Dr. med. Deborah Zihler

Broad oncological training

Extensive expertise in the treatment of uro-oncological tumors (prostate, kidney, bladder, and testicular cancer)
Many years of scientific activity in national and international clinical research projects
Several years of collaboration in audits of a large Swiss tumor center (DKG/ISO certification)

Since 09/2024
Medical oncologist at the Tumor- und Brustzentrum Ostschweiz , Rapperswil Tumor- und Brustzentrum Ostschweiz

07/2021-07/2024
Senior Physician with Special Responsibilities, Medical Oncology, Kantonsspital Aarau
– Focus on Uro-Oncology
– Expansion of joint uro-oncology consultation hours

01/2016-06/2021
Senior Physician, Medical Oncology, Kantonsspital Aarau
– Focus on Dermato-Oncology

09/2014-12/2015
Senior Physician, Medical Oncology, Kantonsspital Baselland, Liestal
– Development of an electronic chemotherapy prescription system (CATO)

03-08/2014
Resident Physician, Internal Medicine, Kantonsspital Olten

2011-02/2014
Resident Physician, Medical Oncology, Kantonsspital Aarau
– Rotation in gynecological oncology
– Rotation in Radio-Oncology

2008-2010
Resident Physician, Internal Medicine, Kantonsspital Baden 

2007
Resident Physician, Internal Medicine, Adullam Spital Basel

1998-2006
Medical studies at the University of Basel

2011-present
Regular participation in national / international congresses

2015
FMH Specialist in General Internal Medicine 

2014
FMH Specialist in Medical Oncology
Regularly receives continuing education diplomas

2013
Doctorate from the University of Basel
Thesistopic: "BCL-2-negative lymphomas" under Prof. Dirnhofer

2006
Medical Diploma

• ESMO European Society for Medical Oncology

Interdisciplinary Swiss consensus recommendations for follow-up after radical cystectomy and trimodal therapy for muscle-invasive bladder cancer

Kaufmann E, Aeppli S, Affentranger A, Arnold N, Arnold W, Aschwanden F, Balermpas P, Beyer J, Bieri U, Boormanns J, Cathomas R, Bari B, Dressler M, Engeler DS, Erdmann A, Gallina A, Gomez S, Guckenberger M, Herrmann T, Hermanns T, Lucca I, John H, Kessler TM, Klein J, Laouiti M, Lauffer D, Lerner SP, Mattei A, Müntener M, Nguyen D, Niederberger P, Papachristofilou A, Prause L, Putora PM, Reinhardt K, Salati E, Sèbe P, Shelan M, Sigg S, Strebel RT, Templeton AJ, Vogl U, Wettstein MS, Wyler S, Zihler D, Zilli T, Zwahlen D, Roth B, Fankhauser CD.

Bladder Cancer. January 16, 2026;12(1):235–237. 35251410823.

Interdisciplinary Swiss Consensus Recommendations on the Management of Advanced Prostate Cancer

Templeton AJ, Achard V, Akhoundova D, Burger IA, Eberli D, Engeler D, Erdmann A, Fischer S, Grobholz R, Lorch A, Niederberger P, Omlin A, Papachristofilou A, Prause L, Reichel K, Rentsch CA, Shelan M, Stenner F, Tsantoulis P, Vogl U,Zihler D, Zwahlen D, Cathomas R.

Praxis (Bern 1994). May 2025;114(5):172-180.

First Indicator of Relapse in Testicular Cancer and Implications for Follow-up: Analysis of the Swiss Austrian German Testicular Cancer Cohort Study (SAG TCCS).

Fischer S, Gillessen S, Stalder O, Terbuch A, Cathomas R, Schmid FA, Zihler D, Müller B, Fankhauser CD, Hirschi-Blickenstorfer A, Kluth LA, Seifert B, Templeton AJ, Mingrone W, Ufe MP, Fischer N, Beyer J, Woelky R, Omlin A, Vogl U, Hoppe K, Kamradt J, Rothschild SI, Rothermundt C.

Eur Urol Open Sci. 2024 Sep 11;68:68-74.

Follow-up strategies after trimodal treatment for muscle-invasive bladder cancer: a systematic review.

Kaufmann E, Aeppli S, Arnold W, Balermpas P, Beyer J, Bieri U, Cathomas R, de Bari B, Dressler M, Engeler DS, Erdmann A, Gallina A, Gomez S, Guckenberger M, Herrmann TRW, Hermanns T, Ilaria L, John H, Kessler TM, Klein J, Laouiti M, Lauffer D, Mattei A, Müntener M, Nguyen D, Niederberger P, Papachristofilou A, Prause L, Reinhardt K, Salati E, Sèbe P, Shelan M, Strebel R, Templeton AJ, Vogl U, Wettstein MS, Zihler D, Zilli T, Zwahlen D, Roth B, Fankhauser C.

