# West German Cancer Center (WTZ), University Hospital Essen

Source: https://onco.cc/institutions/essen-wtz/  
OnCo record `essen-wtz` (Institution). Data CC BY-NC 4.0, attribute "Data from OnCo (onco.cc)"; commercial use needs a licence.

## TL;DR

One of Germany's oldest and largest cancer centres, home to the West German Proton Therapy Centre and a leading melanoma and theranostics programme.

## Summary

Founded in 1967, the Westdeutsches Tumorzentrum at University Hospital Essen was among the first German Cancer Aid Oncology Centers of Excellence and became a National Center for Tumor Diseases site (NCT West, with Cologne) in 2023. It operates the West German Proton Therapy Centre Essen (WPE), Europe's largest university-based proton facility, treating many paediatric patients. The dermato-oncology group under Dirk Schadendorf has led melanoma immunotherapy and adjuvant trials, and the nuclear medicine department under Ken Herrmann is a high-volume theranostics centre for PSMA and somatostatin-receptor radioligands. Other strengths include sarcoma, uveal melanoma, stem cell transplantation and neuro-oncology.

## Fields

- Kind: Institution
- Last checked: 2026-09-09
- Also known as: Westdeutsches Tumorzentrum; Universitätsklinikum Essen; NCT West
- City: Essen, DE
- Type: cancer-center
- Website: https://www.wtz-essen.de

## Sources

- Homepage: https://www.wtz-essen.de
- WPE proton centre: https://www.wpe-uk.de
- NCT West: https://www.nct-west.de
- PTCOG: particle therapy facilities in operation: https://www.ptcog.site/index.php/facilities-in-operation-public

## Connected records

- cancers: [Acute myeloid leukaemia](https://onco.cc/cancers/aml/), [Melanoma](https://onco.cc/cancers/melanoma/), [Neuroendocrine tumours](https://onco.cc/cancers/neuroendocrine/), [Prostate cancer](https://onco.cc/cancers/prostate/), [Sarcomas (soft tissue, bone, GIST)](https://onco.cc/cancers/sarcoma/)
- fronts: [Immunotherapy](https://onco.cc/fronts/immunotherapy/), [Radiation Therapy](https://onco.cc/fronts/radiation/), [Radiopharmaceuticals & Theranostics](https://onco.cc/fronts/radiopharma/)
- technologies: [Immune checkpoint inhibitors](https://onco.cc/technologies/checkpoint-inhibitor/), [Proton therapy](https://onco.cc/technologies/proton-therapy/), [Proton therapy machines: cyclotrons, synchrotrons and single-room systems](https://onco.cc/technologies/proton-therapy-systems/), [PSMA PET](https://onco.cc/technologies/psma-pet/), [Radioligand therapy (beta emitters)](https://onco.cc/technologies/radioligand-therapy/)
- drugs: [Ipilimumab](https://onco.cc/drugs/ipilimumab/), [Lutetium-177 dotatate](https://onco.cc/drugs/lutathera/), [Lutetium-177 vipivotide tetraxetan](https://onco.cc/drugs/pluvicto/), [Nivolumab](https://onco.cc/drugs/nivolumab/)
- companies: [IBA (Ion Beam Applications)](https://onco.cc/companies/iba/)
- institutions: [Deutsche Krebsgesellschaft](https://onco.cc/institutions/deutsche-krebsgesellschaft/), [German Cancer Consortium (DKTK)](https://onco.cc/institutions/dktk/), [German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ)](https://onco.cc/institutions/dkfz/), [Kliniken Essen-Mitte](https://onco.cc/institutions/kliniken-essen-mitte/), [Uniklinik Köln (CIO)](https://onco.cc/institutions/uniklinik-koeln/)
- trials: [CheckMate 067](https://onco.cc/trials/checkmate-067/), [VISION](https://onco.cc/trials/vision/)
- people: [Dirk Schadendorf](https://onco.cc/people/dirk-schadendorf/), [Ken Herrmann](https://onco.cc/people/ken-herrmann/), [Martin Schuler](https://onco.cc/people/martin-schuler/), [Sebastian Bauer](https://onco.cc/people/sebastian-bauer/)

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JSON: https://onco.cc/api/v1/entities/essen-wtz.json