Cancer centres

For over a decade, Swiss Multidisciplinary Cancer Network has set its sights on one overriding goal: to offer everyone living with cancer privileged access to treatments and the best and safest treatment strategies for their specific illness.

Our breast cancer centres

Brustcentrum Zürich
Centre du Sein Clinique de Genolier
Centre du Sein Clinique Générale-Beaulieu
Centro di Senologia Clinica Sant'Anna

Our prostate cancer centres

Urologiezentrum Bethanien
Centre d'Urologie Générale-Beaulieu

Cancer treatment

The objectives are:

- Remove the tumour (tumour tissue), enabling long-term recovery
- Reduce tumour size to minimise any complications, organ compression, invasion of healthy tissue, etc.
- Prevent recurrence
- Avoid or manage the formation of metastasis
- Relieve pain and any other symptoms

There are currently three main areas of treatment – oncological surgery, systemic treatment, also known as «medical oncology» and radiotherapy/radiation oncology – which are often combined in the therapeutic approach offered to the patient for the best possible chance of finding a cure.

Neoadjuvant

Neoadjuvant therapy, using systemic therapy and/or radiotherapy,  is the first line of treatment to reduce the size of the tumour before oncological surgery, making the surgical procedure less invasive and more effective.

Adjuvant

Adjuvant therapy, systemic therapy and/or radiotherap, is administered after oncological surgery. The aim is to destroy the remaining cancer cells and to reduce the risk of metastasis, cancer cells that have spread to other parts of the body or recurrence (cancer reappearance).

Palliative care

Palliative treatment is not a cure, but it aims to lessen the pain or relieve the symptoms of a disease, thus maintaining the best possible quality of life for the patient concerned in physical, psychological and relational aspects. Surgery, radiotherapy and medical oncology can all be used as palliative treatments.

Treatment pathway

The treatment pathways at our centres offer patients and their loved ones the best possible conditions to cope with a cancer diagnosis and its treatment.

Diagnosis

A clinical examination, suspect image or abnormal biological result may require a patient to consult a specialist who, if necessary, will perform additional examinations to either reject or confirm a cancer diagnosis.

A multidisciplinary conference (Tumour Board), brings together all the specialists involved in the oncology treatment pathway, these are radiology, pathology, nuclear medicine, surgical oncology, medical oncology, radiotherapy, plastic and reconstructive surgery, etc., each specific case is examined in detail and the best possible treatment strategy is discussed and established.

Treatment

The proposed treatment (oncological surgery, systemic therapy, radiotherapy) will be based on the latest national and international clinical practice recommendations, developed by specialists in the field and taking account of each patient’s individual condition, physical and mental resources, environment, needs and wishes.

This treatment plan will be explained and discussed with the patient so that they can understand it, check it and agree to it, thus playing an active role in their own care journey («patient partner»).

Supportive care

In order to better manage the impact of the disease or the adverse effects of treatments, patients may be offered supportive care or – in a more structured form – outpatient cancer rehabilitation programmes.

At the end of treatment, a monitoring period also known as «remission» begins, which includes regular consultations with a specialist doctor. For the first five years, consultations tend to be every three to six months, and this is followed by one consultation per year thereafter. These follow-up consultations may include clinical examinations, imaging and laboratory tests, depending on the location and type of cancer. They will also allow patients to talk to their doctor about possible symptoms and how they are adjusting to their new daily routine.

Support

As soon as the diagnosis is given, the medical and paramedical team is on hand to answer any questions or concerns that the patient or their loved ones may have. This support covers physical, psychological, social, family and professional areas, among others, ensuring patients are as well-equipped as possible when planning their treatment pathway.

Method

Biomedical expertise

Guarantee prompt and high-quality care, reliable diagnosis and personalised treatment for each patient thanks to the biomedical expertise of the oncology departments in place

Personalisation

Personalise the relationship with each patient by showing empathy – the main objective of all medical professionals is to put the patient at the centre of all considerations

Communication

Inform, involve and educate each patient so that they can take an active role in their own course of treatment (patient expert) – from diagnosis to returning to their new daily routine

Multidisciplinarity

A multidisciplinary treatment approach, actively promoting the exchange of knowledge and expertise between specialist medical and paramedical teams

Multi-skills

Weekly Tumour Boards bring together specialists from radiology, pathology, surgical oncology, plastic and reconstructive surgery, medical oncology, haematology, radiotherapy and nuclear medicine to jointly determine the best treatment strategy for each patient/specific cancer type

Innovation

Use of technologies and therapeutic strategies at the cutting edge of structural and functional innovation (technical facilities, access to research and studies; publications), taking into account the guidelines for quality, efficacy and safety established nationally and internationally

Multidisciplinary conference

In order to guarantee each patient receives a reliable diagnosis and treatment plan tailored to their specific case, a multidisciplinary Tumour Board meeting takes place every week.

In the first instance, each patient’s clinical situation is discussed in order to make a definitive diagnosis, with the best possible treatment option then jointly determined, ranging from surgery, radiotherapy, systemic treatment, etc.

It involves at least one doctor, referring nurse and specialist in each of the disciplines concerned:

Surgical oncology
Medical imaging
Haematology
Medical oncology
Radio-oncology
Plastic and aesthetic surgery
Nuclear medicine
Psychoncology
Physiotherapy

Network and president

Swiss Multidisciplinary Cancer Network ensures that all the medical disciplines needed to treat cancer are under one umbrella and available throughout its network of medical facilities. It should be noted that all consultations and outpatient services as part of this offering are reimbursed by the Swiss Medical Association (LAMal).

Swiss Medical Network has started organising a network of expertise in the fields of radiotherapy and oncology. The aim is to enable cancer patients to benefit from multidisciplinary care – medical oncology, radiotherapy and surgery – thanks to the best medical and technological expertise throughout Switzerland. Ultimately, this network of skills will hinge on four centres where all areas of specialisation will be represented: Clinique Générale-Beaulieu (GE), Clinique de Genolier (VD), in Zurich (Privatklinik Bethanien) and in Ticino (Clinica Sant’Anna). This will allow all of the group’s clinics to draw on this network of skills.

Our supportive care offering

Our programmes include a variety of therapeutic options to reduce the side effects of the disease or treatments, as well as to provide physical and mental support for cancer. A wide range of care services are available, including

Free of charge

  • Body image coaching
  • Social support

Basic insurance

  • Individual physiotherapy: muscle strengthening, drainage, massages, etc.
  • Group physiotherapy: pilates, relaxation and balance, cardio, Nordic walking, Tai Chi, etc.
  • Nutritional care
  • Sexuality and cancer
  • Hypnotherapy
  • Psycho-oncology

Supplementary insurance

  • Acupuncture
  • Reflexology
  • Yoga
  • Art therapy

Not covered

  • Podiatry

Videos

Genolier Foundation

Being unable to cover the cost of these various care services with insurance should not stop patients from taking part in the outpatient cancer rehabilitation programme. The Genolier Foundation provides financial support by funding care services for those who do not have supplementary insurance coverage for alternative therapies and for those who cannot cover the costs of certain care services (e.g. podiatry). This means that all patients can benefit from the best possible treatments regardless of their finances.

Find out more

Oncology

Gynaecological oncology

Prostate cancer