Professor Dan Flissleading otolaryngologist, ENT surgeon
The doctors at the Top Ihilov clinic have earned a reputation as virtuosos in the fight against various thyroid diseases due to their expertise and the use of the latest technologies and innovative methods, such as non-surgical treatment with radioactive iodine, radiation therapy using the latest TrueBeam systems, as well as the latest developments in the pharmaceutical industry.
All specialists at the clinic have trained at the best medical centers in the world, where they gained invaluable experience in performing precise diagnostics and treating complex and rare diseases. These are experts recognized worldwide, such as the renowned ENT surgeon Professor Dan Fliss or the famous endocrinologist Professor Naftali Stern.
Cancer Treatment at Top Ihilov - What is the Reason for Success? Watch the Video
Thyroid Carcinoma in Israel: Treatment at the Highest Level
Carcinoma (cancer) of the thyroid gland was relatively rare until recently. However, there has been a significant increase in the prevalence of this disease, with more cases of thyroid cancer diagnosed each year.
Not long ago, thyroid carcinoma was a mystery to doctors, but today, in Israel, cancer of this localization is successfully treated using modern effective methods and approaches. And this is not just empty statements. In 95% of cases, thyroid carcinoma has been successfully treated in Israel, as evidenced by patient reviews and statistical data.
- Chemotherapy. Chemotherapeutic agents are selected individually based on test results and the type of tumour. The latest medications are used – monoclonal antibodies, cytostatics, and cytotoxic drugs. Cytostatic drugs suppress growth and division processes in malignant cells, leading to their "death". Cytotoxic medications kill cells by destroying them from the inside – they destroy the nucleus and membrane, DNA and RNA of the malignant cell.
- Immunotherapy. Monoclonal antibodies are next-generation drugs created from T-lymphocytes of the human body – immune system cells. These drugs are equipped with chemical receptors that respond to intracellular proteins causing mutations and endless cell division. They find atypical cells and destroy them. The fact is that in cancer, cells begin to divide uncontrollably. The immune system cannot cope with the constantly growing number of atypical cells. To assist it, immune stimulators are "grown" in large quantities in the laboratory. Modern chemotherapeutic agents are highly active against the tumour and have minimal side effects.
- Treatment with radioactive iodine. This method is widely used by doctors in Israel due to its safety for the patient and high effectiveness concerning thyroid carcinoma. The essence of this method is the introduction of iodine 131 into the tumour and the increased ability of malignant cells to absorb it compared to healthy ones. Healthy cells do not react to iodine, and the drug has no negative effect on them.
- Radiation therapy. Used for the treatment of recurrences and metastases of thyroid carcinoma. Linear accelerators of the latest generation equipped with a navigation system that detects even the slightest movements of the patient's body and adjusts to them are used for remote irradiation. This allows for maximum precision in focusing the beam on the tumour without affecting healthy tissues. Today, innovative brachytherapy – internal radiation of the tumour, where a capsule containing radioactive material is introduced into the tumour – is increasingly used in Israel. The capsule dissolves, and the tumour cells are destroyed by the radioactive substance. The radiation effect occurs only inside the neoplasm.
- Hormonal treatment. Hormonal drugs based on thyroid hormones are prescribed as hormonal treatment. This treatment is used after surgical removal of the thyroid gland as replacement therapy due to the cessation of its hormone production function. Additionally, hormones exert a suppressive effect on cancer cells that may remain after surgery.
- Targeted therapy. Targeted treatment of thyroid carcinoma in Israel is carried out for advanced cancer to affect tumour cells – the drug slows down and suppresses the growth and development of malignant cells, resulting in tumour regression.
- Surgical treatment. The extent of the surgery depends on the size of the tumour, its type, and the degree of spread into surrounding tissues. If the carcinoma has affected part of the thyroid gland, only a lobe of the organ is removed. In cases of large carcinomas, the entire thyroid gland is excised, and even lymph nodes may be removed. This surgery is performed at Top Ihilov using the robotic system da Vinci, ensuring that the operation proceeds without complications. In some cases, the carcinoma may affect the larynx, growing into it. In such cases, the larynx is removed, and a tracheostomy is performed (a tube is inserted to create an artificial throat). The treatment of papillary thyroid carcinoma in Israel follows the same scheme, but the surgery is supplemented with radioactive iodine treatment to completely destroy any remaining malignant cells.
Thyroid Carcinoma in Israel: Accurate Diagnostics for Effective Treatment
The uniqueness of the diagnosis and treatment of thyroid carcinoma in Israel lies in the individual approach to each patient and each tumour. Each tumour, like each person, is unique and differs in mechanisms and dynamics of development, so the diagnostic approach must be personalized, and the diagnostics should be combined.
