Specialists from Israeli clinics have significant experience in the therapy of both benign and malignant bile duct tumours. Just a few days after the examination begins, the patient receives a therapy program consisting of the most effective and modern methods.
At Top Ihilov, such tumours are treated using surgical resection, modern chemotherapy agents (including those administered directly into the bile ducts), contact and non-contact radiotherapy.
Treatment Methods for Bile Duct Tumours in Israel
Bile duct neoplasms can lead to obstruction, which is a dangerous complication in itself. Moreover, the tumour may be malignant and metastasize. The two most common types of neoplasms in the bile duct system are cholangiocarcinomas and bile duct polyps.
Polyps are benign formations, usually asymptomatic, and develop within the bile ducts. Most of them are less than 10 millimeters in diameter and consist of cholesterol compounds. Such polyps are found in about one in every 20 patients during ultrasound examinations.
Cholangiocarcinoma is a much more dangerous disease, representing a malignant tumour formed from mutated epithelial cells of the bile ducts. This is a relatively rare type of cancer, occurring no more than 1-2 cases per 100,000 population.
Treatment methods for bile duct tumours in Israel vary depending on the nature of the tumour. Polyps are the easiest to treat, as they can be surgically removed without requiring additional therapeutic procedures.
Surgery. If the tumour is resectable, there are no metastases in the liver, and the patient's condition allows, surgery is performed. The technique of intervention may vary, but the general principle is to remove the neoplasm and ensure drainage pathways for bile (creating an anastomosis between the gallbladder and the jejunum, duodenum, or stomach). After resection of the neoplasm, the patient undergoes adjuvant therapy using radiological and chemotherapy methods.
Chemotherapy methods. One of the experimental chemotherapy methods currently being researched for clinical implementation is transcatheter administration of antitumour chemotherapy agents directly into the bile ducts (in particular, fluorouracil derivatives). Conventional systemic chemotherapy may also be used simultaneously with cytostatics from several groups.
Radiotherapy can be conducted using either a remote method or contact method — at the time of surgery when the surgeon removes fragments of affected tissues using stents with isotopes of iridium, radium, or cobalt.
Balloon Dilation. In cases of bile duct obstruction, a balloon dilation procedure is performed (a stent is inserted into the duct, which, when inflated, expands the lumen of the duct, and then is removed).
The best evidence of how effectively bile duct tumour treatment is conducted in Israel comes from the reviews of patients who have already undergone treatment and managed to preserve not only their health but also a high quality of life. Many such reviews are sent to the Top Ihilov clinic. In them, former patients express gratitude to the clinic's doctors, thanking them for their attentive care and professionalism.
Diagnosis of Bile Duct Tumours in Israel
Diagnosis of bile duct tumours in Israel takes from three to four days.First Day — Consultation
After meeting at the airport with a designated clinic coordinator-translator, the patient travels with them to Top Ihilov, where they have a consultation with a leading specialist.
Second Day — Investigations
The next day, the patient undergoes several types of investigations.
- Ultrasound of the bile ducts — one of the preliminary diagnostic methods.
- Computed and magnetic resonance tomography — modern and informative diagnostic methods that allow visualization of the tumour in minute detail.
- Tests for biomarkers, in particular, cancer antigen CA 125, which is found in about half of patients with cholangiocarcinoma.
- Immunohistochemical examination — one of the highly accurate diagnostic methods that allows differentiation of cholangiocarcinoma from liver cancer.
- Laparoscopic examination may be performed in some cases for staging the disease.
Third Day — Medical Council
On the final day of the investigation program, a medical council is convened, headed by the leading specialist. The doctors discuss the diagnostic results and plan the treatment program.
Treatment of Bile Duct Tumours in Israel — Cost
For many European patients, treatment of bile duct tumours in Israel is preferred, and the prices of Israeli medical centers clearly contribute to this. Compared to Germany, the United Kingdom, Spain, the United States, or Canada, one can save at least 40-45% of their budget on treatment here.
Advantages of Top Ihilov
- Doctors with many years of experience in diagnosing and treating benign and malignant neoplasms of the bile ducts.
- Reduced diagnostic times, the latest equipment, and accurate laboratory research methods.
- Treatment using the newest and most effective techniques — conventional surgeries for neoplasm resection, modern chemotherapy agents, contact and non-contact radiation therapy.
- Personalized treatment program for each patient. Attentive medical staff. Personal coordinator-translator (a specialist who coordinates doctors, translates medical documentation, etc.).