Treatment of Orbital Cancer in Israel

Professor Igal Leibovich

Ophthalmologist, specialist in oculoplastic surgery

At the Top Ichilov clinic for the treatment of orbital cancer, a rare but very dangerous oncological disease, the latest methods and technologies are used, which have proven their high efficacy and safety, such as innovative polychemotherapy drugs, the new Israeli medical science immune therapy ACT, radiation therapy using the latest generation TrueBeam systems, and many others.

100%

high-precision diagnostic program

1870

patients have undergone successful treatment for orbital cancer at Ichilov clinic

30%

of cancer cases can be prevented thanks to diagnosis at stage 0

Treatment of Orbital Cancer in Israel At the Top Ichilov clinic, doctors possess invaluable experience gained over years of practice and internships at leading medical centers worldwide. All specialists are renowned figures who highly value their reputation, which excludes medical errors as a phenomenon alien to Israeli medicine.

Doctors at the Top Ichilov clinic are equipped with the latest inventions and developments in science, technology, and pharmacology. The doctors not only skillfully apply innovative techniques and modern medications in practice but also participate directly in the development and clinical trials of new technologies and drugs.

Orbital Cancer: Experimental Treatment in Israel

Orbital cancer in Israel is treated using a comprehensive approach, the latest equipment, and next-generation drugs. Treatment for orbital cancer is carried out according to an individually tailored plan for each patient based on the results of diagnostic examinations and international protocols.

Polychemotherapy. Polychemotherapy involves treatment with several antitumor drugs. In the treatment of orbital cancer in Israel, cytostatic drugs are used that inhibit the growth and division of tumor cells, which subsequently leads to their apoptosis. Cytotoxic drugs are also used, which aim to destroy cancer cells by breaking them down at the molecular level (destroying the cell membrane, nucleus). The result of this group of drugs is cell necrosis – its complete death. Currently, the chemotherapy regimen includes the latest generation of drugs – immune therapy agents that stimulate the patient's immune system to destroy foreign agents – atypical cells. New drugs are equipped with special chemical receptors that respond to intracellular proteins causing mutations and continuous cell division. They not only find foreign cells but also destroy them at the DNA level. With high destructive activity against tumor cells, the new generation drugs have minimal side effects.
ACT immune therapy method – a breakthrough in Israeli medicine, one of the discoveries of the century that has given humanity real hope for overcoming cancer.
Radiation therapy. Radiation at Top Ichilov is conducted using the latest generation linear accelerators. The Novalis and TrueBeam systems are equipped with a navigation system used in NASA: this system allows the device to adjust to the slightest changes in the patient's body position, even to breathing movements, to changes in the shape of the tumor during breathing, and to accurately focus the beam on the tumor without affecting surrounding healthy tissues. This approach minimizes radiation exposure to the entire body and effectively impacts cancer cells. The method is also applicable for irradiating areas with metastases from orbital cancer, which contributes to their regression and allows, like chemotherapy, to reduce the size of the tumor or metastases and perform surgical intervention.
Surgical treatment. Surgical intervention is applied only if conservative methods have not yielded the expected results or if the orbital tumor has spread beyond the eye. In such cases, the eyeball is completely removed along with all adjacent structures, regional lymph nodes, and distant metastases (orbital cancer can metastasize to the liver, lungs).

Oncological surgery of the orbit

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Orbital Cancer: Accurate Diagnosis – Easy and Fast

Due to the rarity and under-researched nature of this form of cancer, orbital cancer is diagnosed in CIS clinics only at terminal stages, when it is no longer possible to save the patient. In Israel, thanks to modern high-precision equipment, orbital cancer is detected at the earliest stages of development.

Orbital cancer in Israel is diagnosed quickly and accurately, within 3 days, according to an individual diagnostic program, adhering to all international standards and protocols.

Day 1
Day 2
Day 3

Day One – Consultation and Examination by the Leading Ocular Oncologist

As soon as the patient arrives at Top Ichilov, they are examined by the leading ocular oncologist. The doctor reviews the patient's medical documentation, including the medical history, test results, and studies conducted by the patient at their place of residence, performs a general examination to assess the patient's overall condition, compiles a medical history, and issues referrals for diagnostic procedures.

Day Two – Diagnostic Procedures

Physical examination. The doctor conducts a physical examination to identify external signs of orbital cancer.
Ophthalmoscopic examination. Changes in certain structures of the eye and pathological processes are detected, such as optic nerve atrophy, changes in the blood vessels of the fundus, and signs of stagnation in the optic nerve discs.
Ultrasound. Ultrasound examination allows for the detection of the orbital tumor and examination of the internal structures of the eye for pathological changes.
X-ray. Radiological examination is conducted to identify deformations and destruction of the bony tissue of the orbit, to establish the degree of pathological changes and spread.
CT, MRI, PET-CT. These studies are performed to assess the condition of the entire body, to detect pathological changes in internal organs and the extent of tumor spread, i.e., the presence of metastases (the smallest and most distant in other organs and tissues of the body). Positron emission tomography combined with computed tomography (PET-CT), developed in Israel, is particularly informative.
Eye angiography. This study involves examining the condition of the blood vessels of the orbit. Angiography is used to determine the tumor area with an abundance of vessels feeding it.
Fine needle biopsy. Once the location of the orbital cancer focus is established, a biopsy is performed. A thin needle is used to puncture the tumor and take a sample of its tissue. During histological examination under a microscope, the type of tumor is determined based on the predominant content of certain atypical cells.

Day Three – Final Consultation and Treatment Plan

At the final stage of the diagnostic process, specialized experts are involved to make a joint decision on an individual treatment program for the patient with the orbital tumor. A radiologist, ophthalmologist, oncologist, ocular oncologist, and surgical oncologist collaboratively develop a treatment plan, which may be adjusted as necessary.

Orbital Cancer: Prevalence and Symptoms

Orbital cancer is one of the rarest oncological diseases in humans. Primary and secondary orbital cancers are distinguished. Primary orbital cancer affects both men and women equally. It is also diagnosed in children aged 5 to 12 years. Primary orbital cancer develops from orbital cells and is a relatively rare disease. The most common forms of this type are orbital sarcoma, adenocarcinoma, and adenoid cystic carcinoma. Secondary orbital cancer develops against the background of oncological lesions of internal organs. Metastases to the orbit can arise from cancers such as breast cancer, lung cancer, kidney cancer, prostate cancer, melanoma, lymphogranulomatosis, lymphoma, and bone cancers of the skull and jaw bones.

Among the causes of primary orbital cancer, scientists highlight genetic predisposition, prolonged exposure to ultraviolet and ionizing radiation, and prolonged exposure to carcinogenic and chemical substances. However, it is not necessary that the presence of these provoking factors will lead to the development of orbital cancer, and conversely, many patients with orbital cancer have not shown any influence from at least one of the listed factors. Based on the above, it can be concluded that the exact cause of the development of orbital cancer, like cancer of any other localization, has not yet been established.

Orbital cancer manifests with the following specific symptoms: sharp decrease in visual acuity, patients complain of blurriness and double vision, spots appear before their eyes, strabismus develops, the eyeball protrudes, eyelid tremors and eye tremors are noted, there are painful sensations in the eye, eyelid swelling, pressing pain in the eyeball, the eyeball may change shape, its mobility decreases, and tearing increases.