Oncology

Cancer treatment in Israel depends on the location and stage of the tumor as well as individual needs of the patient. The doctors at the Oncology Department of the Assuta Clinic in Israel use only the most effective and sparing methods of cancer treatment. The Assuta oncologists aspire to reach the best therapeutic outcome with the least possible exposure of the patient’s body to harmful effects. The oncologists of the Assuta Clinic actively use the following cancer treatment methods in Israel:

• Surgery;
• Advanced radiation therapy;
• State-of-the-art treatments (TIL immunotherapy, CAR T-cell therapy).

The Assuta private clinic provides all advantages of cancer treatment in Israel. To its foreign patients, the clinic offers cancer treatment in Israel without intermediaries. The therapy follows personalized plans developed according to the molecular genetic profile of a specific tumor.

Treatment protocols are developed by Professor Moshe Inbar, an oncologist with 40 years of professional experience, author of more than 230 research papers, ex-president of the Israeli Association of Oncology and Radiation Therapy. Apart from conventional chemotherapy drugs, the professor uses new-generation immunotherapy and targeted therapy drugs. These medications are highly effective pills against cancer that cause minimal side effects.

About 90% of surgical procedures for breast cancer at the Assuta Clinic in Israel are organ-preserving. Not every cancer clinic in Israel can boast such high rates. To destroy any remaining tumor cells, Israeli physicians may order intraoperative radiation therapy (IORT). In this case, radiation is given only to the affected part of the breast during surgery. After IORT, there is usually no need in prolonged postoperative radiotherapy. The removal of axillary lymph nodes in breast cancer patients often leads to lymphedema, a severe complication that significantly restrains arm movement. To avoid unnecessary lymph node removal, the Assuta surgeons perform a sentinel lymph node biopsy. This means removal of a single lymph node most likely to contain cancer cells. If this lymph node is not affected, doctors do not remove other lymph nodes. Assuta is one of the few Israeli cancer clinics offering this procedure.

• Mohs surgery for skin cancer.

Mohs surgery is usually recommended for non-melanoma skin cancer (for example, a basalioma) if the tumor is located on the face or in other areas where it is impossible to remove a lot of tissue. During surgery, the doctor removes tissues in the affected area layer by layer. The removed cells are immediately studied under the microscope. This helps avoid excessive tissue removal and prevent scars and other defects on the face.

• Robot-assisted surgery for prostate cancer.

Assuta is rightfully considered the most advanced cancer clinic in Israel. The doctors actively use the “Da Vinci” surgical robot to perform endoscopic (minimally invasive) surgical procedures and remove the prostate affected by cancer. The doctor controls the robotic arms while sitting at the special console. A robot-assisted prostatectomy has the following advantages:

• A chance to preserve the nerves responsible for erections;
• Lesser blood loss in comparison with open surgery;
• Lower risk of complications;
• Faster recovery.

Along with conventional chemotherapy, physicians at the Assuta Clinic use advanced cancer treatment methods based on molecular genetic profiling of the tumor.

Advancer cancer treatment methods include hormone therapy, targeted therapy, and immunotherapy.

• TIL Immunotherapy for Melanoma

Metastatic melanoma therapy according to the TIL (tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes) protocol was developed by scientists from a famous cancer center in Israel. The method consists in the use of the patient’s lymphocytes to fight a malignant tumor. As observations show, in some cases this type of treatment not only slows down the progression of the disease, but also completely cures patients with stage 4 melanoma.

• CAR T-Cell Therapy for Blood Cancer

The CAR T-cell therapy was developed in Israel. It is known that cancer cells can disguise themselves and thus avoid recognition and destruction by the immune system. CAR T-cell therapy “trains” the immune system T-cells to detect and destroy tumor cells. Within the last 5 years, this method has been successfully used to treat leukemia and some types of non-Hodgkin lymphoma.

1. Professor Inbar’s extensive experience in cancer diagnosis. The professor has worked in the leading cancer centers of the world, including the famous Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center and MD Anderson Cancer Center (USA). His overall professional experience exceeds 40 years. This helps the professor revise 25-30% of diagnoses received by foreign patients in their home countries.
2. Modern methods of medical imaging. Assuta is considered the best cancer treatment clinic in Israel thanks to both experienced doctors and advanced equipment. This clinic has MRI, CT and PET/CT scanners of the latest generation. The Assuta specialists use them to detect cancer foci left unrevealed in other clinics.

1. An application to the clinic. The patient sends an application form and available medical documents (medical records, study results, etc.) to the clinic. Within 1-2 hours, a clinic physician contacts the patient. After a conversation with the patient, the doctor discusses his or her condition during a case conference. After that, the patient receives a price quotation: a diagnosis plan and prices for cancer treatment in Israel.
2. Preparation for the trip. The clinic’s international department helps the patient purchase flight tickets and book a hotel or an apartment.
3. Meeting and accommodation. A clinic’s representative meets the patient at the airport and accompanies him or her to the chosen hotel or apartment.
4. The first visit to the clinic. On the day of arrival (or the next day in case of a late-night flight), the patient visits a Russian-speaking diagnostician. If the patient brings biopsy slides or blocks, they will be sent for revision. The doctor examines the patient and refers them for diagnostic procedures.
5. Diagnostic procedures. Within 1-2 days, the patient undergoes recommended diagnostic procedures. Every time, the patient is accompanied to the clinic by a coordinator/interpreter with a medical degree.
6. Consultation with an oncologist and treatment strategy planning. The patient consults an oncologist specializing in their type of disease. The doctor makes a final diagnosis, answers the questions and offers treatment options.
7. The patient receives treatment that may be started on the very next day after diagnosis. If preferred, he or she may receive treatment according to Israeli protocols in his or her home country. For this purpose, the patient is provided with Israeli doctors’ recommendations translated into Russian or English.
8. The return trip. Having received treatment, the patient gets a medical report and recommendations from Israeli specialists. A clinic’s representative accompanies the patient to the airport.

You can ask any questions about treatment at the Assuta Clinic by leaving an application on the website or by phone +7495-78992301 (your call will be forwarded to the clinic’s international department in Israel free of charge). Our consulting physician will call you back within 1-2 hours. The consultation is completely free. Confidentiality is guaranteed.