Latest studies and reports

Prostate cancer: Higher quality of life after radiation than after surgery
JAMA study: Men with localized prostate cancer who have undergone brachytherapy or external beam radiation continue to have less incontinence, better erectile function and significantly higher quality of life five years after treatment than men whose prostates were surgically removed.

Seed implantation is finally officially recognized
While national and international medical societies have firmly established seed implantation in their guidelines for around 20 years, the Federal Joint Committee (G-BA) is now following suit and giving the green light for the modern, radiation therapy procedure. In its decision, the committee certifies that LDR brachytherapy for localized prostate carcinoma has great benefits and fewer side effects compared to surgery.

Long-term study again proves superiority of brachytherapy over surgery
A recently published study has once again confirmed the excellent efficacy of brachytherapy: Ten years after treatment, the biochemical freedom from recurrence was significantly better in patients who received a seed implant than in patients whose prostate had been surgically removed.

Avoiding Incontinency: Brachytherapy favours Prostatectomy
The radical removal of the prostate gland leads to permanent loss of urine (incontinence) in a significant percentage of prostate cancer patients. This is again the result of a subgroup analysis of the large-scale ProtecT study, which was published in the renowned journal European Urology in 2020.

PSA test: Urologists criticise IQWiG report
The IQWiG Institute rejects prostate cancer screening using the PSA test. The Institute also receives strong criticism from the German Society of Urology (DGU). "With good reason," say Dr Stephan Neubauer and Dr Pedram Derakhshani of the West German Prostate Center in Cologne.

Second tumor: No increased risk after brachytherapy
Secondary tumors of the bladder or rectum do not occur more frequently after brachytherapy than after radical removal of the prostate. This is the result of a large-scale study by the British Columbia Cancer Agency.

Prostate treatments in times of Corona?
Many of you are unsettled in times of Corona, and rightly so. You ask yourself and us the question whether you should have currently planned operations or examinations of the prostate gland carried out or postpone them for the time being. We at the West German Prostate Center will explain it to you!

DIN EN ISO 9000: Qaulity again confirmed
The urological department in the KLINIK am RING successfully passed the quality certification according to the new standard DIN EN ISO 9001 again this year.

COVID-19: Postponement or interruption of radiotherapy should be avoided
Radiotherapy should not be postponed or interrupted even during the COVID 19 pandemic. The German Society for Radiooncology (DEGRO), among others, points this out in a current statement.

Misjudgement on brachytherapy
In spite of clear evidence, the IQWIG Institute has again come to the conclusion in its current report that the effectiveness of seed implantation is still not clearly proven. Experts reject the report as unscientific. A comment

Erectile dysfunction after prostate surgery
EAU Congress: Radical removal of the prostate leads to erectile dysfunction in a significant percentage of patients, even during nerve-preserving surgery.

Radiation or Surgery for Prostate Cancer?
No other cancer faces such a wide range of opinions. Large international studies have shown that radiotherapy has at least the same cure rates for prostate cancer in the early stages and superior cure rates in advanced diesase compared to surgery.

High-risk prostate cancer: brachytherapy more effective than surgery
JAMA study: Brachytherapy in combination with external radiation achieves better results in "high-risk" prostate cancer compared to radical surgery.

What is the "best" therapy?
The international Prostate Cancer Results Study Group (PCRSG) has developed a unique decision support tool to compare the cure rates of all modern therapies, depending on the risk profile of the tumor. This is based on a scientific analysis of all relevant studies on localized prostate cancer in more than 52,000 patients.

LDR Brachytherapy superior to Prostatectomy
Study by the British Columbia Cancer Agency confirms: high efficacy combined with very low side effects makes brachytherapy treatment of choice for localized prostate cancer.

Great response at the 12th Patients' Day Prostate
Topics relating to early detection, modern diagnostics and therapy of prostate diseases were the focus of the "12th Prostate Patient Day" on 4 June 2019 in Cologne, which was attended by around 200 interested and affected persons at the invitation of the West German Prostate Center.

Radical Surgery: Severe side effects but no survival benefit.
ProtecT study shows: Patients after prostate surgery suffer most from the consequences of treatment.

Prostate cancer in diabetics: Rarer but more aggressive
Patients with type 2 diabetes are less likely to develop prostate cancer. However, their prognosis is worse if a prostate carcinoma is diagnosed. Afterloading therapy achieves the best results in advanced tumors.

Brachytherapy superior to Radical Surgery
International Meta Study proofs: Brachytherapy at least equivalent or superior to Radical Surgery.

Less blood loss due to laser treatment
In benign prostate enlargement, treatment with modern laser techniques not only leads to fewer complications than transurethral resection (TURP) but also has a significantly lower risk of bleeding.

15th Anniversary of the West German Prostate Center
Being one of the strongest centres in Europe, the WPC has specialised in modern and minimal invasive prostate treatments.

