Treatment of prostate cancer in Israel

Prostate cancer is the most common cancer among men. For example, in Israel about 10% of men suffer from this kind of disease, in the United States and Sweden – prostate cancer stands on the first place among all types of cancer, and on 4^th place worldwide.

And, in spite of the slow development of prostate cancer, the death rate from this disease gives place only to lung cancer. That's because two-thirds of cases of prostate cancer are asymptomatic, and 60-80% of patients go to the doctor at last stages, when there is the presence of metastases in the adjacent organs or bones. But even in such cases, the treatment of prostate cancer in Israel has a high chance of success.

Isramedic cooperation experience with leading Israeli experts and world statistics show that prostate cancer is curable even when cancer is beyond the prostate capsule, and advanced techniques can significantly extend the patient`s life, even when there is metastasis of the tumor. Israeli doctors are often able to achieve 10-year survival of patients with late diagnosis.

Given the fact that the treatment of the patient with prostate cancer in Israel at the same time engaged several doctors of different specializations, the effective organization of the process of the patient's own is often quite challenging.

Our center collaborates with leading Israeli surgeons, urologists, oncologists, radiologists, therapists, and years of experience help us to carry out effective coordination of the treatment process, to reduce the length of stay of the patient in Israel and treatment costs.

Diagnosis of prostate cancer in Israel

Timely and accurate diagnosis is main condition for the successful treatment of prostate cancer in Israel. Recent advances in science make it possible to suspect a tumor of the prostate gland in a very early stage.

The easiest method of diagnosis of asymptomatic prostate cancer is the PSA test. Raising PSA level in the blood allows diagnosing prostate oncology and is an indication for prostate biopsy. Despite the large number of false positives, in Israel with the help of this method at screening examinations prostate cancer is detected in its early stages, which allows achieving positive results in treatment of prostate cancer in Israel.

General diagnostics in the treatment of prostate cancer in Israel includes several procedures:

• Blood analyses (including PSA marker, bound and free). When PSA level is above 4 ng / l, which is not always a sign of prostate cancer, be sure to appoint additional diagnostic procedures.
• Urine tests (general, biochemical, bacterial). Prostate is organ, closely linked with the whole man`s genitourinary system, and the detection of infection and inflammation in some cases explains the elevated PSA level and helps to identify co-morbidities;
• Ultrasound of the urogenital system in Israel is carried out using transrectal probe. Most tumors in prostate are detected by this method, but in early stages of the disease sensitivity of this method is rather low;
• Prostate biopsy or revision of the results of the previous biopsy is the most reliable way to diagnose a malignant pathology. Transrectal biopsy is performed under ultrasound method. The results of biopsy are studied and t are assessed on the so-called scale Glisson, which further defines the method for the treatment and prognosis of the disease;
• CT is quite sensitive diagnostic method to identify tumors, enlarged lymph nodes. Sometimes you need to use the contrast agent;
• Bone scintigraphy helps to determine the stage of the disease. Detection of bone metastases shows a fairly advanced stage of the disease;
• PET-CT or transrectal MRI (as an option). The need for this method arises in relapsed prostate cancer with suspected metastatic process;
• Urologist-oncologist consultation;
• Oncologist consultation;
• Radiation oncologist consultation.

Methods of treatment of prostate cancer in Israel

Doctors use more than 20 schemes in the treatment of prostate cancer in Israel. At present, the most effective way, both in Israel and throughout the world, is a radical prostatectomy. In general, the treatment protocol for prostate cancer in Israel consists of several steps:

Surgery. Prostatectomy (open or laparoscopy, radical or partial), is the obligatory point of treatment in almost all cases. To date, in Israeli hospitals prostatectomy very often is performed using the surgical system Da Vinci, precision equipment developed by NASA agency Israeli surgeons, are performed such radical surgery with preservation of the nerves that are responsible for erectile function. Today in Israel the resection of the prostate is carried out in several ways:

• Open surgery with incisions in the lower abdomen or through an incision in the perineum. Such operations are performed when the size of tumor is large and there are metastases in the surrounding tissue. Recovery after open surgery occurs within 3-5 weeks.
• During laparoscopic surgery are used special surgical and video equipment. Laparoscopic operations are also carried out with the use of a surgical robot. When you remove the prostate minimally invasive techniques help to significantly reduce recovery time of patients;
• TUR - transurethral resection of the prostate is carried out with small size of tumor.

