EN
The cost of lung cancer treatment in Germany covers the whole pathway: tests, surgery, drugs and, where needed, radiotherapy. Families ask more simply: “How much will it cost?” There is no single figure, though: the hospital calculates it after a doctor has reviewed the records and outlined a plan.
This page covers what drives the total, what CT, MRI and a consultation cost, how surgery, drugs and radiotherapy are billed and how payment works; the methods are described under lung cancer treatment in Germany. AlenMed’s partner hospitals with thoracic (chest) surgery and pulmonology departments are in several German cities; the company’s office is in Munich.
What Drives the Lung Cancer Treatment Cost in Germany
The total depends mainly on the tumour type, the extent of surgery and the state of the lungs and heart. Tissue tests show whether the cancer is small cell, treated mainly with chemotherapy, or non-small cell, operated on where possible at an early stage, and look for biomarkers: EGFR, ALK and ROS1 gene changes and the PD-L1 protein. These decide between targeted drugs aimed at the change found, immunotherapy, which helps the immune system fight cancer, and chemotherapy — courses that differ in price and length.
With an operable tumour, the extent of surgery matters: removing part of the lung (a resection) or a whole lobe (a lobectomy), by open surgery or thoracoscopically through small cuts guided by a camera, plus intensive care and ward days. Beforehand, a pulmonologist such as Dr Wolfgang Gesierich assesses the lung function reserve: how much tissue can be removed while keeping a reasonable quality of life.
Coexisting lung or heart disease, such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), adds tests and can lengthen the stay. If it makes surgery too risky, doctors recommend highly targeted stereotactic radiotherapy for an early-stage tumour, which means a different estimate.
Lung Cancer in Germany: Diagnostic Prices
Prices for tests are known in advance: from 130 € for a consultation on existing findings to approx. 1650 € for a general diagnostic assessment (1–2 days). A plan usually needs a chest CT, a PET-CT to check lymph nodes and other organs, a brain MRI to rule out metastases and a bronchoscopy, which looks into the airways and takes tissue. The methods are explained under lung cancer diagnostics.
Recent, good-quality scans are reviewed from the files sent in and usually not repeated: a repeat adds cost and, for CT, radiation. Only what the plan lacks is done. The table shows guide prices; the estimate gives the exact amount.
| Cost item | Depends on | Guide price |
|---|---|---|
| Chest CT | contrast or not | approx. 500 €, with contrast around 550 € |
| MRI, for example of the brain | contrast or not | approx. 800 €, with contrast 900–1000 € |
| Consultation on existing findings | case complexity, volume of records | from 130 € |
| General diagnostic assessment (1–2 days) | tests included in the programme | approx. 1650 € |
Surgery, Drugs and Radiotherapy: How the Estimate Counts Them
Surgery is billed as one package, drugs by cycles and radiotherapy by sessions. Surgery and the inpatient stay fall under the DRG system: a fixed rate per treatment case, including the room and meals, set mainly by the diagnosis, the operation and the severity of illness. The hospital estimate gives the amount.
Drug treatment is priced by cycles and the drugs chosen. Immunotherapy and targeted drugs are expensive and, over a long course, can make up a large share of the bill; given in hospital, they may be charged on top of the package. How lung cancer immunotherapy works is explained separately.
Radiotherapy is priced by the number of sessions; details are under radiation therapy prices. Outpatient services, including radiotherapy without admission, follow the official German fee schedule for doctors, the GOÄ: each service has a base rate multiplied by a factor of 1.0 to 3.5 as a rule, or 1.0 to 2.5 for technical services such as CT, MRI and radiotherapy.
Paying the Hospital Directly and Costs Outside the Estimate
The patient pays the hospital directly: the estimated amount goes as a deposit into its bank account before treatment. Afterwards the hospital settles the account for the care actually given, refunding any unused deposit or invoicing any extra.
Flights, accommodation, the visa and interpreting beyond the programme are outside the hospital estimate and need a separate line in the family budget.
Frequently asked questions
Can I find out the cost before travelling to Germany?
Yes. The hospital drafts the estimate before the trip from recent CT or PET-CT scans, the pathology report, test results and a medical summary. A doctor outlines the plan, and the hospital prices its tests, surgery or drug cycles and hospital days. The visa also requires it.
What does the hospital estimate include?
It covers the planned treatment: tests, surgery with intensive care and ward days, drug cycles or radiotherapy sessions — whatever the plan includes. Flights, accommodation, the visa, extra interpreting and AlenMed’s services are not included. Further procedures needed during treatment are agreed with the hospital separately.
Why can the final bill differ from the estimate?
Because the estimate prices the plan, while the final bill reflects the care actually given. It rises if the plan is extended after tests in Germany or recovery takes longer, and falls if part of the plan is not needed. Any unused deposit is refunded; any shortfall is invoiced.
Do scans have to be repeated in Germany?
Not always: recent, good-quality scans are reviewed from the files sent in and not repeated. Only gaps are filled — for example, old or incomplete scans, a missing brain MRI, or tumour tissue not yet tested for EGFR, ALK, ROS1 and PD-L1.
How AlenMed Arranges the Estimate and Treatment
AlenMed prepares the records and guides the patient from the estimate to the end of treatment. Scans, the pathology report, tests and a medical summary are translated into German and sent to the hospital, where a doctor outlines the plan behind the estimate. The steps of arranging treatment in Germany are described separately.
The estimate and the hospital’s confirmation are the basis for the invitation and the medical visa. In Germany the patient is met, a coordinator looks after them and a medical interpreter attends appointments. AlenMed’s fee is a separate line, outside the hospital bill.
This material is for reference only and is not an offer. Figures are approximate; the exact cost is in the hospital’s estimate (Kostenvoranschlag), and the doctor decides on treatment at an in-person consultation. The US National Cancer Institute gives an independent overview of non-small cell lung cancer treatment by stage.