Лечение рака печени в Израиле

The most common form of liver cancer is hepatocellular carcinoma, which is formed from hepatocytes, liver parenchyma cells. The treatment of liver cancer in Israel is largely determined by the stage of the disease, in a private clinic, Herzliya Medical Center, a combination of surgical and therapeutic techniques is used for this purpose.

Unlike cancer of the colon, lung, breast, or other tumors that metastasize to the liver, liver cancer is the primary focus in the liver tissue. Secondary foci (metastases) in the liver are not liver cancer, their treatment and prognosis are significantly different.

Symptoms of Liver Cancer

The diagnosis of liver cancer at the initial stage is of great difficulty for the doctor due to the absence of symptoms. As the tumor grows in the liver, the patient may develop:

• Sustainable weight loss;
• Lack of appetite;
• Pain localized in the right hypochondrium;
• Nausea, vomiting;
• Fatigue, lethargy;
• Liver enlargement;
• Symptoms of bile duct obstruction: staining of the skin and eye proteins in yellow, discoloration of feces.

Diagnosis of liver cancer

Diagnostics is carried out using innovative techniques and modern equipment:

• A blood test for the level of liver functionality. Abnormal results indicate liver damage;
• Instrumental diagnostics. In order to diagnose liver cancer, instrumental checks are performed: ultrasound (ultrasound), computed and magnetic resonance imaging (CT and MRI). They allow you to visualize the neoplasm, determine its size and localization, the degree of infiltration into nearby organs, including the lymph nodes;
• Liver biopsy. During the biopsy, a small area of ​​liver tissue is obtained and then subjected to histological examination. The presence of atypical cells in the sample confirms the diagnosis of liver cancer. A biopsy is performed by the puncture method: percutaneous puncture and aspiration are performed using a small amount of biological material using a syringe. The procedure is performed under local anesthesia and under the control of CT or ultrasound.

Liver cancer treatment in Israel

Treatment of liver cancer in Israel is planned based on the stage of the disease. To determine the stage, a series of additional tests are performed, which are designed to establish the scale of the primary lesion and the degree of prevalence of the malignant process: infiltration into adjacent organs and the presence of metastases. Cancer treatment in Israel , in the private clinic “Herzliya Medical Center”, includes the preparation of an individual plan that takes into account the stage of the process, the patient’s age, history of the patient, and, of course, individual preferences regarding further treatment measures.

The main methods of treatment of liver oncology:

• Surgery. In the presence of a small single malignant neoplasm, it is possible to perform a partial resection of the liver — to remove the tumor and adjacent healthy tissue segments;
• Cryoablation is the effect on cancer cells at low temperatures that cause their destruction. The procedure is performed under ultrasound control, bringing a catheter containing a cryogen, a cooling substance, to the tumor;
• Radiofrequency ablation — destruction of a tumor by high-frequency energy, causing hyperthermia and death of malignant cells;
• Transdermal or intraoperative ethanol injection — the destruction of a cancerous tumor by introducing a solution of ethyl alcohol into it. Ethanol can be injected into the tumor site through a puncture of the skin or during surgery;
• Chemoembolization is a method of treating liver cancer in Israel using local chemotherapy. A cytostatic drug is injected into the artery supplying the tumor with blood, causing the closure of its lumen;
• Radiotherapy — exposure to ionizing radiation. In Israel, the technique of stereotactic radiosurgery is widely used — focused exposure of the tumor from several sources directed at different angles;
• Targeted therapy — treatment of liver cancer using targeted (targeted) drugs that suppress angiogenesis — the formation of new blood vessels that supply blood to the tumor tissue. Targeted therapy slows the growth of a cancerous tumor and inhibits the progress of the disease;
• Palliative therapy — treatment aimed at alleviating the symptoms of the disease, in particular, pain.

It is well known that the prognosis of liver cancer is generally poor. However, oncologists at the Herzliya Medical Center private clinic recommend not treating this disease as untreatable. Thanks to modern techniques, it is possible to increase the life expectancy of patients with liver cancer and significantly improve its quality.