Blood disorders
How we diagnose and treat changes.
Most changes are not malignant – however, some important examinations are necessary to clarify whether cancer or other blood disorders are present. Often, several different examinations must be combined to arrive at the correct diagnosis and then therapy.
Hematological disorders (blood disorders)
Hematology deals with the detection and treatment of blood disorders as well as diseases of the bone marrow and the immune system.
Find an overview of the most common blood disorders here.
Leukemia is a malignant disease of the blood-forming system, more precisely of the bone marrow (blood cancer) with abnormal proliferation of the white blood cells (leukocytes). Due to the rapid proliferation, they displace the healthy blood cells in the bone marrow.
There are two forms of acute leukemia:
Acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL): This originates from precursor cells of the lymphocytes, the lymphoblasts, and mainly affects children, but also older people again.
Acute myeloid leukemia (AML): This originates from various precursor cells and mainly affects adults.
Lymphoma is a general term for cancers of the lymphatic system (lymph node cancer). A common primary symptom is painless swelling of the lymph nodes (palpable "lumps") in the neck, armpit, or groin.
There are two main types of lymphomas:
Hodgkin Lymphoma:
Hodgkin lymphoma (Hodgkin's disease) is characterized by specific giant cells (Sternberg-Reed cells). Hodgkin lymphoma is now one of the cancers with the best chances of being cured. Hodgkin lymphomas occur primarily in adolescents and young adults.
Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma (NHL):
The term non-Hodgkin lymphoma, abbreviated as NHL, encompasses a variety of different malignant lymphomas, unlike Hodgkin lymphoma.
A distinction is made between slow-growing (indolent) and fast-growing (aggressive) lymphomas.
Indolent lymphomas can persist for years and do not significantly affect the patient at the beginning of the disease. Indolent (mature) lymphomas include follicular lymphoma, Waldenström's macroglobulinemia, and marginal zone lymphoma. Mantle cell lymphoma is also classified among the indolent lymphomas, but in some cases, it exhibits a rapidly progressive course.
Indolent (leukemic) lymphomas include chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) and hairy cell leukemia (HCL).
Aggressive lymphomas are characterized by a rapid course, but they are also curable even in advanced stages. This group includes diffuse large B-cell lymphoma and Burkitt's lymphoma, as well as a variety of T-cell lymphomas.
Myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPN) is a group of rare, malignant bone marrow disorders. They all share the characteristic of excessive production of a specific blood cell type. This can affect red blood cells (erythrocytes), certain white blood cells, or platelets (thrombocytes). MPNs include Polycythemia vera (PV), essential thrombocythemia (ET), primary myelofibrosis (PMF), and chronic myeloid leukemia (CML).
Myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) involves a maturation disorder of the various blood cell lines in the bone marrow. This disorder leads to an insufficient number of functional red blood cells (erythrocytes, responsible for oxygen transport) and white blood cells (leukocytes, responsible for a healthy immune system) in the bloodstream. The production of platelets (thrombocytes, responsible for blood clotting) can also be impaired.
In multiple myeloma (plasmacytoma), there is a malignant degeneration of plasma cells in the bone marrow, which leads to the production of antibodies (immunoglobulins) or only fragments of antibodies (called paraproteins). Common symptoms (often only in a later stage) include bone pain and fractures, as the activation of osteoclasts (cells that break down bone substance) can lead to thinning of the bones, especially in the spine, pelvic bones, and ribs.
Hematological disorders (blood disorders)
Hematology deals with the detection and treatment of diseases of the blood, bone marrow, and immune system.
Here you will find an overview of the most common hematological diseases.
Leukemia is a malignant disease of the blood-forming system, more precisely of the bone marrow (blood cancer) with abnormal proliferation of the white blood cells (leukocytes). Due to the rapid proliferation, they displace the healthy blood cells in the bone marrow.
There are two forms of acute leukemia:
Acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL): This originates from precursor cells of the lymphocytes, the lymphoblasts, and mainly affects children, but also older people again.
Acute myeloid leukemia (AML): This originates from various precursor cells and mainly affects adults.
Lymphoma is a general term for cancers of the lymphatic system (lymph node cancer). A common primary symptom is painless swelling of the lymph nodes (palpable "lumps") in the neck, armpit, or groin.
There are two main types of lymphomas:
Hodgkin Lymphoma:
Hodgkin lymphoma (Hodgkin's disease) is characterized by specific giant cells (Sternberg-Reed cells). Hodgkin lymphoma is now one of the cancers with the best chances of being cured. Hodgkin lymphomas occur primarily in adolescents and young adults.
Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma (NHL):
The term non-Hodgkin lymphoma, abbreviated as NHL, encompasses a variety of different malignant lymphomas, unlike Hodgkin lymphoma.
A distinction is made between slow-growing (indolent) and fast-growing (aggressive) lymphomas.
