€38,000.
Leading European Countries for Cancer Treatment
With so many alternatives available for cancer treatment, some European countries stand out from the rest because of their unparalleled medical infrastructure and expertise.
Germany
Germany is leading the way in cancer treatment by using innovative therapies, proton therapy, robotic surgeries, and personalized medicine. Besides, the country is famous for the top-notch oncologists and Nobel prize-winning cancer research labs.
Switzerland
The level of medical treatments in Swiss cancer centers is very advanced and a significant part of excellent patient care. Precision medicine with highly personalized approaches is a vital part of the nation's strategy, given each person's genetic makeup.
France
Some of the best cancer hospitals in Europe could be found in France, for example, Gustave Roussy, and the country is very well known for its expertise in breast cancer, lung cancer, and clinical trials.
Italy
Cancer care in Italy is very good, especially in the deeply specialized institutions like the European Institute of Oncology in Milan, which is also known for its humane and patient-centered approach.
Turkey
With the presence of internationally accredited hospitals and advanced technologies like cyberknife radiosurgery, Turkey is becoming a hub for good cancer treatment at a reasonable price.
Spain
Spain provides cancer treatment of the highest class and at competitive prices, with such facilities as Centro Nacional de Investigaciones Oncológicas CNIO, known for research and innovation.
How to Prepare for Cancer Treatment in Europe
Research and Select a Clinic: Find an accredited medical facility or cancer center that has an excellent reputation dealing with your kind of cancer.
Travel and Accommodation Arrangements: Most of the hospitals in Europe offer packages covering accommodation and airport transfers.
Organize medical records: Ensure that detailed medical records are collected including imaging, pathology reports, and summaries of previous treatments.
Scheduling a Consultation: Set up an appointment for a consultation either online or in the office to go over and schedule your treatment plan.
Financial Planning: This includes assessing the costs involved, payment options available, and insurance coverage or payment arrangements.
Best Cancer Hospitals in Europe
Gustave Roussy in France
As the leading cancer center in France and Europe, and ranked the sixth best cancer hospital in the world by Newsweek magazine, Gustave Roussy is a healthcare, research, and teaching institute that treats patients with all types of cancer, at all ages and stages of life. Its expertise in rare cancers and complex tumors is internationally recognized. Gustave Roussy brings together medical, scientific and technological excellence and aims to cure 80% of cancer patients by 2040.
The Institute combines basic, translational, and clinical activities-those are sources of therapeutic innovation. The main focus of Gustave Roussy's research is on personalized medicine, immunotherapy, and DNA repair; it is the leading European center in the field of personalized medicine and immunotherapy.
As the leading European cancer center, Gustave Roussy is now the first hospital to have joined the Cancer@Work business club-a recognized public interest association created in 2012, dedicated to the subject of cancer and illness at work.
Helsinki University Hospital Comprehensive Cancer Center, Helsinki, Finland
The Comprehensive Cancer Center is the largest and most versatile cancer treatment center in Finland. It also has internationally recognized expertise in the treatment of cancers. This treatment facility offers various options for patients who are older than 16, with exceptional competence combined with modern technology. It also offers an exceptionally well-developed program for providing palliative and end-of-life care.
Its areas of specialty include:
- Non-surgical treatment of solid tumors.
- Treatment of hematological diseases.
- Breast-conserving surgical treatment of breast cancer.
- Clinical drug trials.
- Palliative care.
Its focus on personalized treatment underlines its receptiveness to accommodate the needs of international cancer patients in an individualistic way. Moreover, most medical personnel speak English.
The Royal Marsden Hospital, London, UK
Rated outstanding globally, the Royal Marsden Hospital is internationally recognized as the world's first hospital dedicated to the diagnosis, education, research, and treatment of cancer. Since 1851, this oncology hospital has ensured the proper diagnosis and treatment of all sorts of cancers via tests and investigation.
To show its commitment to offering the best cancer treatment options for international patients, Royal Marsden has set up a particular international team to help them. This includes the provision of translators and coordinators. Also, their religious and cultural needs are taken care of regarding international cancer patients.
Hospital Universitario La Paz, Madrid, Spain
The oncology team at La Paz University Hospital aims at the personalization and precision of cancer treatment, especially for complicated cases, while ensuring the patients' complete wellbeing through a multidisciplinary management approach. Its involvement in clinical trials, locally as well as internationally, has made it the first line of oncology to be associated with the latest research and the most innovative treatment in different types of cancer.
