Prof. Klußmann Elected to DKG Certification Commission

The Certification Commission for Head and Neck Cancer Centers of the German Cancer Society (Deutsche Krebsgesellschaft, DKG) has elected Prof. Dr. Jens Peter Klußmann, Director of the Department of Otorhinolaryngology at University Hospital Cologne and Executive Board Member at the Center for Molecular Medicine Cologne (CMMC), as its co-chair. He will serve alongside Prof. Dr. Dr. Max Heiland, Director of the Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery at Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin.

The commission develops the professional requirements for organ-specific cancer centers, which - compiled in a catalog of criteria - form the basis for certifying these centers. Currently, 86 head and neck cancer centers in Germany are certified by the DKG.

Cancer treatment is highly specialized and requires close collaboration among multiple medical disciplines. Certification of cancer centers by the German Cancer Society ensures that patients receive care based on the latest scientific evidence and at the highest medical standards. Especially for complex diseases such as head and neck cancers, structured, interdisciplinary, and quality-assured treatment is essential for successful outcomes.

Certified centers must meet stringent requirements in diagnostics, therapy, and follow-up care, and demonstrate close cooperation among all involved specialties. Regular audits and continuous quality controls help sustainably improve care quality and strengthen patient safety. The Head and Neck Cancer Center at the Center for Integrated Oncology Cologne (CIO) has been certified by the German Cancer Society since 2013.

“For me, it is particularly important that the high quality of care is not only documented but truly practiced in everyday clinical work. What matters most is the seamless collaboration of all involved disciplines - from diagnostics to medical and nursing care to follow-up - so that patients receive the best possible, guideline-based treatment,” emphasizes Prof. Klußmann.

Certification is considered a key instrument of quality assurance in oncology. It creates transparency, strengthens patient trust, and promotes guideline-based, interdisciplinary cancer care at the highest level.

This message has been modified by the CMMC (K. Heber & D. Grosskopf-Kroiher) and is based on the text by the press and communications teams of the University Hospoital Cologne (original German version here).