Paget's disease is one of the rarest and most insidious forms of breast cancer, requiring high-precision diagnosis and timely, adequate treatment. Specialists at the Top Ichilov clinic, including world-renowned oncologists with many years of experience, successfully combat this type of oncology, saving lives and preserving health for women from all over the world. They have access to the latest pharmacological agents and the most modern medical equipment, allowing for accurate diagnosis and the use of progressive anti-cancer techniques.
If the malignant process is detected at an early stage, treatment for Paget's disease in Israel results in a complete victory over the disease in almost 90% of cases. The doctors at the clinic strive not only to effectively remove the dangerous neoplasm, minimizing the likelihood of recurrence and preventing the development of metastases, but also to preserve the patient's breast whenever possible. In cases of complete removal, they restore the lost organ using modern reconstructive plastic techniques.
Advanced Treatment Methods for Paget's Disease in Israel
Paget's disease refers to a type of malignant lesion of the breast, where tumor cells localize in the area of the nipple and areola. It has two forms: non-invasive (in situ) and invasive, characterized by the formation of a tumor node in the perinipple area and accompanied by the risk of metastasizing to regional lymph nodes. Furthermore, in the overwhelming majority of cases, Paget's disease is associated with other breast cancers – most often it pairs with intraductal carcinoma. Typically, the nipple-areolar complex of only one breast is affected, although bilateral breast cancer is sometimes diagnosed.
The treatment strategy at the Top Ichilov clinic is developed considering the size of the tumor, its type, the presence or absence of infiltration of surrounding tissues, the combination with other malignant neoplasms of the breast, the extent of the pathological process, the age, and the condition of the patient. Treatment for Paget's disease in Israel, whose reviews serve as the best proof of its effectiveness, is comprehensive and carried out using several methods simultaneously.
Surgical removal of the tumor is considered the priority method in treating nipple cancer. If the disease is detected at the very beginning of its development, and the size of the neoplasm does not exceed two centimeters in diameter, Israeli doctors limit themselves to a breast-conserving operation. This involves local resection of the breast: the tumor is excised along with the affected nipple and areola, capturing a small area of surrounding healthy tissue to reduce the risk of recurrence.
If the oncological process has spread beyond the perinipple area, affecting adjacent parts of the breast, the surgeons at the Top Ichilov medical center perform a simple mastectomy, which involves the complete removal of the breast along with the pectoralis minor muscle and some axillary lymph nodes. In cases of invasive Paget's disease, combined with intraductal carcinoma, a more radical intervention is required: in addition to the breast itself, the surrounding adipose tissue, both pectoral muscles, and the nearest lymph nodes are also removed.
Subsequently, the lost breast or its integrity is restored through reconstructive mammoplasty.
Radiation therapy is an integral component of nipple cancer treatment. It is often performed after surgical intervention, especially if it involved partial resection, to destroy remaining tumor cells in the affected area and thereby reduce the risk of disease recurrence. In some cases, radiation is administered directly during the operation, delivering a high dose of ionizing radiation to the tumor localization area.
In cases of inoperable neoplasms, radiotherapy can serve as the primary treatment. It is also used at advanced stages to alleviate the patient's condition. At the Top Ichilov hospital, radiation is delivered using the most modern linear accelerators, which allow for targeted effects on the tumor without harming the surrounding healthy tissues and organs.
Chemotherapy is rarely included in the treatment methods for Paget's disease in Israel due to the resistance of such tumor cells to the action of cytostatic drugs. However, it is sometimes used as part of combination therapy to combat the spread of nipple cancer metastases and reduce the size of the tumor before surgery. Israeli hospitals prefer new-generation chemotherapy agents that are less toxic to the human body.
Hormonal therapy may only be used if the tumor cells have receptors for female sex hormones – estrogen and progesterone, which promote their growth and spread. In such cases, drugs that block the production of steroid hormones are prescribed.
Send your records — an Ichilov physician will reply within 1–2 days, free of charge.
Diagnosis of Paget's Disease in Israel
The insidiousness of malignant tumors of the nipple and areola lies in the fact that at the initial stages of their manifestation, they can easily be mistaken for symptoms of other, less dangerous breast pathologies. However, experienced specialists at the Top Ichilov clinic, having access to the latest diagnostic equipment and mastering the skills to work with it, can accurately recognize Paget's disease. They also precisely determine the type of neoplasm, its localization, degree of invasiveness, and the extent of the oncological process spread.
The necessary diagnostic procedures are carried out within 3–4 working days, and the process is implemented in three stages.
First Stage: Consultation with an Oncologist-Mammologist
Thanks to a well-structured medical program, the patient meets with the treating physician on the very first day of her stay in Israel. She is accompanied to the clinic by a personal manager who oversees her treatment process. During the appointment, the doctor inquires about the specifics and timing of symptom onset, studies the medical history, and examines the affected breast, noting characteristic changes in the nipple-areolar complex: erosions, ulcerations, skin irritation and peeling, serosanguineous discharge from the nipple, and the presence of nodular thickening in the breast tissue.
After this, the doctor issues referrals for the necessary diagnostic studies.
Second Stage: High-Precision Diagnosis of Paget's Disease in Israel
Examinations when suspecting a nipple tumor may include:
- mammography, which serves to detect pathological neoplasms in the breast;
- ultrasound examination – allows visualization of changes in breast tissues that are not seen in mammographic studies and determines the condition of nearby lymph nodes;
- magnetic resonance imaging, which helps detect suspicious changes in the tissues of the nipple and/or areola even before clinical symptoms appear and allows for precise determination of key characteristics of the neoplasm. At Top Ichilov, this highly informative method is also used for differential diagnosis;
- biopsy, necessary to reliably determine the morphological structure and type of the tumor. In the invasive form of Paget's disease, a sample of sentinel lymph node tissue is sometimes additionally taken;
- examination of discharge from the nipple – to check for the presence of cancer cells;
- molecular-genetic tests, which allow determining the type of tumor and its sensitivity to various therapeutic methods.
Third Stage: Development of a Treatment Plan
The therapeutic strategy is determined by a specially convened council of multidisciplinary experts, which includes oncologists, mammologists, surgeons, chemotherapists, radiologists, and other specialists from the Top Ichilov clinic. They select the optimal treatment methods for the specific patient after thoroughly reviewing the examination results.
Treatment of Paget's Disease in Israel: Cost
The cost of therapy is determined by the form of cancer, the type and size of the tumor, its characteristics, the degree of involvement of surrounding tissues and anatomical structures in the oncological process, the treatment methods used, the type of surgical intervention, the need for reconstructive plastic surgery, and much more. Based on this, the exact cost of treatment is provided by the doctors at the Top Ichilov hospital only after completing the examination and confirming the therapeutic strategy.
Compared to Western European countries, the prices for treating Paget's disease in Israel are one-third lower. The difference with American medical centers is as much as 50%.
Main Advantages of Treating Paget's Disease at the Top Ichilov Clinic
- Renowned oncologist-mammologists with specialized expertise and successful experience in treating various forms of breast cancer.
- Advanced anti-cancer techniques tailored individually for each patient, considering their effectiveness and safety.
- The oncology department is equipped with state-of-the-art diagnostic and therapeutic equipment.
- Reasonable balance between cost and quality of medical services.
- High level of service, assistance for patients from abroad in organizing trips for treatment in Israel, and full support throughout their stay in the country.