The diagnostic process at Top Ihilov takes place over 3 days – highly qualified diagnostic doctors require this time to accurately diagnose "thyroid carcinoma".
Day One – General Examination and Consultation
On the very first day at Top Ihilov, the patient meets with the leading specialist of the clinic. The doctor examines the patient, assesses their overall condition, studies the medical history and results of tests conducted at their place of residence. The doctor then compiles a medical history and issues referrals for additional tests and examinations deemed necessary in this specific case.
Day Two – Diagnostic Examination
On the second day, the actual diagnostic process takes place – the patient undergoes the examinations prescribed by the doctor.
- Laboratory tests. Blood is drawn for analysis to determine the levels of thyroid hormones and thyroid-stimulating hormone.
- Ultrasound. Ultrasound examination of the thyroid is mandatory and informative for any of its diseases. This method allows for the assessment of the thyroid's condition, changes in its structure, and visualization of the tumour.
- CT, MRI, PET-CT. These instrumental methods are used to determine the size and shape of the tumour, as well as to identify metastases. An indispensable method for detecting micrometastases and distant secondary tumours is PET-CT – a unique combination of positron emission tomography with computed tomography. By the way, PET-CT is entirely developed by Israeli doctors.
- Biopsy. If the patient has slides with examined material, a biopsy is not performed, only a review is conducted. If a biopsy has not been performed previously, an aspiration fine-needle biopsy is prescribed – taking material (aspirate) using a thin needle inserted into the detected nodule in the gland. The obtained aspirate is sent to the laboratory for cytological examination, during which the morphological composition of the cells is studied, and the presence or quantity of atypical cell elements is determined.
Day Three – Final Stage of Diagnostics
On the third day, the doctor, based on the results of the examinations, prescribes treatment individually and under the supervision of an expert group of specialists who have the authority to monitor the implementation of all prescribed therapeutic measures and make adjustments to the treatment process.
Thyroid Carcinoma: Causes and Mechanisms of Development
The most common and prevalent oncological disease of the thyroid is recognized as papillary carcinoma. Its detection rate is 70% of cases.
Papillary thyroid carcinoma arises from normal thyroid tissue. It develops as a solid or cystic formation. This type of cancer metastasizes to the lymph nodes of the neck, while distant metastases in papillary carcinoma are quite rare.
Thyroid carcinoma, particularly papillary carcinoma, more frequently affects women over the age of 50. Risk factors for the development of carcinoma, in addition to gender, include hereditary predisposition (the presence of thyroid or goiter cancers in relatives), prolonged exposure to radiation due to disasters or radiation therapy for oncological hematological diseases, as well as acute iodine deficiency in the area of residence.
Thyroid carcinoma, especially papillary carcinoma, manifests as a dense formation on the neck that grows rapidly and increases in size, neck pain radiating to the ear, hoarseness of voice, difficulties in swallowing and breathing, and the appearance of a cough in the absence of a cold or infectious respiratory disease.
Papillary Thyroid Carcinoma: Treatment in Israel Has Many Advantages
- First of all, there are highly qualified doctors with decades of practice and thousands of saved lives and healed patients.
- Secondly, there is the latest equipment available in all clinics in Israel. The doctors at Top Ihilov not only skillfully and virtuously use innovative developments in their daily practice but also create and apply experimental methods and technologies for the effective treatment of thyroid carcinoma.
- Medication treatment of thyroid carcinoma, conducted using the most modern drugs, takes priority in the therapy of any diseases at Top Ihilov.
- Surgical treatment of papillary thyroid carcinoma in Israel is performed using only the most advanced organ-preserving techniques, allowing the patient to maintain an adequate quality of life.
- Comfortable stay for the patient in a foreign country is a guarantee of their faster recovery. This issue is handled by the clinic's International Department staff, who act as translators and companions, as well as assist patients in undergoing diagnostic and therapeutic procedures and rehabilitation.
- Thyroid carcinoma in Israel: prices. The cost of treating thyroid carcinoma (papillary carcinoma) in Israel is much lower compared to clinics in Western Europe and the USA. Top Ihilov operates without intermediaries, at fixed prices, without prepayment and unnecessary additional costs for the patient. Payment is made in stages, for each procedure performed, in any convenient form.
At Top Ihilov, we care about the health of our patients and their comfortable stay. This is confirmed by the reviews of patients who have undergone successful treatment with us. If you are still in doubt about choosing a clinic or doctor, visit our website and leave a request for treatment. A medical consultant will contact you and provide you with all the information about the procedures necessary for your case and the costs of diagnostics and treatment of your disease.
And remember, it is not cancer that kills, but poor-quality treatment, inaccurate diagnostics, and the indifference of medical personnel! Thyroid carcinoma is successfully treated at a clinic with a high level of medical care and by leading specialists with a worldwide reputation.