Blood disorders
How we diagnose and treat changes.
Most changes are not malignant - however, a number of important examinations are required to clarify whether cancer or other blood disorders are present. Often several different examinations have to be combined in order to arrive at the correct diagnosis and then treatment.
Hematological diseases (blood diseases)
Haematology deals with the detection and treatment of blood disorders as well as diseases of the bone marrow and the immune system.
Here you will find an overview of the most common blood disorders.
Leukemia is a malignant disease of the hematopoietic system, more precisely of the bone marrow (blood cancer) with abnormal proliferation of 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 lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL): This originates from lymphocyte precursor cells, the lymphoblasts, and mainly affects children, but also older people.
Acute myeloid leukemia (AML): This originates from various precursor cells and mainly affects adults.
Lymphoma is a generic term for cancers of the lymphatic system (lymph gland cancer). The main complaint is often a painless enlargement of the lymph nodes (palpable "lumps") in the neck, armpit or groin.
There are two main types of lymhoma:
Hodgkin's lymphoma:
Hodgkin's lymphoma (Hodgkin's disease) is characterized by certain giant cells (Sternberg-Reed cells). Today, Hodgkin's lymphoma is one of the tumor diseases with the best chances of cure in the field of malignant diseases. Hodgkin's lymphoma occurs preferentially in adolescents and young adults.
Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL):
In contrast to Hodgkin's lymphoma, the term non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, or NHL for short, covers a large number of different malignant lymphomas.
A distinction is made between slow-growing (indolent) and fast-growing (aggressive) lymphomas.
Indolent lymphomas can persist for years and do not burden the patient too much at the beginning of the disease. Indolent (mature) lymphomas include follicular lymphoma, Waldenström's disease and marginal zone lymphoma. Mantle cell lymphoma is also classified as an indolent lymphoma, but in some cases it progresses rapidly.
Indolent (leukemic) lymphomas include chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) and hairy cell leukemia (HCL).
Aggressive lymphomas are characterized on the one hand by a rapid progression, but on the other hand are still curable even in advanced stages. This group includes diffuse large cell lymphoma and Burkitt's lymphoma as well as a large number of T-cell lymphomas.
The term myeloproliferative neoplasia (MPN) refers to a group of rare, malignant diseases of the bone marrow. What they all have in common is that a certain blood cell is produced in excess. This can affect red blood cells (erythrocytes), certain white blood cells or blood platelets (thrombocytes). MPNs include polycythemia vera (PV), essential thrombocythemia (ET), primary myelofibrosis (PMF) and chronic myeloid leukemia (CML).
Myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) is a maturation disorder of the various blood cell lines in the bone marrow. This disorder means that there are not enough functional red blood cells (erythrocytes, responsible for transporting oxygen) and white blood cells (leukocytes, responsible for an intact immune defense) in the bloodstream. The formation of platelets (thrombocytes, responsible for blood clotting) may also be impaired.
Multiple myeloma (plasmacytoma) is a malignant degeneration of the plasma cell in the bone marrow, which produces antibodies (so-called immunoglobulins) or only fragments of antibodies (called paraproteins). The main symptoms (often only at a later stage) are bone pain and fractures, as the activation of osteoclasts (cells that break down bone substance) can lead to thinning of the bone, particularly in the spine, pelvic bones and ribs.
Hematological diseases (blood diseases)
Haematology 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 hematopoietic system, more precisely of the bone marrow (blood cancer) with abnormal proliferation of 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 lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL): This originates from lymphocyte precursor cells, the lymphoblasts, and mainly affects children, but also older people.
Acute myeloid leukemia (AML): This originates from various precursor cells and mainly affects adults.
Lymphoma is a generic term for cancers of the lymphatic system (lymph gland cancer). The main complaint is often a painless enlargement of the lymph nodes (palpable "lumps") in the neck, armpit or groin.
There are two main types of lymhoma:
Hodgkin's lymphoma:
Hodgkin's lymphoma (Hodgkin's disease) is characterized by certain giant cells (Sternberg-Reed cells). Today, Hodgkin's lymphoma is one of the tumor diseases with the best chances of cure in the field of malignant diseases. Hodgkin's lymphoma occurs preferentially in adolescents and young adults.
Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL):
In contrast to Hodgkin's lymphoma, the term non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, or NHL for short, covers a large number of different malignant lymphomas.
A distinction is made between slow-growing (indolent) and fast-growing (aggressive) lymphomas.
Indolent lymphomas can persist for years and do not burden the patient too much at the beginning of the disease. Indolent (mature) lymphomas include follicular lymphoma, Waldenström's disease and marginal zone lymphoma. Mantle cell lymphoma is also classified as an indolent lymphoma, but in some cases it progresses rapidly.
Indolent (leukemic) lymphomas include chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) and hairy cell leukemia (HCL).
Aggressive lymphomas are characterized on the one hand by a rapid progression, but on the other hand are still curable even in advanced stages. This group includes diffuse large cell lymphoma and Burkitt's lymphoma as well as a large number of T-cell lymphomas.
The term myeloproliferative neoplasia (MPN) refers to a group of rare, malignant diseases of the bone marrow. What they all have in common is that a certain blood cell is produced in excess. This can affect red blood cells (erythrocytes), certain white blood cells or blood platelets (thrombocytes). MPNs include polycythemia vera (PV), essential thrombocythemia (ET), primary myelofibrosis (PMF) and chronic myeloid leukemia (CML).
Myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) is a maturation disorder of the various blood cell lines in the bone marrow. This disorder means that there are not enough functional red blood cells (erythrocytes, responsible for transporting oxygen) and white blood cells (leukocytes, responsible for an intact immune defense) in the bloodstream. The formation of platelets (thrombocytes, responsible for blood clotting) may also be impaired.
Multiple myeloma (plasmacytoma) is a malignant degeneration of the plasma cell in the bone marrow, which produces antibodies (so-called immunoglobulins) or only fragments of antibodies (called paraproteins). The main symptoms (often only at a later stage) are bone pain and fractures, as the activation of osteoclasts (cells that break down bone substance) can lead to thinning of the bone, particularly in the spine, pelvic bones and ribs.
Non-malignant hematologic diseases (blood diseases)
Non-malignant blood disorders include both acquired and congenital diseases of the red blood cells (erythrocytes), white blood cells (leukocytes) and platelets (thrombocytes). The focus here is on various forms of anemia, diseases of the immune system (leukopenia, immunoglobulin deficiency) and coagulation disorders (hemophilia, thrombocytopenia and thrombosis). The causes of benign blood disorders can be very diverse. They either require no therapy at all, some need to be controlled or the triggering cause needs to be treated.
Therapy options
After diagnosing your blood disorder, we will determine an individual therapy for you. Read here which forms of therapy we offer.
We take a targeted and rapid approach to clarifying blood disorders. Find out more about our examination methods here.
Most blood disorders can be diagnosed from the blood itself, but in some cases a bone marrow puncture must be performed or a lymph node removed and examined.
Further examinations such as ultrasound, X-ray, computer tomography, possibly PET-CT and/or magnetic resonance imaging are often necessary.
Additional examinations (e.g. ECG, heart echo, lung function) are used to check organ function before any therapy is carried out.
Chemotherapy is usually administered via a vein and thus reaches all tumor cells in the body. As tumor cells react more sensitively to chemotherapy than normal body cells, tumor cells can be destroyed by chemotherapy while normal cells recover. Today, there are many auxiliary drugs available that make chemotherapy well tolerated so that everyday life is affected as little as possible. Your attending physician will carefully plan the therapy together with your care team and discuss it with you in detail. You will receive comprehensive support during therapy so that any side effects can be quickly identified and treated.

