What Benefits Does Israel Offer to Secondary Myelofibrosis Patients?

Learn more about the advanced yet affordable care available in Israel

Myelofibrosis (MF), considered to be a chronic form of leukemia, is an uncommon type of bone marrow cancer that occurs primarily in people 50 and older. While children and young adults may also develop MF, it is extremely uncommon.
A mutation in immature blood-forming bone marrow cells may result in the creation of myelofibrotic cells, which, after multiplying, can cause a build-up of fibrous scar tissue in the bone marrow that replaces the healthy, soft and spongy tissue that is normally there. This scar tissue, called fibrosis, can seriously hamper the bone marrow’s ability to produce normal blood cells, leading to an increased risk of bleeding and severe anemia that can cause weakness and fatigue. Myelofibrosis is generally a slow-growing cancer, and many people are able to live with it for years without detection.

When myelofibrosis occurs on its own, it is classified as primary myelofibrosis. If it occurs as the result of another disease of the bone marrow, such as essential thrombocythemia or polycythemia, it is classified as secondary myelofibrosis.

Myelofibrosis treatment options depend on the type and size of the tumor and include radiation therapy, chemotherapy, targeted therapy, and bone marrow transplantation, which is currently the only curative treatment for MF.

Bone Marrow Transplantation for Secondary Myelofibrosis

Being the only available curative treatment for the malignancy, a bone marrow transplantation, when available, can be an important part of secondary myelofibrosis treatment. The procedure involves depleting the diseased bone marrow with chemotherapy or radiation and then intravenously infusing healthy donor cells into the patient. The new partially differentiated cells travel to the bone marrow, where they begin to produce new blood cells. At Sheba Medical Center, the largest hospital in Israel, the Department of Bone Marrow Transplants features 14 private rooms, alongside comprehensive, high-tech laboratories and clinics – enabling all steps of the transplant procedure to be completed efficiently on-site. The department has performed more than 2,000 transplants to date and employs a diverse team of world-renowned specialists, including hematologists, medical oncologists, and radiation oncologists, who all work together to provide optimized treatments for each individual patient.

Benefits of Secondary Myelofibrosis Treatment in Israel

• Advanced Treatment: Medical institutions in Israel and the US often collaborate in advanced cancer research, developing new and effective treatments against the disease, yet Israel has fewer constraints than the US when it comes to adopting novel treatments. Israeli clinical trials still adhere to the highest standards of safety, but innovative treatments are generally made available to patients sooner than in the US.
• Quality of Care: Israeli physicians are exceptionally well-trained and often spend even more time on their medical education than American doctors. Also, you can be assured of high standards and strict safety regulations if you choose a hospital accredited by a trustworthy authority.

• Cost: In many countries, healthcare costs can be exorbitant. Without insurance, the costs of cancer treatment can be crippling. Prices are much lower in Israel, averaging 30-80% less than in the US, for example. That said, you’re not trading affordability for quality, since Israeli specialists, medical institutions, equipment, and procedures are among the most advanced in the world.

Where to Pursue Treatment in Israel?

Having discovered a few of the many advantages of getting secondary myelofibrosis Treatment in Israel, where exactly should you pursue it? Sheba Medical Center is an exceptional choice. One of the 10 best hospitals in the world according to Newsweek magazine, Sheba is dedicated to providing patients with world-class medical care.

Within our Department of Sarcomas and Bone Tumors, Sheba is actively involved in exciting clinical studies to develop new treatments for osteosarcoma in children.

The advantages of receiving treatment at Sheba Medical Center include:

• As a government institution, we have no hidden costs, and our fees are transparent. Although we offer advanced treatments that are available only in select medical institutions around the world, our prices are affordable.
• Sheba treats each patient as a unique individual, personalizing every therapy program.
• Sheba’s 360-degree care approach to every patient, which means that Sheba’s professionals will assist you with arranging medical record reviews, travel, visas, accommodations, and language interpretation as needed.
• Sheba has full accreditation from the Joint Commission International (JCI), the premier international healthcare accrediting group. 
• Sheba has both advanced treatment and laboratory facilities. At Sheba, patients receive every aspect of their treatment in a single facility.
• Our physicians are actively involved in the latest research and application of progressive treatments.
• Multidisciplinary medicine: at Sheba, specialists from various departments, including hemato-oncologists, geneticists, neuro-radiologists, and radiation oncologists, collaborate to create a holistic treatment plan.