Special award

Kidney cancer center at Klagenfurt Hospital honored

Prim. Dr. Diego Signorello, OÄ Dr. Aigul Salmhofer and Prim. Prof. Dr. Wolfgang Eisterer from Klagenfurt Hospital.(Bild: KABEG/Hipp)

Klagenfurt Hospital was the first hospital in Austria to be awarded the title of Kidney Cancer Center. The high quality of diagnosis, therapy and aftercare convinced the German Cancer Society (DKG). 

At Klinikum Klagenfurt, more than 80 patients are newly diagnosed with renal cell carcinoma - one of the more common malignant tumor diseases in adults - every year. "The average age is between 50 and 60, with men being affected more frequently than women," says Prim. Diego Signorello, Head of the Department of Urology.

Interdisciplinary approach to treatment
Together with experts from various departments, a treatment plan is drawn up for patients after the diagnosis has been made, in some cases a very individual one. "Of course, surgery is possible, which has been performed as a robot-assisted procedure since May 2023, but conservative treatment is also possible," explains Prim. Wolfgang Eisterer, Head of the Department of Haematology and Internal Oncology and Head of the Oncology Center.

We were the first hospital in Austria to be awarded the Kidney Cancer Center certificate.

Prim. Diego Signorello, Abteilungsvorstand der Urologie im Klinikum Klagenfurt

For patients who only have one kidney left or are not suitable for surgery, there is also the treatment option of cryoablation. "This involves the targeted destruction of the tumor through a minimally invasive application of cold. Immunotherapy is also offered. This is primarily used if the disease is already advanced and metastases have formed or if a relapse of the disease is to be prevented after an operation," say the doctors. 

Assessors were convinced
Regular tumor boards serve to provide patients with the optimal treatment option. "This and the excellent surgical quality, our case numbers of course, but also the aftercare of our patients convinced the assessors. We were the first hospital in Austria to receive the Kidney Cancer Center certificate," says Signorello.