Antibodies are directed against certain surface proteins of the malignant cells and are often used in combination with chemotherapy.
Defective repair mechanisms can lead to tumor development. Targeted tablet therapy can then lead to a complete blockade of the defective repair mechanisms of the tumor cells, resulting in the death of the tumor cells.
Immunotherapies are used successfully for many tumors of various organs. In the case of hematological tumors, it has so far only been used in special situations. Immunotherapy can help to strengthen the body's own defenses against the tumor, which have been blocked by the tumor.
Therapy options
After diagnosing your blood disorder, we will determine an individual therapy for you. Read here which forms of therapy we offer.
We take a targeted and rapid approach to clarifying blood disorders. Find out more about our examination methods here.
Most blood disorders can be diagnosed from the blood itself, but in some cases a bone marrow puncture must be performed or a lymph node removed and examined.
Further examinations such as ultrasound, X-ray, computer tomography, possibly PET-CT and/or magnetic resonance imaging are often necessary.
Additional examinations (e.g. ECG, heart echo, lung function) are used to check organ function before any therapy is carried out.
Chemotherapy is usually administered via a vein and thus reaches all tumor cells in the body. As tumor cells react more sensitively to chemotherapy than normal body cells, tumor cells can be destroyed by chemotherapy while normal cells recover. Today, there are many auxiliary drugs available that make chemotherapy well tolerated so that everyday life is affected as little as possible. Your attending physician will carefully plan the therapy together with your care team and discuss it with you in detail. You will receive comprehensive support during therapy so that any side effects can be quickly identified and treated.

