According to the mortality rate of patients, uterine cancer ranks third among other types of oncological diseases. Over the past decade, the disease has grown significantly younger. If earlier it mainly affected women aged 40-45, today, among the patients, young girls under the age of 30 are increasingly found. Treatment of cancer of the uterus in Israel is based on the use of the latest protocols, with the help of which it is possible not only to block the growth of tumors, but also in many cases to save a woman a chance to become pregnant and give birth in the future.
What is the disease
Cancer of the body of the uterus is a malignant neoplasm that forms from cells of the inner mucous membrane (endometrium) or muscle tissue of an organ (myometrium). The most common (about 92% of cases) is endometrial cancer (adenocarcinoma). Up to 8% of cases are cancer of the muscle tissue of the body of the uterus (sarcoma). It is noteworthy that fibroids are often formed in the myometrium, which, unlike sarcoma, belongs to the group of benign neoplasms.
As practice shows, malignant tumors most often form in the upper region of the uterus (that is, in the bottom), and much less often in the lower part. The fallopian tubes and cervix can also become the affected area, but since oncological diseases of these structural elements of the organ have their own specifics, doctors consider them separately from cancer of the uterine body.
In determining the symptomatology of the disease, gynecological oncology in Israel is unanimous with generally accepted medical standards. So, the main signs of cancer of the body of the uterus are:
- intermenstrual bleeding and spotting from the vagina during menopause;
- pathological vaginal discharge (too abundant, watery, having an unpleasant odor, containing purulent masses, and so on);
- pain in the lower abdomen (in the early stages of the disease, it may be mild or completely absent);
- discomfort during intercourse;
- pain while urinating;
- false urge to defecate and discomfort during bowel movements.
If other organs of the small pelvis are also involved in the pathological process, a woman may experience general weakness, pain in the lower back and legs.
Many patients undergoing treatment for cancer of the body of the uterus in Israel are interested in the possible causes of the development of this disease. Chief among these is the human papillomavirus (HPV). The most dangerous types are considered to be the 16th and 18th.
In addition, oncologists identify several categories of women who are at increased risk of uterine cancer. First of all, these are patients who had to deal with hormonal imbalances: an excessively high level of estrogen and an insufficient amount of progesterone in the body.
Most often, a similar phenomenon occurs during menopause or in the process of hormone therapy, accompanied by a woman's long-term intake of estrogens.
Among other risk factors, doctors cite:
- overweight;
- hypertension;
- diabetes;
- tumor diseases of the mammary glands, ovaries;
- lack of pregnancies;
- frequent abortions;
- birth trauma.
At risk are those women whose close relatives were affected by uterine cancer. In this case, there is a genetic predisposition.
Classification of pathology by stages and forms
It is generally accepted to classify the pathological process into five successive stages.
- At zero, malignant cells are located on the surface of the endometrium or muscle / connective tissue of the uterus. The first stage is characterized by their germination into the thickness of the tissues, the second - by the spread of the tumor to the cervix.
- At the third stage, the pathological process covers the vagina, ovaries, fallopian tubes, penetrates into the regional (adjacent) lymph nodes.
- The fourth stage is accompanied by the formation of metastases in the bladder, intestines, liver, lungs and other organs located outside the small pelvis.
According to the degree of maturity, such forms of uterine cancer are distinguished:
- highly differentiated;
- poorly differentiated;
- undifferentiated.
Highly differentiated neoplasms are characterized by the preservation of many features of normal tissues. Metastasis and germination of such tumors to nearby organs occurs slowly.
Poorly differentiated neoplasms consist of cells that are very different from normal ones. These tumors are considered more aggressive and dangerous.
How is the disease diagnosed in Israeli clinics
Treatment in Israel for endometrial or myometrial cancer is carried out only after a thorough examination of each patient. Its first stage is a physical examination by a doctor, as a result of which a complex of diagnostic procedures is assigned to a woman.
In Israeli clinics, the following classic and innovative examination methods are used:
- smear for oncocytology (pap test) - collection of cells from the cervix and cervical canal for subsequent study of their structure;
- HPV testing - analysis for the presence of human papillomavirus in the body;
- blood test for oncological markers - determination of the level of chemicals formed in pathologically altered tissues;
- transvaginal ultrasound - ultrasound using a transducer inserted into the vagina;
- hysteroscopy - examination of the internal cavity of the uterus using a special device (hysteroscope) equipped with a video camera and inserted into the vagina;
- laparoscopy - examination of the state of the internal cavity of the uterus using a special device (laparoscope) equipped with a video camera and inserted through mini-punctures in the abdominal wall;
- magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) - obtaining three-dimensional images of organs by exposing the patient to a magnetic field and radio frequency waves;
- computed tomography (CT) - a method of radiation diagnostics that allows you to obtain volumetric images of the structural elements of the body due to exposure to X-rays;
- positron emission tomography (PET) - a method of radioisotope research based on the introduction into the patient's body of radiopharmaceuticals labeled with isotopes;
- biopsy - puncture sampling of uterine tissue for further histological examination.