West German Prostate Center cooperates with the Charité in Berlin
COPCa study: what treatment do patients choose in low-risk prostate cancer?

US expert panel again recommends PSA test for early detection
Up to now, experts in the USA had expressly spoken out against a widespread use of the PSA test for the early detection of prostate cancer.

Focal therapy: Pro & Contra
Dr. Derakhshani on the possibilities and limitations of focal therapy.

HIFU:"Insufficient data availability"
HIFU in prostate carcinoma continues experimental procedure.

More side effects after robot surgery
The modern robotic assisted surgery, which is regarded biased as a "gentle" treatment option for the patient, has more side effects than previously advocated.

ESTRO: Brachytherapy achieves excellent results
Brachytherapy - more effective, gentler and cheaper than radical surgery.

How often incontinent after surgery?
Supply study: One third of men still incontinent three months after prostate removal.
No disadvantage due to delayed start of therapy
Patients with localized prostate cancer should not be put under unnecessary time pressure when choosing a therapy.
Quality of life by maintaining continence
Urologists' Congress in Madrid: Brachytherapy significantly fewer complications than surgery.
Sex after prostate surgery
Sexual disturbances after radical removal of the prostate are often but little noticed.
Prostate cancer is too often operated
Recent studies confirm over-therapy / Serious surgical consequences for patients.
Vitamin D levels as biomarkers of tumor aggressiveness
Patients with a local prostate carcinoma, whose disease takes an aggressive course, often show a vitamin D deficiency in the blood.
PSA study hinders prostate cancer screening
The largest PSA screening study to date shows serious errors, as recently reported in the New England Journal of Medicine.
Prostate cancer with 75
Who benefits from a treatment - who does not? Is it worthwhile for over-75s to treat prostate cancer, or are seniors better advised to wait and see how to proceed?
Less complications after laser therapy
Current metastudy proves advantages for modern laser procedures with benign prostate enlargement.
Prostate cancer: Gel depot protects against radiation damage
Prostate cancer: GelEven more safety in the irradiation of prostate cancer is now offered by a gel deposit, a spacer placed between the anterior wall of the rectum and the prostate, which protects against radiation damage.
Prostate cancer: OP often not justified
Prostate cancer: OP often does not justify the operation is partly associated with significant side effects.
PSMA-PET/CT: local recurrent or metastatic tumor?
CHAPPP: Study: PSMA PET/CT shows higher sensitivity to metastases.
PSA-Bounce speaks for good prognosis
Current study shows increased survival probability in patients with short-term PSA increase after brachytherapy.
Higher quality of life after brachytherapy
Confirm guidelines: Less impotence and incontinence after seed implantation than after surgery.
Prostate cancer recurrence: radiotherapy combined with hormone therapy
Patients with a relapse benefit from a combination of radiation and hormone therapy.
Experience makes quality - gentle laser procedures with benign prostate enlargement
Gentle laser procedures with benign prostate enlargement place high demands on the surgeon's know-how.
Dr. Neubauer again distinguished
Dr. Neubauer once again among the best urologists in Germany.
Treat or wait and see?
Clinical study examines the concept of "active monitoring" as an alternative therapy option.
New PSMA marker increases hit accuracy for prostate cancer
PSMA, a new radioactive marker, detects tumour centres and metastases more precisely than choline PET/CT.
Diagnosing prostate cancer with pinpoint accuracy
More safety in the diagnosis of prostate cancer: State-of-the-art MRI (3-Tesla)-based biopsy at the West German Prostate Center in Cologne.
Patients overestimate mortality risk of Active Surveillance
Current study of the Charité: Mortality risk in localized prostate carcinoma is greatly overestimated.
Prostate cancer: PSA test in the crossfire of criticism
"The PSA test is useless and sometimes even dangerous." This statement is being mistakenly conveyed more and more often by the media.
Tumor destroyed, prostate gland preserved
While organ-preserving therapies are now standard in breast or kidney tumours, this type of treatment for prostate cancer is still in its infancy.
Second tumor after prostate cancer therapy?
Less bladder and colon cancer after brachytherapy than after surgery and irradiation.
Laser safer than conventional prostate peeling
Modern laser techniques such as greenlight laser therapy or the diode laser method are far more gentle than conventional peeling (TURP) of the prostate gland.
Improvement of sexual dysfunctions after BPH therapy
In so-called benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), the glandular tissue of the prostate grows increasingly into the area of the urethra. Due to the narrowing of the urethra, the strength of the urine stream decreases and residual urine sometimes remains in the bladder. The consequences are constant urination, a weak stream of urine and unpleasant dripping.
More safety during prostate radiation
Gel-like spacer between rectum and prostate reduces radiation-related side effects / WPZ is one of the first centres in Germany to use the innovative SpaceOAR system.
10th Patient Day in Cologne
Reger Dialog zwischen Betroffenen und Experten: Mehr als 100 Teilnehmer informierten sich rund um das Thema Prostata.
Alpha blockers alone are often not sufficient
Various types of medication and drug combinations are available to alleviate prostate problems.
