Heart Cancer Treatment in Israel

Доктор Ирина Стефански, онколог

Irina Stefanski

Doctor

Head of Chemotherapy Department

Лечение рака сердца в Израиле

Primary heart tumors are a very rare type of cancer: statistically, they are diagnosed in 1 person out of 100,000. At that, most growths (75%) are benign. This means that heart cancer only accounts for 25% of cases. Nature provided the human heart with a reliable protection from cancer: researchers believe that heart cancer is not typical of humans and occurs due to genetic malformations.

Notwithstanding the rarity of this disease, Top Ichilov specialists provide successful diagnosis and treatment for heart cancer in Israel. They are able to do so thanks to continuous studies of medical literature with descriptions of rare clinical cases as well as thanks to residency at the world’s largest cancer centers. Since heart cancer is a very rare occurrence, the accurate diagnosis is of utmost importance. The experience of the Israeli physicians helps them detect the disease within the shortest time possible.

Heart metastases are 20-30 times more frequent than primary heart cancer. They are formed by cancerous tumors of various locations. These may include melanomabreast cancer, or lung cancer. In these situations, Israeli oncologists can also offer advanced treatment programs comprising surgery, personalized chemotherapy protocols, and targeted therapy.

Heart Cancer Diagnosis In Israel

Consultation with a Cardiologist

First and foremost, the doctor examines the patient and listens to their complaints. A heart tumor may manifest with the following symptoms:

Treatment in Israel
  • Breathlessness;
  • Swollen feet;
  • Chest pain;
  • Irregular heart rhythm;
  • Fever and unexplained weight loss.

During the consultation, significant attention is paid to the patient’s health history. An Israeli physician may suspect a heart tumor if the patient has already had a stroke or an embolism. If the patient has cancer, the doctor may suspect metastases in the heart. In these cases, the cardiologist refers the patient for studies: heart ultrasound, CT or MRI.

Echocardiography

This procedure is also known as a cardiac ultrasound. As a rule, an echocardiogram is needed for the initial cancer diagnosis. This study is non-invasive and painless; it has no side effects and does not require any special preparation. If a growth is detected during ultrasound, the doctor will recommend additional imaging studies.

Computed Tomography or MRI

If a heart tumor is detected on ultrasound, an Israeli oncologist will recommend CT or MRI to acquire more detailed information on the growth. These studies help determine the exact size and location of the tumor as well as its type.

PET/CT

This option combines 2 imaging studies: positron emission tomography and CT. It helps differentiate a benign lesion from a malignant one and detect metastatic tumors including cardiac metastases.

The Program Of Heart Cancer Diagnosis In Israel

Day 1: Initial Appointment

Immediately upon arrival to the clinic, the patient is seen by a diagnostician. The appointment starts with a conversation during which the doctor investigates the main complaints of the patient. The doctor also studies the patient’s personal and family history. Afterwards, they conduct a physical examination and assess the vital signs. If the patient has brought disks with the results of MRI or other studies, they are sent for revision. The acquired information is included into the health history compiled in Hebrew for the Israeli specialists.

Day 2: Imaging Studies and Laboratory Tests

Within the day, the patient undergoes studies prescribed previously by the diagnostician. These may include:

  • Blood tests including tumor marker panel;
  • Echocardiography;
  • PET/CT.

Day 3: Diagnosis and Complete Treatment Program

The patient visits an oncologist. The doctor explains the study results and develops a personalized treatment program.

Heart Cancer Treatment Options In Israel

Since this disease is extremely rare, experts have yet to develop standard treatment options. This is why heart cancer treatment in Israel is always planned individually, depending on the type and stage of the tumor.

Surgery

If the patient has metastatic heart cancer, treatment of choice may include surgery. This treatment option is preferred when the tumor has no other metastases and the heart lesion may be removed completely. Surgery is performed by a specialist team comprising:

  • A cardiologist;
  • An oncologist;
  • A cardiothoracic surgeon.

Primary malignant tumors of the heart are mostly detected in advanced stages when they are inoperable. However, in some cases, it is possible to carry out a tumor resection with heart reconstruction including implantation of a left ventricular assist device. The Top Ichilov cardiothoracic surgeons have extensive experience in performing these surgical procedures also indicated for some other conditions.

Radiation Therapy

In every 4th patient with a malignant heart tumor, the cancer spreads into the brain. These metastases are treated with stereotactic radiosurgery. It helps destroy the metastatic tumors within a single radiotherapy session.

Chemotherapy

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If there are no brain metastases, treatment for a primary heart tumor usually starts with chemotherapy. The patient is prescribed the following chemotherapy drugs:

  • Doxorubicin;
  • Ifosfamide or dacarbazine (the latter is preferable for people over 65 years of age).

Targeted Therapy

Targeted therapy is a type of treatment that targets specific mechanisms responsible for the division and survival of cancerous cells. Since most malignant heart tumors are sarcomas, some patients are prescribed targeted therapy developed to treat sarcomas.

Prices For Heart Cancer Treatment In Israel And Other Countries

ProcedureIsraelGermanyUSA
Initial appointment and examination by a cardiologist550560600
Cardiac ultrasound275670800
Radiosurgery for brain metastases120001500020000
Computed tomography of the heart3775501200

How To Get Diagnosed And Treated For Heart Cancer In Top Ichilov

  1. Call the clinic right now: +972-37621629
  2. Or fill in the form below. Our doctor will contact you within 2 hours.

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