Professor Igal Mirovskyleading spinal surgeon
In Israeli clinics, patients from different countries undergo effective therapy for the rarest types of malignant neoplasms. Diagnosis is performed using high-precision and modern medical imaging methods and takes only a few days.
Doctors at Top Ichilov center apply a full range of effective therapeutic approaches — performing surgical interventions on the spinal and brain, conducting radiosurgery sessions, using radiation therapy and systemic chemotherapy drugs. An individual treatment plan is developed for each patient, including the most suitable therapeutic methods. Patients recover in the shortest possible time and return to their usual way of life. Moreover, the cost of ependymoma treatment in Israel is acceptable to the overwhelming majority of foreign patients. The cost of the full range of diagnostic and therapeutic procedures at Ichilov is on average 30-50% lower than in clinics of similar level in Europe and the USA.
Ependymoma Treatment in Israeli Clinics — Methods
The approaches to therapy for this disease in adult patients and children differ somewhat.
Therapeutic Protocols for Adults
Surgical resection is the main method of treating ependymomas in adult patients. The likelihood of complete resection within healthy margins is the main factor that allows for a good prognosis. The intervention is performed through craniotomy — a part of the skull is excised to give the surgeon access to the area of interest in the brain. All manipulations are performed through the formed trepanation window with minimal damage to healthy tissues.
After the operation, radiation therapy may be prescribed — the patient undergoes a certain number of radiation sessions on a high-precision linear accelerator. The accelerator is a device that generates and precisely distributes ionizing radiation within the neoplasm, without affecting healthy brain structures. Usually, from one to several dozen sessions of radiation are required. Each session takes a few minutes and is conducted once a day.
Ependymoma Treatment in Children
More than half of all diagnosed ependymomas are found in children under three years old and are usually localized in the posterior cranial fossa. The main type of therapy for such neoplasms is surgical intervention, after which radiation therapy is prescribed. Since the tumour sometimes spreads to cranial nerves and the brainstem, complete resection may be impossible, and the remaining tumour tissues are destroyed using ionizing radiation.
Radiation therapy provides local control over malignant tissues and improves the further quality of life of patients. To prevent the development of neurocognitive deficits, the total radiation dose is divided into several small fractions. Radiation is conducted in the standard EBRT mode, and more precise modes such as IMRT and VMAT may also be used.
For patients in the high-risk group, stereotactic radiosurgery is used — the neoplasm is irradiated using increased doses of radiation delivered in the form of focused radiation. Irradiation is performed on ultra-precise computerized systems like Gamma Knife or CyberKnife. Unlike classical radiation therapy, sometimes only one session is sufficient for radiosurgical treatment to destroy the tumour. This method provides good local control over the neoplasm and avoids complications such as neurotoxicity.
As an additional treatment method after surgery or radiation therapy, chemotherapy may be prescribed. Usually, several drugs from different groups are included in the regimen — platinum drugs, alkylating agents, vinca alkaloids, topoisomerase inhibitors, antimetabolites. The effectiveness of treatment increases on average by 50%.
Therapy for Patients with Recurrences
In the case of recurrence, repeat surgical intervention and a repeat course of radiation therapy may be prescribed. Chemotherapy drugs (alkylating agents, platinum compounds) may also be used. Currently, the possibility of using targeted drugs — epidermal growth factor inhibitors and monoclonal antibodies that block the formation of new blood vessels in the tumour — is actively being researched.
Therapy for Patients with Spinal Cord Neoplasms
Although most ependymomas are intracranial tumours, in some cases, the neoplasm forms from spinal cord tissues. In such cases, the treatment method is microsurgical operation, after which radiation therapy is conducted. Other treatment methods may include oral chemotherapy drugs and targeted drugs from the group of monoclonal antibodies.
Positive reviews about ependymoma treatment in Israel can be found on many online platforms where patients share their experiences. Medical tourists who have already undergone therapy in Israeli clinics note the high level of physician qualifications and the good equipment of clinics with modern technology.
Diagnosis of Ependymoma in Israel
The examination process takes several days and begins on your first day of arrival in the country. You can learn more about the possibilities of modern diagnostics by consulting with one of our clinic's doctors via video consultation. All you need for this is a computer or mobile device with the Skype application installed. While at home, you can ask an Israeli oncologist any questions you may have and receive a number of valuable recommendations. Additionally, when you arrive at the clinic, your first doctor's appointment will be free of charge.
First Day — Consultation
From the airport, you will be accompanied by a specially assigned staff member (translator-curator) to the hospital, where a leading specialist will conduct an introductory consultation and assign several different types of studies to clarify the diagnosis. The curator will not part ways with you at this point — they will assist you at all stages, translate your medical documentation, and coordinate with the doctors.
Second Day — Studies
- MRI or CT.
- Myelography with contrast.
- PCR, fluorescent hybridization, and other laboratory diagnostic methods.
Third Day — Consultation
The consultation consists of several doctors who collectively analyze the study data and develop a treatment program.
How much does ependymoma treatment cost in Israel
Many foreign patients who have already undergone treatment believe that the cost of ependymoma treatment in Israel is quite acceptable and allows them to save at least 30-40% of their budget compared to American or Western European clinics.
Advantages of Treatment at Ichilov Clinic
- Specialists, each of whom has extensive clinical experience — which is extremely important in treating such rare neoplasms as ependymoma. Our doctors have undergone advanced training courses in major American and European medical centers.
- The diagnostic process takes only a few days, thanks to the use of precise methods, allowing doctors to select the optimal therapy program.
- Ichilov uses a full range of modern and effective approaches — surgical interventions, stereotactic radiosurgery, radiation therapy, new chemotherapy regimens.
- The staff is attentive and polite, and the rooms are equipped with everything necessary. A personal curator will assist you with any questions.
Leave your contact details — we will get in touch with you and schedule you at the clinic.