In developing new treatments, the oncology hospital has more than 100 currently open clinical trials for the most common tumours in every stage. Being one of Europe's best international cancer hospitals, this center is host to a cutting-edge molecular biology laboratory.
University Hospitals of Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
The University of Leuven is among the biggest and most reputable university hospitals in Belgium, boasting over 1,700 beds, a wide array of subspecialties, and a lengthy record of milestones. The oncology department integrates cutting-edge clinical research to deliver innovative and highly specialized medical care to patients from all over the world.
The Leuven Cancer Institute is reputed to be a pioneer in the research of CART cells, a newly discovered type of immunotherapy that uses the patient's immune cells to recognize and attack the cancer cell. Its medical services include immunotherapy and molecular target therapy. They also include the combination of various methods tailored to a patient's individual needs to treat cancer. International patients are provided with optimum medical care and attention, including special arrangements that will facilitate smooth transitioning for international patients.
Charite Comprehensive Cancer Center, Berlin, Germany
Commonly known as the certified oncology center of excellence in Berlin, the Charite Comprehensive Cancer Center ensures precision treatment through molecular tumor diagnostics and interdisciplinary therapy. Its services related to oncology include:
- State-of-the-art diagnostics.
- Therapy.
- Personalized cancer medication.
- Advanced pain management.
They also provide comprehensive palliative care. Clinical trials.
AKH Vienna General Hospital
The Central Hospital of Vienna AKH is one of the oldest and most famous in Austria. The clinic has operated for over 320 years and, to date, is regarded as one of the best cancer hospitals in the world. They treat patients but are also engaged with active research activity in combating cancer. That results in innovative diagnostic and therapeutic procedures that are at the disposal of patients who come to the hospital. The Cancer Center has been in operation since 2011. More than 7,500 patients from all over the world come for treatment there every year.
Teknon Medical Centre, Barcelona
Teknon Medical Centre in Barcelona Closes the top five leaders in the treatment of cancer across Europe. This medical institution is awarded the most prestigious international accreditation in medicine JCI. In addition, the clinic is the workplace of world-class stars in medicine: world-renowned neurologist Prof. Antonio Russi, neurosurgeon Dr Bartolomé Oliver, outstanding onco-surgeon Antonio de Lacy Fortuny, renowned oncohematologist Dr Emili Montserrat Costa, recognized oncodermatologist Dr. Garcés Gatnau Joan Ramón and others are practising here. The cancer centre of the clinic has been personally opened by the dean of the Harvard Medical School - Jose Baselga. Also, due to cooperation with the Sloan-Kettering Memorial Cancer Center, the international experience is available in the clinic.
Is Cancer Treatment in Europe Safe?
The level of cancer treatment safety in Europe is on the whole satisfactory, complemented by state-of-the-art treatments and favorable survival rates in the majority of the nations. However, there is a considerable fluctuation in safety due to the varying conditions of the respective countries, more so between eastern and western Europe. Among the main reasons for such discrepancies are: access to care, diagnosis, screening, and lifestyle.
Europe is still among the most reliable and cutting-edge areas in the world for cancer treatment. A patient can get the most brilliant medical minds in German oncology hospitals that are famous all over the world or the leading reconstructive breast cancer specialists in Spain and Italy, and also the latest technologies as well as personalized care.
In case you were looking for holistic care, robotic surgery, immunotherapy, or the best breast cancer hospital in Europe, you would find the top-tier options all over the continent. A person can get his/her treatment done at such a great place with the advantage of the short waiting times, affordable treatments, and compassionate care. Europe is the place where you can get well, have hope, and recover.
Picking up the right hospital is a big change in your life, and this manual is like your toolbox having everything necessary for you to decide in an informed and confident way.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the price of a cancer treatment in Europe?
The prices are very different from one another, for example, surgery can cost anywhere between $3,000 and $20,000; chemotherapy between $1,000 and $4,000 per cycle; and radiotherapy between $5,000 and $12,000.
Is cancer treatment in Europe superior to that in the US?
Europe delivers the same or even better results in a number of cancer types, and the treatment there is much cheaper, and the waiting times are shorter as well.
Do European hospitals accept international patients?
Yes, generally. Nearly all hospitals have a separate department for internationals, which provides assistance not only in the treatment but also in travel and paperwork.
How do I decide which country is best for my treatment?
Consider factors such as the type of treatment needed, the expertise of the country, and your budget. A medical travel facilitator’s advice might also be very helpful in this decision.
References
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Holovina, A., & Holovina, A. (2020, March 6). Top 5 European Hospitals for cancer treatment | MediGlobus. MediGlobus{: rel="nofollow"}
