She is the Medical Director of the Asklepios St. Georg Clinic in Hamburg—and Chief Physician of the clinic’s Department of General and Visceral Surgery: Prof. Dr. med. habil. Carolin Tonus, a board-certified specialist in surgery, visceral surgery, specialized visceral surgery, and proctology, is a prime example of modern high-performance medicine. However, she is best known for establishing the Asklepios Group’s German Sarcoma Center. Prof. Tonus possesses outstanding expertise particularly in the field of sarcomas—these relatively rare soft-tissue tumors that most often originate in connective tissue, bone, or muscle. The Leading Medicine Guide spoke with this extraordinary physician.
The renowned surgeon Professor Dr. Carolin Tonus makes a lasting impression—in many ways. In a personal conversation, she comes across as a warm, caring woman who knew as early as the age of five what she wanted to become: a doctor. One of the main reasons for this early career aspiration: she loves interacting with people. Even though there were no professional role models in her family in this field, she fulfilled her childhood dream and studied medicine.
No wonder, then, that even today she is committed to always combining technically demanding medicine with humanity and compassion. “I really enjoy my work,” she says. As a specialist in complex abdominal surgery, she takes pleasure in the technical challenges her work presents: “Especially in colorectal surgery, it’s all about mastering fine sutures and sophisticated suturing techniques.” At the same time, her mind is challenged when it comes to cancer—that is, when developing individually tailored therapies in oncology. “For me, true, deep satisfaction comes from contact with patients,” reveals Prof. Tonus. “A patient’s smile—that’s priceless to me.”
Her clear motto: “Always a personal relationship”
It is very important to her that cancer patients at her hospital have a primary point of contact throughout their treatment. “Building a relationship, taking time for people who are going through an extraordinary situation in their lives—that is so incredibly important,” she says. “I always set aside plenty of time for the initial consultation. And I tell my patients: I’m here for you, I’ll be with you through this illness, and I’ll take care of you.”
For Prof. Tonus, being compassionate and empathetic as a physician—and treating people with humanity—is a source of inner fulfillment. At the same time, she is aware of the difficult balancing act: “I’m an emotional person, and I want to stay that way—but I can only be compassionate if I maintain my inner balance and have my own sense of equilibrium.”
Soccer Provides Balance to Her Demanding Career
The beautiful location of the Asklepios Klinik St. Georg—which she has led as Medical Director since 2021—near the Outer Alster in Hamburg offers moments of calm amid the hospital’s daily routine, thanks to the view of the water. And her passion for soccer, which she shares with her now-adult son, provides a sense of balance. The joy of the sport, combined with her work in the field of surgery—which even today remains a predominantly male-dominated discipline—all fits together perfectly for this specialist, who enjoys dressing in a feminine style: “I’m not a product of gender norms, and I’ve never faced professional disadvantages as a woman.” She also believes that the feminine aspect of medicine is particularly beneficial for patients. And that’s why she emphasizes it and lives by it.
Establishment of the Central Sarcoma Center in Hamburg
Her perseverance, work ethic, energy, and—last but not least—her team spirit have steadily propelled her to the top. Her career milestones include the Offenbach Clinic, the BG Accident Clinic in Frankfurt, the Herz-Jesu Hospital in Fulda, and finally the Asklepios Clinic North and St. Georg in Hamburg, where she is now the Medical Director. After passing her board certification exam in surgery, she completed additional training in visceral surgery, specialized visceral surgery, and proctology, but general and visceral surgery has remained her specialty. In 2010, she was awarded an extraordinary professorship, and in 2017, she established the clinic group’s central sarcoma center at the Asklepios St. Georg Clinic.
“Here in Hamburg, we focus on sarcomas of the abdomen and extremities. Asklepios has centralized the treatment of these rare soft-tissue tumors throughout Germany here at the St. Georg Clinic,” explains Prof. Tonus. She is supported by an interdisciplinary team of experts from the fields of radiology, pathology, nuclear medicine, anesthesia, oncology, and radiation therapy, as well as various surgical disciplines. In 2022, a highly specialized technique was added that is still rare in Germany: intraoperative radiation therapy, also known as IORT.
Innovation: The IORT Procedure in Sarcoma Therapy
Prof. Tonus explains the procedure, which she herself has been researching for years: “We administer this radiation treatment right during the operation, while the surgical site is still open. To do this, a device shaped like a ball mat is placed in the tumor bed. This allows us to precisely target the area where the tumor was located and treat microscopic remnants that could not be removed.” The advantage of this procedure is that it spares surrounding organs and body parts, targeting only the immediate tumor environment with millimeter precision. “It’s an add-on to a necessary surgery. But the beauty of this technique is that we can spare sensitive areas like the small intestine or the ureter and keep unwanted side effects to a minimum,” says Prof. Tonus, describing the new radiation therapy. After the treatment, which lasts about 30 to 45 minutes, the surgical site is closed. “Unfortunately, sarcomas tend to recur even after successful removal; we can now better prevent this with IORT.”
President of the Asklepios Cancer Congress
Prof. Tonus is delighted with the opportunities the Asklepios hospital group offers her both professionally and in terms of her work. “I can really thrive here; I have so many opportunities—I’m satisfied,” she says. At the Asklepios Medical School, after completing her external habilitation in Frankfurt, she takes great pleasure in passing on her knowledge. As president of the Asklepios Cancer Congress in Hamburg, she will bring together doctors, nurses, psycho(onco)logists, and students in 2023 for professional exchange and continuing education. She loves engaging in collegial exchange and acquiring new knowledge. But despite the demanding nature of her field, people remain at the center of her work: “I practice personalized medicine!” emphasizes Prof. Carolin Tonus.
Prof. Tonus, we would like to thank you very much for this informative and personal conversation!
You can contact our specialist directly via her profile page on the Leading Medicine Guide.
