Cancer aftercare and integrative support in Munich

Aftercare begins when the initial treatment of a cancer has been completed. It has several aims: to detect a recurrence or a new disease early, to treat the after-effects of therapy and to support you on your way back into everyday life. After breast cancer it follows a fixed plan with consultations, physical examinations and regular breast imaging; in the first years the intervals are shorter, later longer. Cancers of the uterus, ovaries or cervix have their own aftercare plans. Your questions are just as important: about symptoms, sexuality, diet, exercise, work and worries. Which examinations beyond the guideline make sense, we discuss individually with you.

Integrative oncology combines guideline-based cancer treatment with complementary methods from naturopathy and lifestyle medicine. The aim is not to treat cancer by other means. The aim is to ease symptoms, improve quality of life and give you ways to become active yourself. There are good indications that regular exercise can ease exhaustion and improve well-being. For many other methods the evidence is less clear. Our practice offers extended cancer prevention, therapy and aftercare as well as integrative, individual cancer therapies – always as a complement. Among other things, Prof. Schulte-Uebbing has published “Breast cancer: holistic prevention and aftercare” (ZAEN, 2011) and “Integrative therapy of breast carcinoma” (ZAEN, 2012).

Depending on their composition, immune and strengthening infusions contain vitamins such as vitamin C, amino acids, trace elements and other micronutrients. They are put together individually. The concept rests on the idea of supporting the immune system and metabolism during and after cancer therapy and compensating for deficiencies. Immune infusion in cancer therapy is one of the topics Prof. Schulte-Uebbing has addressed in his publications. The right timing is important: some substances, such as high-dose antioxidants, can interact with chemotherapy or radiotherapy. That is why we always coordinate composition and timing with your oncologists. The effectiveness of such infusions has not been sufficiently demonstrated scientifically; they do not replace oncological therapy.

Chemotherapy and anti-hormone therapy often trigger menopausal symptoms: hot flushes, sleep disturbance, joint pain and a dry, sensitive vagina. In hormone-dependent breast cancer, oestrogens are often not permitted. Hormone-free routes are then needed, such as lubricants, moisturising vaginal care, exercise, acupuncture or herbal remedies coordinated with oncology. Prof. Schulte-Uebbing has worked on vaginal vitamin D formulations as a hormone-free option, for example in “What to do about oestrogen-deficiency colpitis when oestrogens are strictly contraindicated?” (gyn, 2014). Colpitis means inflammation of the vagina. There is no general guideline recommendation for vitamin D in the vagina. Whether such a formulation is suitable for you, we discuss openly – also with your oncology team.

One research focus of Prof. Schulte-Uebbing is endocrine disruptors: substances that can act like hormones in the body. They include plasticisers from plastics, fragrances, certain metals and aluminium compounds, for example from deodorants. He has studied what role they might play in hormone-dependent tumours such as breast cancer, for example in “Does aluminium cause breast cancer?” (German Journal of Oncology, 2015) and “Prevention of breast carcinoma – endocrinological and toxicological aspects” (Prevention and Rehabilitation, 2015). How great the influence of such substances is has not been conclusively established scientifically. Less exposure in everyday life, however, is a step you can take yourself. That is another reason why our practice is nicotine-free and perfume-free. If exposure to heavy metals has been confirmed, we discuss detoxification.

After hormone-dependent breast cancer, many women take anti-hormone medication for several years. Depending on the active substance, it can encourage bone loss, joint pain, weight gain or mood swings. That is why bone health, vitamin D, exercise and cardiovascular health belong in aftercare. If needed, we check vitamin D and bone metabolism, recommend a bone density measurement when it makes sense, and advise on exercise and diet. We take symptoms seriously, because they are a common reason for stopping therapy. Please never stop anti-hormone medication on your own. Talk to us and your oncology team – there are often ways to make the therapy better tolerated.