Indolent lymphomas can persist for years and do not significantly affect the patient at the beginning of the disease. Indolent (mature) lymphomas include follicular lymphoma, Waldenström's macroglobulinemia, and marginal zone lymphoma. Mantle cell lymphoma is also classified among the indolent lymphomas, but in some cases, it exhibits a rapidly progressive course.
Indolent (leukemic) lymphomas include chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) and hairy cell leukemia (HCL).
Aggressive lymphomas are characterized by a rapid course, but they are also curable even in advanced stages. This group includes diffuse large B-cell lymphoma and Burkitt's lymphoma, as well as a variety of T-cell lymphomas.
Myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPN) is a group of rare, malignant bone marrow disorders. They all share the characteristic of excessive production of a specific blood cell type. This can affect red blood cells (erythrocytes), certain white blood cells, or platelets (thrombocytes). MPNs include Polycythemia vera (PV), essential thrombocythemia (ET), primary myelofibrosis (PMF), and chronic myeloid leukemia (CML).
Myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) involves a maturation disorder of the various blood cell lines in the bone marrow. This disorder leads to an insufficient number of functional red blood cells (erythrocytes, responsible for oxygen transport) and white blood cells (leukocytes, responsible for a healthy immune system) in the bloodstream. The production of platelets (thrombocytes, responsible for blood clotting) can also be impaired.
In multiple myeloma (plasmacytoma), there is a malignant degeneration of plasma cells in the bone marrow, which leads to the production of antibodies (immunoglobulins) or only fragments of antibodies (called paraproteins). Common symptoms (often only in a later stage) include bone pain and fractures, as the activation of osteoclasts (cells that break down bone substance) can lead to thinning of the bones, especially in the spine, pelvic bones, and ribs.
Non-malignant hematological diseases (blood disorders)
Non-malignant (non-cancerous) blood disorders include both acquired and congenital diseases of red blood cells (erythrocytes), white blood cells (leukocytes), and platelets (thrombocytes). The focus here includes various forms of anemia, immune system disorders (leukopenia, immunoglobulin deficiency), and coagulation disorders (hemophilia, thrombocytopenia, and thrombosis). The causes of benign blood disorders can be very diverse. Some require no therapy at all, some require monitoring, or treatment of the underlying cause is necessary.
Treatment options
After diagnosing your blood disorder, we will determine an individual therapy for you. Read here about the types of therapy we offer.
We proceed purposefully and quickly when clarifying blood disorders. Learn more about our examination methods here.
Most blood disorders can be detected from the blood itself, but in some cases, a bone marrow puncture must be performed, or a lymph node removed and examined.
Often, further investigations are also necessary, such as ultrasound, X-ray, computed tomography, possibly PET-CT and/or magnetic resonance imaging.
Additional examinations (e.g., ECG, echocardiogram, lung function) are used to check organ function before any therapy is performed.
Chemotherapy is usually administered through a vein, allowing it to reach all tumor cells in the body. Because tumor cells are more sensitive to chemotherapy than normal body cells, chemotherapy can destroy tumor cells while allowing normal cells to recover. Today, many supportive medications are available to make chemotherapy well-tolerated, so that everyday life is affected as little as possible. Your attending physician, together with your nursing team, will carefully plan the therapy and discuss it with you in detail. During therapy, you will be comprehensively supported so that possible side effects can be quickly recognized and treated.
Antibodies are directed against certain surface proteins of malignant cells and are often used in combination with chemotherapy.
Defective repair mechanisms can lead to the development of tumors. Targeted tablet therapy can then completely block the affected repair mechanisms of the tumor cells, resulting in the death of the tumor cells.
Immunotherapies are successfully used for many tumors of various organs. In hematological tumors, it has so far only been used in specific situations. Immunotherapy can help strengthen the body's own defenses against the tumor, which are blocked by the tumor.
Treatment options
After diagnosing your blood disorder, we will determine an individual therapy for you. Read here about the types of therapy we offer.
We proceed purposefully and quickly when clarifying blood disorders. Learn more about our examination methods here.
Most blood disorders can be detected from the blood itself, but in some cases, a bone marrow puncture must be performed, or a lymph node removed and examined.
Often, further investigations are also necessary, such as ultrasound, X-ray, computed tomography, possibly PET-CT and/or magnetic resonance imaging.
Additional examinations (e.g., ECG, echocardiogram, lung function) are used to check organ function before any therapy is performed.
Chemotherapy is usually administered through a vein, allowing it to reach all tumor cells in the body. Because tumor cells are more sensitive to chemotherapy than normal body cells, chemotherapy can destroy tumor cells while allowing normal cells to recover. Today, many supportive medications are available to make chemotherapy well-tolerated, so that everyday life is affected as little as possible. Your attending physician, together with your nursing team, will carefully plan the therapy and discuss it with you in detail. During therapy, you will be comprehensively supported so that possible side effects can be quickly recognized and treated.
