A life on stage and suddenly a cancer diagnosis that changes everything: Thomas Gottschalk has made his illness public. What’s behind the rare type of tumor.
Melanie Rannow / t-online
When Thomas Gottschalk took the stage at the Bambi Awards, no one suspected that he had already been battling a life-threatening illness for months. Now the 75-year-old entertainer has made it public that he is suffering from cancer – a particularly rare and aggressive form.
Gottschalk received the diagnosis in the summer. In an interview, he speaks openly about epithelioid angiosarcoma – a tumor that most people have never heard of and that has affected his body. He has already had two operations and the healing process is not yet complete. His public handling of the disease draws attention to a type of cancer that is hardly known but can be particularly treacherous.
What is Epithelioid Angiosarcoma?
The so-called epithelioid angiosarcoma is a malignant tumor that arises from the cells of the blood or lymph vessels. It belongs to the large group of so-called sarcomas, which are very rare overall. Within this group, angiosarcoma is once again an exceptional phenomenon.
What is a Sarcoma?
Epithelioid angiosarcomas are considered particularly aggressive. They “grow” quickly, spread early to other organs (metastasis) and often respond only to a limited extent to common therapies. Since they can lie deep in the tissue, they remain undetected for a long time.
What symptoms can occur?
The symptoms are usually non-specific – and that’s exactly what makes the disease so treacherous. Early signs are easily overlooked or misinterpreted. Often occur:
- Reddish-bluish spots on the skin (in superficial tumors)
- Bleeding nodules or ulcers
- Pain or feeling of pressure in the affected area of the body
- General symptoms such as fatigue, weight loss or fever
The symptoms are often diffuse, especially with deep-seated tumors. They are often only noticed when the tumors have already advanced.
How is angiosarcoma treated?
The treatment of epithelioid angiosarcoma is complex and usually takes place in specialized centers. The focus is on the complete removal of the tumor through surgery, which has already been necessary twice for Gottschalk. Additionally, radiation therapy and/or chemotherapy are used to destroy remaining cancer cells or prevent recurrence.
Since angiosarcomas can metastasize early, it is particularly important to treat them with a so-called “multimodal therapy concept,” i.e. by combining different medical procedures. New medications such as targeted therapies or immunotherapies are also being used.
What is the prognosis for epithelioid angiosarcoma?
The prognosis depends on several factors: the location and extent of the tumor, the time of diagnosis, the patient’s general health – and also the response to therapy. In general, epithelioid angiosarcoma is considered difficult to treat. According to current findings, only around 27 to 35 percent of those affected survive five years after diagnosis.
(With material from dpa)