If you've searched online for private medical insurance that covers germ cell tumours then you are probably for looking for trusted UK based health insurance providers that will cover germ cell tumours.
Our advice when shopping around for private medical cover that covers germ cell tumours is to speak to a health insurance broker. Health insurance is extremely complex and if you want absolute certainty that germ cell tumours is covered you should talk with a broker who can explain which providers will cover this medical condition and which will exclude it.
There are many advantages to using a insurance broker but the biggest by far is that you're using their industry experience at no cost. They are paid by the insurer (Aviva or Bupa etc) rather than you so it costs you no extra to use their brokering services.
- Do you reside in many different areas? Some will give you a lower policy premium than offers. A insurance broker will be able to advise whats best.
- Do you have a hobby that may invalidate your insurance claim? A broker will know this critical information.
- If you are a couple and one of you has claimed on your insurance policy this year would it be cheaper to separate you both onto two different policies?
- You've lean't you're at risk of developing a certain medical condition and want to know which insurer offers the biggest amount of cover for it. A broker will know this instantly saving you huge amounts of time and effort.
You can call around every health insurance provider on the market and ask if they cover germ cell tumours, however this will be a very time consuming process. Each insurer will ask for your medical history because its not normally a simple yes or not if a medical condition is covered or not.
Its much quicker to speak to one medical insurance broker which will know which providers on the market cover germ cell tumours and under what conditions they do or don't cover it.
Germ Cell Tumours Information
Each year, fewer than 45 children in the UK develop malignant germ cell tumours. Most children who develop germ cell tumours will be cured.
More children than ever are surviving childhood cancer. There are new and better drugs and treatments, and we can now also work to reduce the after-effects of having had cancer in the past.
It is devastating to hear that your child has cancer, and at times it can feel overwhelming but there are many healthcare professionals and support organisations to help you through this difficult time.
Understanding more about the cancer your child has and the treatments that may be used can often help parents to cope. We hope you find the information here helpful. Your child’s specialist will give you more detailed information, and if you have any questions, it is important to ask the specialist doctor or nurse who knows your child’s individual situation.
Germ cell tumours can appear at any age. They develop from cells that produce eggs or sperm so germ cell tumours can affect the ovaries or testes. However, it is possible for a germ cell tumour to develop in other parts of the body.
As a baby develops during pregnancy, the cells producing eggs or sperm normally move to the ovaries or testes. However, occasionally they can settle in other parts of the body where they can develop into tumours. The most common places for this to happen are the bottom of the spine (sacrococcygeal), the brain, chest, and abdomen.
Germ cell tumours are sometimes given different names based on their characteristics. These include yolk-sac tumours, germinomas, embryonal carcinomas, mature teratomas and immature teratomas.
They may be non-cancerous (benign) or cancerous (malignant). Malignant tumours have the ability to grow and spread to other parts of the body.
Benign tumours do not spread but may cause problems by pressing on nearby tissue and organs.
Immature teratomas fall between benign and malignant. They can spread within the abdomen but not beyond, and can be removed with an operation.
The cause of germ cell tumours is unknown but research into the causes of different cancers is on-going.
The symptoms depend on where the tumour develops. Usually it starts with a lump that can either be felt or causes other symptoms.
Different tests may be needed to diagnose a germ cell tumour. Usually, the doctor will remove a sample of tissue from the lump (a biopsy) for examination under a microscope to find out if it is a cancer or not.
CT or MRI scans may be used to see the exact position of a tumour within the body. Chest X-rays may be taken to see if there’s a tumour in the lungs.
Germ cell tumours often produce proteins called tumour markers that can be measured in the blood. The ones that are produced by germ cell tumours are alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) and human chorionic gonadotrophin (HCG). Your child will have blood tests to check these tumour markers when they are being diagnosed. The doctors will continue to check these during treatment and after treatment is over.