Paget's disease is one of the rarest and most insidious forms of breast cancer, requiring high-precision diagnostics and timely, adequate treatment. Specialists at Top Ihilov 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 diagnostics and the use of progressive anti-cancer techniques.
If the malignant process is detected at an early stage, Paget's disease treatment in Israel results in complete victory over the disease in almost 90% of cases. The clinic's doctors 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. Moreover, in the overwhelming majority of cases, Paget's disease is associated with other breast oncological diseases – most often it pairs with intraductal carcinoma. Usually, only one breast's nipple-areolar complex is affected, although bilateral breast cancer is sometimes diagnosed.
The treatment strategy at Top Ihilov Clinic is developed considering the size of the tumor, its type, the presence or absence of invasion into 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. Paget's disease treatment in Israel, with reviews serving as the best proof of its effectiveness, is comprehensive and conducted 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 perform 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, surgeons at Top Ihilov 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 was a partial resection, to destroy any 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 may serve as the primary treatment. It is also used at advanced stages to alleviate the patient's condition. At Top Ihilov 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 a comprehensive 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 be used only if the tumor cells have receptors for female sex hormones – estrogen and progesterone, which promote their growth and spread. In such cases, medications that block the production of steroid hormones are prescribed.
Paget's Disease Diagnostics in Israel
The insidiousness of malignant tumors of the nipple and areola is 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 Top Ihilov 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 establish the type of neoplasm, its localization, degree of invasiveness, and the extent of the oncological process.
The necessary diagnostic procedures are conducted 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 consultation, 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, serous-hemorrhagic discharge from the nipple, and the presence of nodular thickening within the breast tissue.
After this, the doctor issues referrals for the necessary diagnostic studies.
Second Stage: High-Precision Diagnostics of Paget's Disease in Israel
Examination for suspected nipple tumors may include:
- mammography, which is used 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 state of nearby lymph nodes;
- magnetic resonance imaging, which helps detect suspicious changes in the nipple and/or areola tissues even before clinical symptoms appear and allows for accurate determination of key characteristics of the neoplasm. At Top Ihilov, this highly informative method is also used for differential diagnostics;
- 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 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 for the determination of the tumor type 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 diverse experts, including oncologists, mammologists, surgeons, chemotherapists, radiologists, and other specialists from Top Ihilov Clinic. They select the optimal treatment methods for the specific patient after thoroughly reviewing the examination results.
Paget's Disease Treatment 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 Top Ihilov Hospital only after the examination is completed and the therapeutic strategy is approved.
Compared to Western European countries, the prices for Paget's disease treatment in Israel are one-third lower. The difference with American medical centers is as much as 50%.
Main Advantages of Paget's Disease Treatment at Top Ihilov Clinic
- Renowned oncologist-mammologists with narrow specialization and successful experience in treating various forms of breast cancer.
- Advanced anti-cancer techniques tailored individually for each patient, considering their effectiveness and safety.
- Equipped oncology department with state-of-the-art diagnostic and therapeutic equipment.
- Reasonable balance between cost and quality of medical care.
- High level of service, assistance for international patients in organizing their trip for treatment in Israel, and full support throughout their stay in the country.