Antibodies are directed against certain surface proteins of malignant cells and are often used in combination with chemotherapy.
Defective repair mechanisms can lead to the development of tumors. Targeted tablet therapy can then completely block the affected repair mechanisms of the tumor cells, resulting in the death of the tumor cells.
Immunotherapies are successfully used for many tumors of various organs. In hematological tumors, it has so far only been used in specific situations. Immunotherapy can help strengthen the body's own defenses against the tumor, which are blocked by the tumor.
The process with us at the Tumor and Breast Center
Registration at the TBZ is usually done by your family doctor. If you have any complaints or questions, you are welcome to make an appointment with us directly. We treat patients of all insurance classes.
We assign appointments according to urgency. If you are unable to attend your appointment, please inform us as soon as possible.
As part of the initial consultation, in addition to a detailed discussion, we usually carry out a blood test and a physical examination.
Most blood disorders can be diagnosed in the blood itself, but in some cases a bone marrow puncture must be performed or a lymph node removed and examined.
Often, further examinations are also necessary, such as ultrasound, X-rays, computed tomography, possibly PET-CT and/or magnetic resonance imaging.
Additional examinations (e.g. ECG, echocardiogram, lung function) are used to check organ function before any therapy is carried out.
We will inform you of the results of the examinations as soon as possible and discuss the further procedure in your individual situation with you.
If you are diagnosed with a malignant blood disorder, your findings will first be discussed in our team and at an interdisciplinary tumor conference. In the consultation, we will then explain the therapy recommendation to you and advise you on this in detail. We will discuss with you the benefits of the therapy, the procedure and the expected side effects. We will then plan the further steps together with you.
All therapies, including immunotherapy, antihormone therapy and chemotherapy (with the exception of protocols that require inpatient monitoring) take place on an outpatient basis in our practice. You will always be accompanied by your oncologist and the team of specially trained nurses.
The process with us at the Tumor and Breast Center
Registration at the TBZ is usually done by your family doctor or gynecologist. If you have any complaints or questions, you are welcome to make an appointment with us directly. We treat patients of all insurance classes.
We assign appointments according to urgency. If you are unable to attend your appointment, please inform us as soon as possible.
As part of the initial consultation, in addition to a detailed discussion, we usually carry out a blood test and a physical examination.
Most blood disorders can be diagnosed in the blood itself, but in some cases a bone marrow puncture must be performed or a lymph node removed and examined.
Often, further examinations are also necessary, such as ultrasound, X-rays, computed tomography, possibly PET-CT and/or magnetic resonance imaging.
Additional examinations (e.g. ECG, echocardiogram, lung function) are used to check organ function before any therapy is carried out.
We will inform you of the results of the examinations as soon as possible and discuss with you the further procedure in your individual situation. Very often it concerns harmless changes that do not require further therapy.
However, if you are diagnosed with cancer, your findings will be discussed in our team and at our interdisciplinary tumor conference. At the TBZ, we will then explain the therapy recommendation to you and advise you on this in detail. We then plan the further steps together with you.
If an operation is planned, we will discuss the procedure with you in detail. We attach great importance to the fact that, whenever possible, you are operated on by the same doctor who carried out the examinations and therefore knows you and all the necessary findings best.
We perform your surgery at the Klinik Stephanshorn.
You will receive all the necessary documents from the Klinik Stephanshorn. If you have any relevant pre-existing conditions, you may be invited separately for an anesthesia consultation. However, you will usually be admitted to the clinic directly on the day of surgery.
You will be operated on by your attending physician from the Tumor- und BrustZentrum Ostschweiz and subsequently cared for during your hospital stay.
You can also find detailed information about your hospital stay directly via the Klinik Stephanshorn link:
www.hirslanden.ch/de/klinik-stephanshorn/ihr-aufenthalt/ablauf-ihres-aufenthalts.html
In the week after the operation, or at any time if needed, we carry out a wound check at the TBZ.
In the case of cancer, a second discussion takes place at the tumor conference after the operation. As part of the wound check, we will explain the findings of the tumor operation and their significance for the further course of treatment in a personal consultation. Additional treatments are often recommended to prevent a recurrence, such as radiation or drug therapies.
At the TBZ, surgeons and oncologists work closely together and discuss all cases in an interdisciplinary manner. This means that a seamless transition to the oncology consultation is possible. Your oncologist will discuss in detail the treatment options and their benefits, procedure, and expected side effects with you. All therapies, including chemotherapy, immunotherapy, and anti-hormone therapy, take place on an outpatient basis at one of our locations. You will always be accompanied by your oncologist and the team of specially trained nurses.
Our locations
We are there where you need us! We offer highly competent oncological and senological consultation and treatment close to your home at our easily accessible locations. Individual care in a familiar atmosphere by our experienced and well-coordinated practice teams is very important to us. This gives patients and their families the certainty of receiving empathetic and consistent support, even in difficult life situations.