Compared to other cancers, testicular cancer is rather rare and accounts for about one to two percent of all malignant tumour diseases. In terms of age, however, testicular cancer is the most common cancer in men under 40. About 4,000 people are newly diagnosed with testicular cancer in Germany every year.
Prof. Dr. Albers and Prof. Dr. Daniel Nettersheim, who heads the Translational Uro-Oncology Unit of the Urological Research Laboratory, were responsible for the clinical and scientific areas respectively in the certification process. Dr. Yue Che, senior physician at the clinic, has recently also been in charge of the Europe-wide coordination of the speciality testicular cancer within the ERN-eUROGEN. Before the ERN incorporation, the University Hospital Düsseldorf was already known as a reference centre as well as a member of the second opinion network.
"One of the central tasks of the ERN is regular participation in expert meetings in which complex and difficult cases are discussed. Patients can then also be referred to an expert centre if necessary," says Dr Che. On the subject of research, Prof. Dr. Nettersheim explains: "In the context of research projects, the network will make it enormously easier for us to cooperate in general and also to set up studies with other European centres." Currently, the establishment of a European registry study is supported by ERN-eUROGEN with coordination headquarters in Nijmegen (Netherlands).
Background:
ERNs are virtual networks that connect healthcare providers, professionals and patients across the EU and Norway to optimally treat complex and rare diseases by pooling knowledge and resources. The first 24 ERNs were launched in March 2017 and currently include more than 1,400 healthcare providers from more than 400 hospitals.