Breast cancer treatment in Spain: Navarra University Hospital

European oncology, including breast cancer treatment in Spain, is becoming an affordable and high-quality alternative for medical tourists from the USA.

One of the best oncology centers in Europe is Navarra University Hospital (Clínica Universidad de Navarra), founded in 1962 in Pamplona.

Since 2017, CUN has opened a second campus in Madrid, so medical tourists can get professional advice right in the Spanish capital.

CUN is affiliated with the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Navarre and closely collaborates with several leading cancer institutes of the world.

In 2004, the hospital was accredited by Joint Commission International (JCI / TJC). In 2012, the European Society of Medical Oncology (ESMO) recognized CUN as the leading expert center for palliative care and cancer treatment in Spain.

Currently about 2000 specialists work in the hospital.

Advantages of Breast Cancer Treatment in Spain

An interdisciplinary approach to diagnosis and treatment is the key to success. The close interaction of specialists from different fields of medicine helps to choose the optimal treatment regimen, increasing patient survival and quality of life after cancer surgery.

For this reason, the Navarra University Hospital has opened a specialized breast cancer center, where the best equipment, resources and experts in this field are concentrated.

As a rule, patients stay in the clinic for the diagnosis up to 48 hours.. The disease is diagnosed in less than a week, providing the fastest possible start of adequate therapy.

The center uses the most advanced diagnostic technology. A dedicated group of clinical genetics quickly determines personal cancer risk. Genetically predisposed women can be observed in CUN lifelong to detect cancer in a timely manner at any point of life.

The quality of screening, diagnosis and therapeutic procedures meets highest international standards, but the cost is several times lower compared to the United States.

CUN was the first hospital in Spain to reduce the course of breast cancer radiotherapy from 6 weeks to 5 days. This was possible thanks to the use of post-operative brachytherapy (internal irradiation).

Today, CUN is the European expert center for breast cancer brachytherapy. Local surgeons have accumulated vast experience in performing this minimally invasive procedure. CUN medical oncologists are considered the pioneers of breast cancer immunotherapy in Spain. For the first time in the country, they successfully used personalized anti-tumor vaccines.

Navarra University Hospital organizational policy provides truly high-quality and personalized care for each patient, focusing all the necessary resources on each clinical case.

The success of this approach is confirmed by the excellent statistics of the hospital.

Patient satisfaction is 95% compared with 85% average for Spain.

Since 1962, more than 600,000 patients have entrusted their health to CUN.

Breast Cancer Diagnosis

The purpose of diagnostic tests is the early detection of a tumor, which guarantees excellent clinical outcomes. Comprehensive diagnosis should determine the cancer type, tumor cells aggressiveness, the involvement of nearby organs and tissues.

Navarra University Clinic offers:

• Digital mammography
• Breast tomosynthesis
• Ultrasound examination
• Magnetic resonance imaging
• Sentinel lymph node biopsy
• Breast biopsy

Other tests for cancer staging:

• Chest x-ray
• Abdominal ultrasound exam
• Bone scintigraphy
• PET / CT



  As a rule, the entire diagnostic process takes no more than two working days.

Breast Cancer Treatment Options

Breast cancer is diagnosed at different stages, ranging from a localized lesion to spreading to remote areas of the body (metastases).

Along with the specific characteristics of a particular type of cancer and the individual characteristics of each patient, the disease requires a flexible therapeutic approach.

CUN offers the following treatment options:

• Surgical removal of the tumor and lymph nodes
• Radiation therapy for breast cancer, including adjuvant brachytherapy
• Chemotherapy (prescribed after laboratory determination of sensitivity)
• Hormone therapy (including cancer prevention for atypical hyperplasia)
• Modern biological preparations (trastuzumab, lapatinib)
• Personalized cancer vaccines

The Navarra University Hospital Cell Therapy Laboratory produces its own vaccines for breast cancer immunotherapy in accordance with GMP standards. These vaccines stimulate the immune system of patients in order to improve the recognition and destruction of malignant cells. The method is being tested.

Quality of life after mastectomy

Spanish surgeons do everything to minimize damage to surrounding tissue during tumor removal. In the future, it simplifies the reconstruction, helping to preserve the attractive appearance of the female breast and high quality of life.

Lymphedema after mastectomy is a frequent complication caused by the excessive accumulation of lymphatic fluid due to changes in the lymphatic system. This complication is common in patients who have undergone radiation therapy or the removal of axillary lymph nodes.



The purpose of surgical treatment of lymphedema is a decrease in fluid volume, functional restoration, pain control, improvement of skin condition, and infection prevention.

Breast reconstruction can be performed by placing a breast implant or using patient’s own tissues (so called tissue flap procedure). This surgery is done by a team of experienced plastic surgeons who usually participate in the discussion of the upcoming treatment.

Contact us if you want to learn more about breast cancer treatment in Spain.

© Analytical reviews and oncology news by K. Mokanov: clinical pharmacist and professional medical translator