Antibodies are directed against certain surface proteins of the malignant cells and are often used in combination with chemotherapy.
Defective repair mechanisms can lead to tumor development. Targeted tablet therapy can then lead to a complete blockade of the defective repair mechanisms of the tumor cells, resulting in the death of the tumor cells.
Immunotherapies are used successfully for many tumors of various organs. In the case of hematological tumors, it has so far only been used in special situations. Immunotherapy can help to strengthen the body's own defenses against the tumor, which have been blocked by the tumor.
The procedure at our Tumor and Breast Center
Registration at the TBZ is usually carried out by your family doctor. If you have any complaints or questions, you can also make an appointment directly with us. We treat patients of all insurance classes.
We allocate appointments according to urgency. If you are unable to keep your appointment, please inform us as early as possible.

As part of the initial consultation, we usually carry out a blood test and a physical examination in addition to a detailed discussion.

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.
Further examinations are often necessary, such as ultrasound, X-ray, computer tomography, and possibly PET-CT and/or magnetic resonance imaging.
Additional examinations (e.g. ECG, heart echo, lung function) are used to check organ function before any therapy is carried out.

We will inform you of the results of the tests as soon as possible and discuss the next steps in your individual situation with you.
If you are diagnosed with a malignant blood disorder, your findings will first be discussed by our team and at an interdisciplinary tumor conference. During the consultation, we will then explain the treatment recommendation to you and advise you in detail. We will discuss the benefits of the therapy, the procedure and any expected side effects with you. We will then plan the next steps together with you.
All therapies including immunotherapy, anti-hormone 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 procedure at our 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 can also make an appointment directly with us. We treat patients of all insurance classes.
We allocate appointments according to urgency. If you are unable to keep your appointment, please inform us as early as possible.

As part of the initial consultation, we usually carry out a blood test and a physical examination in addition to a detailed discussion.

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.
Further examinations are often necessary, such as ultrasound, X-ray, computer tomography, and possibly PET-CT and/or magnetic resonance imaging.
Additional examinations (e.g. ECG, heart echo, 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 quickly as possible and discuss the next steps in your individual situation with you. Very often, the changes are harmless and do not require any further treatment.
However, if you are diagnosed with cancer, your findings will be discussed by our team and at our interdisciplinary tumor conference. At the TBZ, we will then explain the treatment recommendation to you and advise you in detail. We will then plan the next steps together with you.
If an operation is planned, we will discuss the procedure with you in detail. It is very important to us that, wherever possible, you are operated on by the same doctor who carried out your investigations and therefore knows you and all the necessary findings best.

We will perform your operation at the Stephanshorn Clinic.
You will receive all the necessary documents from the Stephanshorn Clinic. If you are known to have relevant concomitant illnesses, you may be invited separately for an anesthesia consultation. As a rule, however, you will be admitted to the clinic directly on the day of the operation.
You will be operated on by your attending physician from the Tumor and Breast Center Eastern Switzerland and then cared for during your stay in hospital.
You can also find detailed information about your hospital stay directly via the Stephanshorn Clinic link: www.hirslanden.ch/de/klinik-stephanshorn/ihr-aufenthalt/ablauf-ihres-aufenthalts.html

In the week following the operation, or at any time if required, 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 the disease to you in a personal discussion. Additional treatments are often recommended to prevent a relapse, e.g. radiotherapy or drug therapies.

At the TBZ, surgeons and oncologists work closely together and discuss all cases on an interdisciplinary basis. This also enables a seamless transition to the oncology consultation. Your oncologist will discuss the treatment options and their benefits, procedure and expected side effects with you in detail. 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 where you need us! We offer highly competent oncology and senology advice and treatment close to where you live at our easily accessible location. Individual care in a family atmosphere by our experienced and well-coordinated practice teams is important to us. This gives patients and their relatives the certainty that they will receive empathetic and personal support even in difficult life situations.