Lung Cancer Treatment Breakthroughs in Israel

Lung cancer accounts for approximately one-fifth of all cancer-related deaths worldwide, and is classified into two main types: small cell and non-small cell. In small cell lung cancer patients, the cancerous cells appear small and round under a microscope, while non-small cell lung cancer cells appear larger. Non-small cell lung cancer is the more common of the two, while small cell lung cancer occurs almost exclusively in heavy smokers and usually grows and spreads faster. Besides its increased spread rate, small-cell lung cancer is also notoriously challenging to treat, as it often develops resistance to chemotherapy within a short period of time. This fact makes breakthroughs in small-cell lung cancer treatment of particular importance.

Significant lung cancer breakthroughs in Israel have made it possible to provide care even for patients with particularly challenging cases of the disease, and the high standard of lung cancer treatment in the country has made it a destination for medical tourists, such as Aleksander. The largest and most prominent of Israel’s medical facilities, Sheba Medical Center was named one of the top ten best hospitals worldwide for the last four years in a row by Newsweek Magazine in a testimony of Sheba’s role as a leader in medical science and biotechnological innovation. Following are four reasons why you should consider Sheba Medical Center for lung cancer treatment:

In another recent study, Sheba researchers focused on lung cancer genomics, which concerns the totality of DNA sequence differences between tumor cells and normal cells. While It is usually only possible to provide tailored therapy based on tumor genomics for 30-40% of patients, Sheba’s researchers are making great strides in increasing the efficacy of these treatments by comparing tumor and normal biopsies to understand specific tumor pathologies and ascribe treatment accordingly.

Through innovative research and lung cancer treatment breakthroughs, Sheba’s world-class experts can offer top-notch therapies. In addition to chemotherapy and radiation therapy, we offer the most advanced surgical procedures as well as cutting-edge immunotherapies, which have been proven to improve outcomes for both small-cell and non-small cell lung cancer patients. These include Keytruda, a monoclonal antibody that disables cancer cells’ ability to hide from the immune system, allowing it to target and destroy them.

In addition to breakthroughs in lung cancer treatment, research advances allow Sheba to provide better diagnostic tools and detect lung cancer early with little radiation exposure. For example, the development of advanced low-radiation technology enables a new type of diagnostic test to be carried out using approximately 96% less radiation than conventional imaging techniques. This revolutionary procedure was developed by the Imaging Division at Sheba Medical Center in conjunction with Tel Aviv University.