Permanent incontinence after radical surgery
Men are still not fully informed before prostate surgery about urinary incontinence as a late consequence of the procedure.
Prostate cancer: Seniors over 70 frequently undertherapied
Elderly patients often only receive hormones or no treatment at all.
PSA test halves mortality rate
Recent Swedish study with 20,000 participants convinced of the benefits of the PSA test.
HDR afterloading therapy delivers excellent results
WPZ presented its latest study at EAU in Barcelona.
Implementation of the Prostate Cancer Guideline into practice
It is important for the professional association of German urologists (BDU) to act quickly and to put the new S3 guideline for the treatment of prostate cancer into practice.
Prostate carcinoma: Wait and see and do nothing?
Active monitoring as an equal treatment option for prostate cancer.
Laser treatment now also for large glands
The Westdeutsche Prostatazentrum is the first center in Germany to feature a modern high-power diode laser in addition to the proven Greenlight laser.
Confirmed by guidelines: Less impotence and incontinence after seed implantation than after surgery
What many international studies have already proven has now been confirmed by the leading experts: Prostate cancer patients receiving brachytherapy (internal radiation) suffer significantly less often from impaired potency after treatment.
The use of HIFU and cryotherapy is currently unjustified
HIFU (High Intensity Focused Ultrasound) and cryotherapy are not adequate treatment alternatives in the therapy of locally limited prostate cancer, according to the new Prostate Cancer Guideline, which was recently presented by the German Society of Urology (DGU).
Dr. Neubauer among the seven best urologists in Germany
Dr. Stephan Neubauer, specialist in urology at the West German Prostate Center, has been included in the list of "150 best doctors in Germany"!
WPZ successfully certified
Everyone is talking about quality control - the doctors at the Prostate Center have now proven it.
IGRT increases target accuracy of radiotherapy
For a long time, radical surgery of the prostate was the only successful treatment method for prostate cancer. However, there are now highly modern methods of radiation therapy.
Ultrasound elastography: accurate, fast and painless
A new diagnostic tool is now available for patients with suspected prostate cancer.
Prostate enlargement: New TURiS procedure minimizes risks
TURis plasma vaporization combines the advantages of laser processes and classic peeling.
Benign prostate enlargement: New procedure minimizes risks
TURis plasma vaporization combines the advantages of laser processes and classic peeling.
Irradiate prostate cancer instead of surgery
Nationwide patient survey documented: Highest patient satisfaction and best quality of life after radiotherapy.
Accurate, fast and effective
New techniques for the treatment of prostate cancer in the West German Prostate Center/IGRT increases target accuracy of radiation therapy.
PSA test from 40!
Cologne, November 3rd, 2009 - Men should go to the urologist for the first time at the age of 40 to prevent prostate cancer, is the recommendation of the new guideline on the early detection.
Enlargement of the prostate: Gentle procedures help
Interview with Dr. Stephan Neubauer and Dr. Pedram Derakhshani from the West German Prostate Center in Cologne
Benign prostate enlargement: laser treatment safer than TURP
This was shown by a recent study recently published in the renowned European Journal of Urology. Modern laser procedures not only cause fewer side effects such as urethral congestion, incontinence and impotence, but also prevent secondary bleeding.
Cologne experts at the "Prostate Brachytherapy Symposium" in New York
At the invitation of the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, the senior physicians of the West German Prostate Center participated in a scientific symposium on brachytherapy for prostate cancer in New York.
Seed implantation: therapeutic success depends on the experience of the medical team
Modern treatment methods in medicine are booming in Germany. But not everything that is new must also be good. Drugs are repeatedly withdrawn from the market due to severe side effects, and many doctors are not familiar with modern methods. The success of new therapies depends on the therapist's experience. This is shown by a recent study of the West German Prostate Center (WPZ) in Cologne.
1000th patient treated with seed implantation
We are proud,"says Dr. Gregor Spira, senior physician and radiotherapist at the West German Prostate Center. In November 2006, the team of radiotherapists and urologists carried out the 1000th seed implantation in the treatment of localized prostate carcinoma, making it one of the largest implantation centers in Europe.
Elderly patients also benefit from treatment
Results of a recent US study question the strategy of "cautious waiting" in elderly patients with prostate cancer.
Brachytherapy - gentler and cheaper than total surgery
Health cost analysis: Long regeneration times after total removal of the prostate cause high costs.
International research association founded
High-ranking experts merge to form the "International Prostate Cancer Group.
Incontinent after prostate surgery?
Interview with Dr. Stephan Neubauer and Dr. Pedram Derakhshani from the West German Prostate Center in Cologne.
New technology improves early detection of bladder tumors
The Department of Urology at the Klinik am Ring is one of the first centers in Germany to use Olympus' new state-of-the-art narrowband imaging system for the visualization of the bladder mucosa.