What’s New with Advanced Sarcoma Treatment in Israel?

Sarcoma afflicts connective tissues, and there are two main types of this disease: soft tissue cancers and bone cancers, as well as over 70 subtypes of sarcoma – all named after the area of the body they affect. After a diagnosis of sarcoma, doctors at Sheba Medical Center in Israel will stage the cancer to determine if it has spread, and how far. Accurate staging is essential, as it allows cancer specialists to custom design the most effective treatment program for each patient.

The frontline treatment for soft tissue sarcoma is typically surgery, which requires experienced, skilled surgeons. At Sheba Medical Center in Israel, the surgeons have trained at specialized cancer centers worldwide, giving them extensive experience in advanced surgical techniques.

Soft tissue sarcoma treatment options depend on the type, size and location of the tumor. In addition to surgery, radiation therapy, chemotherapy, and targeted drug treatment may be administered.

At Sheba’s Department of Sarcomas and Bone Tumors, physicians are involved in many exciting studies to treat sarcoma at the metastatic stage. Antiangiogenesis is one such treatment, which inhibits the development of blood vessels that fuel metastasis. Considered safe, antiangiogenesis is a cocktail of drugs given orally at home. A significant percentage (about 15%) of patients who take these drugs show a notable reduction in the size of metastases.

Osteosarcoma is the most common form of bone cancer in kids and young adults. It usually appears during adolescence, when bones grow rapidly. While osteosarcoma is the most common type of bone cancer in children, overall it is still relatively uncommon – and treatment can be complicated. In Israel, multidisciplinary doctors perform comprehensive diagnostic evaluations in order to custom tailor the most effective, progressive therapies for each child. All treatment programs are based on a holistic approach that pays attention to the child’s comfort, emotional, social and nutritional needs – alongside fighting the cancer.

When necessary, bone marrow transplants may be performed as a part of sarcoma treatment in Israel. Sheba’s Department of Bone Marrow Transplants has performed more than 2,000 transplants. The modern division features 14 private rooms, alongside comprehensive, high-tech laboratories and clinics – enabling all steps of the transplant procedure to be done efficiently on-site. A diverse team of world-renowned specialists, including hematologists, medical oncologists and radiation oncologists work together to provide optimized treatments for each individual patient, including adults and children.