At the beginning of January 2025, Prof. Dr. med. Petra Feyer died unexpectedly at the age of 69. She was an outstanding personality who shaped the field of oncological supportive medicine in Germany and across international borders for more than 30 years.
As a radiation oncologist, Petra Feyer looked beyond her field of expertise. Throughout her life, she was committed to interdisciplinary and multi-professional collaboration to develop and establish individually thought-out and implemented supportive care as an integral part of oncology. Her commitment to supportive care, both as a clinical senior physician and within many professional societies, was limitless. For many of us she was a role model, mentor and friend. Her death leaves a void that no one can fill.
Petra Feyer studied medicine at the University of Leipzig. After obtaining her specialist degree in radiology and her doctorate and habilitation in Leipzig, she was appointed as a private lecturer in 1994 at the Clinic and Polyclinic for Radiation Therapy at the Humboldt University of Berlin Charité, Campus Mitte. In 1999 she was appointed professor at the University of Cologne, Clinic and Polyclinic for Radiation Therapy. From 2000 to 2022 she was director of the clinic for radiation therapy, radiation oncology and nuclear medicine at the Vivantes Clinic Berlin-Neukölln. She was involved in numerous scientific societies and was chairwoman of the Berlin Cancer Society for many years. At MASCC, she served in many leadership roles, including chairing the 2003 and 2013 Annual Meetings in Berlin, as well as serving on the Board.
Both MASCC and the Working Group on Supportive Care in Oncology (AGSMO) will gratefully remember Prof. Feyer, and we will continue to promote her efforts to anchor supportive care as an integral part of oncology.
We will miss her greatly both as a scientific personality and as a person.
Prof. Dr. med. Karin Jordan Dr. rer. nat. Petra Ortner
Representing the scientific board of the Working Group for Supportive Care in Oncology (AGSMO) within the German Cancer Society e.V. (DKG)
