Bone Cancer Treatment

Bone cancer treatment in Israel is done by invasive surgical techniques. Using the practice of advanced technology and professional approach, Herzliya Medical center’s leading oncologists provide effective medical care to patients suffering from such a terrible and dangerous diseases. HMC’s has an excellent Oncology Department of bone cancer treatment which includes a complex of surgery, chemotherapy or a combination of these treatments.

Bone cancer

Bone cancer – is a relatively rare pathology, accompanied by the formation of a cancerous tumor which destroys bone tissue. Bone cancer is able to penetrate into any of the bones of the human body, but most commonly affects the long bones of the arms and legs. Each age category is characterized by certain types of cancer. This pathology is characterized by the formation of primary malignant tumors in the bones or joints, as well as secondary malignant tumors (metastatic bone disease), which originate from cancer cells of other organs that spread to the bones and joints from the bloodstream.

Symptoms of bone cancer

The main symptoms of bone cancer include the following
abnormalities:

• Constant, aching pain in the bones which are not connected with physical exertion
• Swelling of the joints or limbs
• Increased fragility and fractures
• Fatigue
• Weight loss

Types of Bone Cancer

• Osteosarcoma – pathology appears directly in the bone cells, most commonly diagnosed in children and young people.
• Chondrosarcoma – cancer of cartilage cells. It can develop in any part of the body where there is cartilage. It mainly affects older people.
• Ewing’s sarcoma – believed to have arisen in the nervous tissue of bone, most often seen in children and young people.

Diagnosis of Bone Cancer

Diagnosis of bone cancer in Israel is aimed at finding the localization of the pathological process.
Firstly, an orthopedic surgeon conducts a physical examination of the patient, medical history, and then, in order to identify the location and extent of the cancer, uses various tests, including:

• X-ray
• Computed tomography (CT)
• Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)
• Positron emission tomography (PET)
• Bone scintigraphy
• A biopsy of the tumor tissue sample for laboratory testing

Bone Cancer Treatments

Treatment tactics of bone cancer depends on the individual and on the stage and type of cancer, age, general health and personal preferences of the patient.Bone Cancer Treatment in Israel includes surgery, chemotherapy and radiotherapy.

Surgical methods

The goal of surgery is to remove bone cancer which is achieved by resection of the tumor together with the nearby healthy tissues and lymph nodes.

Surgical removal of a limb or part of it

With extensive limb lesions in connection with the size of tumor, as well as in cases where resection of the cancer will damage vital nerves and vessels, an amputation or a partial amputation is needed.
Basically bone cancer treatment in Israel in 90% of the cases are organ sparing.

Radiotherapy

Radiotherapy aims to eliminate abnormal cells.In the treatment of bone cancer in Israel teleirradiation is applied or brachytherapy.
Radiation therapy in conjunction with chemotherapy, often used for neoadjuvant (before surgery), thus sparing the patient from amputation.
Radiotherapy can also be used as adjuvant therapy (after surgery) to prevent relapse or when surgical intervention is not possible.

Chemotherapy

During the course of chemotherapy for the treatment of bone cancer in Israel, cytostatic is used which delays and subsequently blocks the division of cancer cells.Chemotherapy drugs most commonly are administered intravenously to increase the effect of therapy using a combination of cytotoxic drugs.The use of chemotherapy or a combination of it with radiation therapy is often used before surgery, to reduce the size of bone cancer that then allows the surgeon to perform a gentle-sparing surgery.Chemotherapy may also be used for metastases that have spread beyond the bone in other areas of the body.

Top class qualified oncology surgeons at Herzliya Medical Center use the latest technology in the surgery, allowing to save the limb and avoid amputation. Bone cancer treatment of patients at HMC are complex, with the correct treatment it no doubt increases the effectiveness of a successful therapy.