Retinoblastoma Treatment in Israel

In 35% of children who come to Top Ichilov from Eastern Europe for retinoblastoma treatment, the cancer diagnosis is not confirmed.

The examination for retinoblastoma in Top Ichilov takes 3 days and costs $3,523.

Retinoblastoma treatment in Top Ichilov is provided by Doctor H. Stolovich, Head of Pediatric Ophthalmology Department.

Chemotherapy: ophthalmic artery infusion, chemoreduction, intravitreal chemotherapy, intrathecal chemotherapy, chemotherapy using nanoparticles.

Laser therapy: transpupillary thermotherapy.

Radiation therapy: radioactive plaque brachytherapy.

Targeted therapy: oncolytic virus therapy.

Photocoagulation.

Cryotherapy.

Hematopoietic stem cell transplantation.

What Are The Main Causes Of Retinoblastoma?

Genetic mutations are the main cause of retinoblastoma. Some genetic mutations happen spontaneously, without any specific predisposition. In 25% of cases, the disease is hereditary. This means that a child can receive the abnormal genes from the parents.

What Are The Main Symptoms Of Retinoblastoma And How Is It Diagnosed?

The symptoms of retinoblastoma include:

• a white spot in the center of the eye;
• strabismus;
• eye swelling;
• eyeballs that look enlarged;
• eyeballs that appear black and bulging.

The child may not even notice that something is wrong but the parents may detect a strange white spot in the center of the eye. In most cases, this is the primary sign of the cancer of the retina. Sometimes, the disease manifests in the form of strabismus. This is a very widespread ocular disorder that develops due to different causes, but the parents should still visit a specialist and get their child examined. The specialist will evaluate not only the eye itself but also the retina since strabismus in children may be associated with retinoblastoma.

Besides, pain or signs of eye swelling may also be present. The eyeball appears enlarged, black and somewhat bulging. These symptoms may be seen in the advanced stages of retinoblastoma.

There is a simple test that any parent can do at home to check whether their child has retinoblastoma. For the test, take a photo of your son or daughter using speedlight. A normal eye will have a black or red pupil in the photograph. Sometimes, however, the reflection of light is neither black nor red; it’s white. This may indicate cancer of the retina. Any person can carry out this diagnostic procedure at home. This is a very useful and simple test.

The Retinoblastoma Examination Program In Top Ichilov

Day 1. Appointment with a Diagnostician

The child is received by Doctor I. Molchanov, Head of Cancer Diagnosis Department. The doctor conducts a physical examination of the child and talks to their parents to specify the symptoms of the disease, past treatments, etc. The doctor compiles the child’s health history in Hebrew for the Israeli specialists and refers the patient for further studies.

Day 2. Imaging Studies

The doctor may recommend:

• ocular ultrasound;
• MRI;
• computed tomography.

Day 3. Treatment Program

The child’s parents consult with an oncologist. The doctor informs them of the diagnosis based on the examination results and offers a personalized treatment program.

Duration of staying in Israel for the complete examination: 3-4 working days. Price: $3,523.

✓ Right now: An opportunity to consult a Top Ichilov physician free of charge

It is important to determine the type of the disease before starting treatment in your home country. Consult an Israeli physician right now, free of charge. Find out the cost of the diagnostic procedures you need, in Top Ichilov.

What Are The Advantages Of Retinoblastoma Treatment In Israel?

1. Fast accurate diagnosis using state-of-the-art diagnostic options. To determine the correct treatment strategy, specialists must examine the patient using cutting-edge diagnostic methods. A thorough examination helps check for the signs of cancer spread and detect metastatic tumors. The Top Ichilov Israeli Clinic has the facilities for comprehensive diagnosis. Here, specialists provide ocular MRI as well as ultrasound and fine-needle aspiration biopsy of the tumor. Instead of a new biopsy, foreign patients may opt for a revision of the biopsy performed in a different clinic and even in a different country. The price for revision starts from $600.
2. Effective, advanced treatment. Along with the conventional retinoblastoma treatment options, doctors in Israel use such state-of-the-art methods as brachytherapy. This is irradiation of the tumor using a source placed inside the body, into the tumor area. For retinoblastoma, the radioactive substance is placed onto the sclera near the tumor with a special applicator. It is left there for a few days.

Physicians Who Provide Retinoblastoma Treatment In Top Ichilov

Retinoblastoma patients who come to Top Ichilov for examination and treatment, may count on being consulted by the leading experts:

Doctor Haim Stolovich, Head of Ichilov Pediatric Ophthalmology Unit with more than 45 years of work experience. Provides examination and treatment for children’s eye diseases including malignant tumors of the eye.

