[Development and importance of surgical oncology in Germany]

Karl Heinrich Bauer (1890-1978) must be considered the Nestor of surgical oncology in Germany (mutation hypothesis 1928, monograph "Das Krebsproblem" 1949, German Cancer Research Institution (DKFZ) in Heidelberg 1964). The biological understanding of tumor disease has influenced the standardization of surgical procedures and has integrated these into a multimodal oncological concept, including neoadjuvant and adjuvant radio- and chemotherapy. Guidelines and consensus recommendations for the diagnosis and treatment of solid tumors have been established. Laparoscopic oncological surgery is under discussion and should be restricted to prospective trials.