The holistic treatment of oncological diseases was the main focus of Dr. W. Wöppel's life's work and for decades occupied the greatest space in our range of therapies. In the last 20 years, conventional oncology has developed a number of new therapeutic methods, some of which allow better tolerability of cytoreductive drugs, but in particular often a more targeted approach up to an individualized treatment tailored to the individual patient. And although our holistic understanding of therapy, as reflected in the 5-pillar concept described by Dr. Wöppel, has remained the same, we have also been able to learn, to incorporate newer therapies or to apply individual building blocks today - adapted to a changed context - in a modified form. Examples are the earlier start of treatment with biological therapies parallel to ongoing conventional chemo-/antibody therapies with simultaneous enhancement of cytoreductive effects by e.g. hyperthermia procedures such as Oncothermie®. In addition, the number of infusion options has increased in recent years due to growing experience with the efficacy and handling of naturopathic bioactive substances.
We are thus able to treat oncological patients at all stages of the disease, taking into account the individual initial situation. With the growing number of supportive treatment options, we often succeed not only in making an important contribution to maintaining remission (for example, after successful surgery and/or adjuvant therapy), but often also in making a decisive contribution to maintaining noticeably improved performance and quality of life in advanced (so-called "palliative") situations. Also, in individual cases, we can still open up an opportunity to improve the situation of highly sensitive patients who, due to experience or for personal reasons, reject a conventional oncological therapy offer.
Since the individual components of the five-pillar concept are best not applied separately and one after the other, but synchronized and coordinated with each other, we always recommend an inpatient stay at the Hufeland Clinic at the beginning of a holistic or integrative oncological treatment. The required duration of the stay depends on the necessary extent of the therapy. For example, for a patient who is in complete remission of his disease according to valid guidelines, a stay of approximately three to four weeks at our clinic makes perfect sense. The focus of the treatment is usually on improving the metabolism by changing the diet, on building up and strengthening the immune system, combined with a frequently urgently needed strengthening of mental and psychological forces. In contrast, patients in stage IV of their disease (i.e. with the presence of metastases in the body or with existing inoperability) usually need about six weeks for a successful initial treatment.
