What Are the Benefits of Revolutionary HIPEC Treatment in Israel?

HIPEC, which stands for hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy, is a specialized procedure that “bathes” the abdominal cavity directly with an intense concentration of heated chemotherapy drugs.

• Complex surgery is performed to remove all metastases from the abdominal cavity. This surgical procedure can be done using conventional open surgery or a laparoscopic approach, which requires less recovery time.
• A 42° C chemotherapy wash is delivered to the abdominal cavity for about 60-90 minutes. Special care is taken to ensure that the chemicals make contact with all abdominal organs, destroying any invisible cancer cells.
• Following HIPEC, the patient wakes up and moves to the recovery room.

Sheba Medical Center in Israel is a recognized global leader in HIPEC therapy, led by Dr. Almog Ben Yaacov, MD, the Attending Surgeon at our Department of General Surgery and Surgical Oncology. Not only is Dr. Ben Yaacov the leading surgeon in Israel for performing HIPEC cancer treatment, but he was one of the first surgeons in the world to train in this innovative procedure.

Dr. Ben Yaacov’s prestigious surgical credentials include training at Semmelweis University Medical School in Hungary, where he graduated with honors. He has also completed numerous training programs across Europe and the USA. Renowned for his vast experience in surgical oncology, he specializes in complex tumors of the gastrointestinal system, as well as numerous other surgical procedures.

HIPEC uses approximately 20 times the IV dose of chemotherapy! In addition, the drugs are heated and delivered after surgical removal of the tumors. The combination of all of these approaches is what makes HIPEC cancer treatment the most effective way to attack metastatic abdominal cancer. Following this therapy, many patients who were previously considered incurable require no further chemotherapy. HIPEC cancer treatment in Israel has opened a window of hope for conquering their disease.

At Sheba Medical Center, HIPEC cancer treatment may be used to treat metastatic abdominal cancer, which often originates as gastrointestinal tumors, ovarian cancer, or mesothelioma. In the past decade, HIPEC has been applied successfully in many of these cases. At this point, more than 500 patients have already undergone HIPEC at Sheba – with very encouraging results!