Radiation therapy. Prostate cancer responds well to radiation. Radiation therapy in the treatment of prostate cancer in Israel can be used in different stages of treatment - radiotherapy may precede surgery, to fix the results of prostate removal, applied as an independent method of treatment for small tumors, in case of relapses of the disease and bone metastases.

Recovery after radiation therapy in some cases requires maintenance therapy, the use of innovative Israeli non-pharmaceutical products that improve blood counts is also effective.

Radiotherapy of prostate cancer in Israel is carried out in two ways - external and internal (brachytherapy). With internal radiation small capsule of radioactive material is implanted into the prostate or post-operative cavity for a short time. This type of exposure allows the use of higher doses of ionizing radiation on cancer cells without damaging the healthy tissues.

Hormone therapy - medical treatment is aimed at suppressing testosterone, responsible for the growth of cancer cells in the prostate gland. Hormone therapy, though doesn`t have a radical effect on prostate cancer, but it allows to slow down tumor growth, to reduce it in size.

To reduce the level of testosterone specialists you one of two ways - castration, i.e. the removal of the testes, or by means of special preparations.

High-intensity focused ultrasound ablation (HIFU) is a modern method of treatment of prostate cancer in Israel. Exposure of high frequency sound waves help to achieve the destruction of cancer cells in the prostate. Under precise sight is a tumor, but an ultrasound does not affect healthy tissue. Despite a number of side effects, this method successfully treats prostate cancer in the early stages.

Cryotherapy or freezing the tumor helps to destroy the cancer cells. This method is used in the early stages (T1 and T2) to treat tumors with moderate and low risk. Cryotherapy for the treatment of prostate in Israel is used as a first-line method of cancer, but if the radiation therapy is not effective, and there is the risk of metastases, this method is an alternative.

Doctors who specialize in the treatment of prostate cancer in Israel

Today in Israel, treatment of prostate cancer takes a lot of specialists. We are collaborating with the most successful of them, their names are well known far beyond the borders of Israel.

The surgeons, urologists:

• Professor Jack Baniel - surgeon, onco-urologist, Head of the urology department at Beilinson Hospital.
• Professor Yaakov Ramon – head of the department of urologic surgery at Sheba Medical Center, Associate Professor of Surgery at the Tel Aviv University.
• Professor Amnon Zisman - the high-qualified surgeon, head of the department of urology at Assaf Harofeh Medical Center.
• Dr. Andrew Nado - head of laparoscopic urology department at  Rabin Medical Center.

Oncologists therapists:

• Professor Avishai Sela - Director of the Institute of Cancer at the Asaf Harofeh Medical Center. Head of the Department of Oncology at Tel Aviv University.
• Dr. Ella Tepper - a senior oncologist in the oncology department at Assuta Hospital. Lecturer at the Department of Oncology at the Kaplan school for nurses.

Oncologists, radiotherapists:

• Dr. Svetlana Zalmanova - one of the best specialists in the field of radiology and oncology. Head of the Institute of radiotherapy in Assuta Hospital.
• Dr. Rafael Feffer - a leading specialist in the field of radiology and oncology (Assuta Hospital). Developer of new treatments for radiation.

Cost of the treatment of prostate cancer in Israel

The cost of treatment of prostate cancer depends on the reputation of the selected specialist. Each doctor uses his own tried and tested methods of treatment, which also affects the price of the treatment of prostate cancer in Israel. In most cases, the treatment of this disease in Israel is less than in the United States and Germany, and in some cases less than in Russia.

The cost of treatment can be increased by using system Da Vinci during prostatectomy. Despite this, many patients still choose such operations, because of their minimally invasive.