Department for Internal Medicine III
Haematology and Internal Oncology
One medical focus of our clinic is the diagnosis and treatment of patients with acute leukaemia. In contrast to chronic leukaemias, acute leukaemias develop quickly and have acute, quite severe symptoms. Chronic leukaemias tend to develop slowly and insidiously.
Acute leukaemias are malignant diseases of the haematopoietic system, colloquially known as "blood cancers", which can be fatal within a short time if left untreated. A distinction is made between acute myeloid leukaemia (AML) and acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL), depending on the precursor cell from which the disease originates. In AML, the cancer cells develop from immature myeloid progenitor cells (precursor cells in the bone marrow). In ALL, the cancer cells develop from immature precursor cells of the lymphocytes (special white blood cells).
In acute leukaemia, many immature, non-functional cancer cells develop in the bone marrow and divide uncontrollably. They disrupt the production of healthy blood cells and gradually replace them. This leads to a shortage of platelets, white blood cells and red blood cells. This results in infections as well as bleeding and symptoms of anaemia. The cancer cells themselves enter the blood from the bone marrow and can "attack" various organs.
Diagnosing and treating acute leukaemia is complex. Thanks to new targeted drugs and effective immunotherapies (stem cell transplantation, CAR T-cell therapy), many patients can now be cured or have a long-term response to treatment. We offer personalised, detailed counselling on the disease and treatment options.
Any individualised treatment plan requires an accurate diagnosis. We offer state-of-the-art diagnostics, including morphological (structural) and immunophenotypic (related to immune cell markers) testing. This enables us to provide the best possible personalised treatment for each patient and, if necessary, to combine this with allogeneic stem cell transplantation (stem cells from a donor).
Using the latest therapies
As a study centre for the AML Study Group, the Leukaemia Study Alliance (SAL) and the GMALL Study Group, we are able to use modern therapies that are not yet generally available in clinical trials. We also include older patients in clinical trials who cannot be treated with more invasive therapies.
Damage to the gut microbiome (the totality of microorganisms including bacteria, fungi and viruses in the gut) can affect the effectiveness and side effects of, for example, chemotherapy or cancer immunotherapy. In clinical trials (BZKF AML study group), we are trying to define new microbial biomarkers in leukaemia patients. With these preventive therapies, we are trying to protect the microbiome to minimise side effects (DAV-132-CL-3001 study).
Depending on the individual assessment, we administer the treatment to patients on an outpatient or inpatient basis. Patients' individual treatment recommendations are regularly reviewed by our Interdisciplinary Haematological Tumour Board, an expert committee of haematologists, pathologists, radiologists, nuclear medicine specialists and radiotherapists.
Prof. Dr Hendrik Poeck
Acute leukaemia/stem cell transplantation
+49941 944-5542 (secretary's office)
PD Dr Daniel Heudobler
ECTU & Study Centre
+49941-944-14800
Dr Stephanie Mayer
Haematology outpatient clinic
+49941 944-5510 (ICT control centre)
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