If a patient who has decided to undergo treatment in Israel for cervical cancer or other structural element of this organ has recently undergone a biopsy at home, she can bring a tissue sample with her, and Israeli doctors will do the necessary analysis.
This technique is called revision biopsy. This service is not available in all countries. Its advantage lies in the fact that the woman will not have to undergo an unpleasant procedure again and will be able to avoid additional stress.
With the ready-made research results, the patient comes for a secondary consultation with her attending physician, where she receives recommendations for treatment.
Methods for the treatment of oncopathology of the uterus in Israel
Cancer treatment in Israel is carried out using both conservative techniques and surgery. The choice of a specific method depends on the form and stage of the disease, the age and general condition of the patient, and the presence of concomitant diseases.
Surgical treatment methods
Israeli specialists in the field of surgery have many years of experience in carrying out a range of operations aimed at preventing the spread of the pathological process. Among the methods of surgical intervention, according to indications, are used:
- trachelectomy - removal of the cervix while preserving its body;
- subtotal resection of the uterus - removal of the body of the uterus while preserving the cervix;
- total hysterectomy - complete removal of the uterus;
- hysterosalpingo-oophorectomy - removal of the uterus, ovaries and fallopian tubes;
- radical hysterectomy - removal of the uterus, appendages, upper third of the vagina, pelvic tissue and regional lymph nodes.
Cavity (open) surgery for cervical cancer in Israel is rather an exception to the rule than a generally accepted trend. The advantage of treatment in Israeli clinics also lies in the fact that local doctors prefer minimally invasive surgical interventions (laparoscopy, operations using the Da Vinci robot), which have a minimal level of trauma.
If the removal of organs of the reproductive system is to be carried out by a woman who has not yet given birth, Israeli doctors, at her request, can freeze individual eggs in order to use them for in vitro fertilization (IVF) with the subsequent transfer of the embryo into the uterus of a surrogate mother.
To eliminate small malignant neoplasms in Israeli clinics, cryodestruction (exposure to a tumor with cold), radiofrequency ablation (destruction of malignant tissues by electric current), HIFU-therapy (exposure to a tumor with focused ultrasound) are increasingly used.
Leading therapeutic techniques
Treatment of cancer of the fallopian tube in Israel, the fight against oncopathology of the body and cervix is carried out with the help of:
- radiation therapy (remote irradiation or placement of a device emitting radiation in the uterus);
- chemotherapy (prescribing cytostatic drugs to patients that affect atypical cells);
- hormone therapy (taking drugs by patients that slow down the growth of hormone-dependent neoplasms);
- immunotherapy (the use of drugs that stimulate the body's immune system to attack cancer cells).
These methods of treatment can be prescribed before surgery, if there is a need to reduce the size of the tumor and make it resectable, as well as after surgery to remove residual pathological cells. These methods are also used in the last stages of cancer - in the context of palliative therapy aimed at alleviating the condition of incurable patients.
Recovery after treatment
Rehabilitation after uterine cancer in Israel is possible both in specialized centers at leading clinics and in sanatorium-type institutions (for example, "Hamat Gader", "Hamey Tiberias" and others). Clean air, mineral-enriched waters of the Dead Sea, curative mud of the region contribute to the rapid recovery of the body after treatment and strengthen the immune system.
The indisputable advantage of rehabilitation in clinics and sanatoriums in Israel is the fact that patients are under the round-the-clock supervision of highly qualified doctors. This approach allows you to adjust the rehabilitation therapy in time and avoid complications.
How much does uterine cancer treatment cost in Israel?
Uniform prices for the treatment of uterine cancer in Israel have not been established. Clinics are entitled to independently develop price lists. Nevertheless, the pricing policy of medical institutions is strictly controlled by the country's Ministry of Health. Therefore, the rates for diagnostics and treatment here do not go beyond the limits established by the state and are lower than, for example, in the USA and Europe.
The total cost of treatment for uterine cancer in Israel will be calculated for the patient on an individual basis in the clinic of her choice. The final amount will be influenced by such factors as the number of diagnostic procedures, the methods of treatment used, the qualifications of the attending physician.
Which medical center can I contact
The following Israeli medical institutions received positive feedback from numerous patients:
- Assuta (Tel Aviv);
- Sourasky Medical Center (Top Ichilov Hospital, Tel Aviv);
- Herzliya Medical Center (Herzliya);
- Hadassah (Jerusalem);
- Medical Center. Chaim Shiba (“Tel Hashomer, Tel Aviv)
- “Rambam” (Haifa) and some others.
These clinics in Israel for the treatment of cancer of the cervix and other parts of this female reproductive organ specialize in working not only with local, but also with foreign patients, including citizens of the CIS countries.
Outcome
Cancer treatment in Israeli medical institutions is a real chance to achieve a stable long-term remission, and if the fight against the disease was started at an early stage of its development, then full recovery. Affordable pricing policy of clinics, innovative treatment protocols, the latest diagnostic and therapeutic techniques, favorable climatic conditions - these are the main reasons why you should make a choice in favor of Israel.