Professor Anat Loewenstein, leading Israeli specialist in retinal disease treatment, Head of Ophthalmology Department at Ichilov Hospital. Was included by the Forbes Magazine into the top list of the country’s best physicians in 2016. Provides conservative and surgical treatment for malignant tumors and other conditions of the eye.

Retinoblastoma Treatment Options In Top Ichilov

At present, there exist numerous chemotherapy agents able to trigger an excellent response from the retinal tumor. In some cases, it is even possible to preserve the eye. Of course, saving the patient’s life is always the top priority in cancer treatment but in these situations, it is possible not only to ensure the sick child’s survival but also to preserve the affected eye if the disease has been detected in its earlier stages. Naturally, in the more advanced stages of retinoblastoma, the affected eye may have to be removed but such procedures are only indicated if the eye has suffered extensive damage. In the modern world, the need for such drastic measures arises rarely.

Local chemotherapy is another state-of-the-art retinoblastoma treatment option. The chemotherapy agent is injected into the tumor area through the artery that feeds the eye. Such a procedure may replace several courses of conventional systemic chemotherapy. Its cost starts from $12,000.

For small tumors, doctors in Israel use a different cutting-edge treatment option – photocoagulation. It uses a laser to destroy blood vessels feeding the tumor. The cost of the procedure starts from $3,800.

In the most severe cases where the eyeball removal (enucleation) is inevitable, Israeli ophthalmologists use latest-generation prosthetic eyes. These prostheses move in perfect sync with the healthy eye and are virtually indistinguishable from it.

What Are The Complications Of Retinoblastoma?

Complications of retinoblastoma may arise if the disease is too aggressive, if it has not been detected in time or if the treatment has been stopped halfway. Strictly speaking, retinoblastoma is a tumor growing within the eye so any complications imply cancer spreading outside the eye. When this happens, the cancer spreads into the brain through the optic nerve. Such a complication may be fatal. In other cases, the cancer grows through the back of the eye and spreads into other organs and tissues inside the body.

Is It Possible To Prevent Retinoblastoma?

Retinoblastoma cannot be prevented. However, in some cases where the disease is hereditary or found in both eyes at the same time, retinal cancer risk in the next child in the family may be prognosed to a certain degree. A genetic analysis is also available. At present, the condition may be detected in early stages by means of genetic screening and informing parents about the disease. There have been cases of planned premature birth in order to treat a child with retinoblastoma found during prenatal screening. Timely treatment in Israel helps preserve the affected eye.

Parents should make every possible effort to help detect this condition in the earliest stages. Early detection of retinoblastoma ensures almost 100% cure. At the same time, if the diagnosis is made too late, retinal cancer leads to death in 100% of cases.

What’s New In Retinoblastoma Treatment

Researchers study the possibility of using chemotherapy in combination with local treatments to achieve the high survival rates ensured by standard treatment but without the destructive, prolonged side effects of radiation therapy. A group of experts from Switzerland assessed the effectiveness of chemotherapy and local treatment in over 30 children with newly diagnosed retinoblastoma. The patients underwent from two to five courses of combined chemotherapy using etoposide and carboplatin. Each chemotherapy course was followed by additional local treatment: cryotherapy, photocoagulation and plaque brachytherapy.

All retinoblastomas responded to treatment. Out of patients with the least severe disease, almost 70% were cured thanks to only chemotherapy and local treatments. From the other hand, out of patients with more advanced disease, only 40% were able to avoid aggressive treatment (external beam radiation therapy and/or enucleation) without cancer recurring. The results of the study show that chemotherapy combined with local therapy can be an effective treatment for low-grade retinoblastoma. It also helps avoid eye loss or irradiation. These data stand in contrast to the treatment results in patients with more aggressive cancer. This is why further research is needed to develop more effective therapy options.

Advanced Retinoblastoma Treatment Options In Top Ichilov

Chemoreduction

This is a combined treatment that includes:

• Chemotherapy to shrink the tumor;
• Focal therapy (for instance, transpupillary thermotherapy, one of the laser therapy options) to control the disease.

This treatment option helps preserve the eye and vision in a child with retinoblastoma. It is used to treat small tumors.

Brachytherapy

This type of radiation therapy helps avoid enucleation, or eye removal. Irradiation is provided with a special plaque, a small metal plate with a radioactive substance. It is briefly attached to the surface of the eye near the tumor.

Brachytherapy destroys the tumor without affecting the healthy tissues of the eye.

What Is The Cost Of Retinoblastoma Treatment In Israel

How To Receive Retinoblastoma Treatment In Top Ichilov

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