World J Urol. 2024 Sep 19;42(1):527.

Perioperative Chemoimmunotherapy With Durvalumab for Muscle-Invasive Urothelial Carcinoma: Primary Analysis of the Single-Arm Phase II Trial SAKK 06/17.

Cathomas R, Rothschild SI, Hayoz S, Bubendorf L, Özdemir BC, Kiss B, Erdmann A, Aeppli S, Mach N, Strebel RT, Hadaschik B, Berthold D, John H, Zihler D, Schmid M, Alborelli I, Schneider M, Musilova J, Spahn M, Petrausch U.

J Clin Oncol. 2023 Nov 20;41(33):5131-5139.

Patient and General Population Preferences Regarding the Benefits and Harms of Treatment for Metastatic Prostate Cancer: A Discrete Choice Experiment.

Menges D, Piatti MC, Omlin A, Cathomas R, Benamran D, Fischer S, Iselin C, Küng M, Lorch A, Prause L, Rothermundt C, O’Meara Stern A, Zihler D, Lippuner M, Braun J, Cerny T, Puhan MA.

Eur Urol Open Sci. 2023 Mar 22;51:26-38.

The Value of Tumour Markers in the Detection of Relapse-Lessons Learned from the Swiss Austrian German Testicular Cancer Cohort Study.

Fischer S, Rothermundt C, Stalder O, Terbuch A, Hermanns T, Zihler D, Müller B, Fankhauser CD, Hirschi-Blickenstorfer A, Seifert B, Kluth LA, Ufe MP, Mingrone W, Templeton AJ, Fischer N, Rothschild S, Woelky R, Gillessen S, Cathomas R.

Eur Urol Open Sci. 2023 Feb 20;50:57-60.

Single-dose carboplatin followed by involved-node radiotherapy for stage IIA and stage IIB seminoma (SAKK 01/10): a single-arm, multicentre, phase 2 trial.

Papachristofilou A, Bedke J, Hayoz S, Schratzenstaller U, Pless M, Hentrich M, Krege S, Lorch A, Aebersold DM, Putora PM, Berthold DR, Zihler D, Zengerling F, Dieing A, Mueller AC, Schaer C, Biaggi C, Gillessen S, Cathomas R.

Lancet Oncol. 2022 Nov;23(11):1441-1450.

Treatment reality of patients with BRAF-mutant advanced/metastatic melanoma in Switzerland in the era of choice.

Mangana J, Zihler D, Bossart S, Brönnimann D, Zachariah R, Gérard CL.

Melanoma Res. 2022 Oct 1;32(5):366-372.

Metastatic Potential of Small Testicular Germ Cell Tumors: Implications for Surveillance of Small Testicular Masses.

Pratsinis M, Fankhauser C, Pratsinis K, Beyer J, Bührer E, Cathomas R, Fischer N, Hermanns T, Hirschi-Blickenstorfer A, Kamradt J, Alex Kluth L, Zihler D, Mingrone W, Müller B, Nestler T, Rothschild SI, Seifert B, Templeton AJ, Terbuch A, Ufen MP, Woelky R, Gillessen S, Rothermundt C.

Eur Urol Open Sci. 2022 Apr 26;40:16-18.

Systemic inflammation in a melanoma patient treated with immune checkpoint inhibitors-an autopsy study.

Koelzer VH, Rothschild SI, Zihler D, Wicki A, Willi B, Willi N, Voegeli M, Cathomas G, Zippelius A, Mertz KD.

J Immunother Cancer. 2016 Mar 15;4:13.

Age- and gender-dependent left ventricular remodeling.

Gebhard C, Stähli BE, Gebhard CE, Tasnady H, Zihler D, Wischnewsky MB, Jenni R, Tanner FC.

Echocardiography. 2013 Nov;30(10):1143-50.

Molecular and immunohistochemical characterization of B-cell lymphoma-2-negative follicular lymphomas.

Hoeller S, Bihl MP, Zihler D, Cogliatti S, Ponzoni M, Zettl A, Went P, Foerster A, Hirschmann P, Tzankov A, Dirnhofer S.

Hum Pathol. 2012 Mar;43(3):405-12.

BOB.1, CD79a and cyclin E are the most appropriate markers to discriminate classical Hodgkin’s lymphoma from primary mediastinal large B-cell lymphoma.

Hoeller S, Zihler D, Zlobec I, Obermann EC, Pileri SA, Dirnhofer S, Tzankov A.

Histopathology. 2010 Jan;56(2):217-28.