In recent years, there has been a noticeable increase in the number of patients diagnosed with malignant skin oncopathologies. This situation is extremely concerning for medical professionals, especially since this type of disease has significantly 'younger' — previously, such a diagnosis was mostly made for elderly people, but now it is often announced to patients under the age of forty. Skin sarcoma treatment in Israel is developed and carried out by a group of specialized experts using a range of progressive surgical and conservative methods. The gentle surgeries, laser methods, and immunotherapy used in Israel alleviate symptoms and allow for remission and complete recovery in an average of 85% of cases.
The success of treatment directly depends on the stage of the pathology at which it is conducted. The high degree of aggressiveness, rapid growth, and spread of skin sarcomas also necessitate prompt examination of the patient, establishing the exact cause of pathological changes, and starting therapy. The latest high-tech equipment in Israeli clinics and the high qualifications of doctors allow for the rapid determination of the nature of the neoplasm, a detailed description of its signs, based on which treatment methods are selected. Reviews left by patients are the most convincing evidence of the effectiveness and comfortable conditions of therapy, highlighting the affordable cost of services.
Treatment Methods for the Disease
Skin sarcomas are a group of malignant tumours that include various types of oncological diseases. The most commonly diagnosed are Kaposi's sarcoma, dermatofibrosarcoma, angiosarcoma, leiomyosarcoma, and liposarcoma. Sarcomas are characterized by a higher degree of aggressiveness than most types of cancer, rapid increases in the size of the tumour focus, and the development of distant metastases. The only type of skin sarcoma that is more frequently diagnosed in young patients is dermatofibrosarcoma; the other types of skin sarcomas are mainly identified in older age.
The exact causes of skin sarcoma development are not fully understood; however, it has been proven that the negative impact of ultraviolet radiation plays a leading role, which a person is exposed to while being in direct sunlight or visiting a tanning salon.
The main and most effective method of therapy is the surgical removal of the oncological formation. However, when developing a treatment plan, it is taken into account that, more often than not, solely surgical treatment is insufficient to achieve stable remission. For this reason, a comprehensive program is developed in Israel, which includes surgical intervention, chemotherapy and radiation therapy, targeted therapy, and some other types of antitumour therapy. Conducting a full therapeutic course at the early stages of the pathology almost always ensures a positive prognosis.
Surgical Treatment
Typically, the excision of the tumour is performed using Mohs micrographic surgery, which involves performing a layer-by-layer resection of the oncological formation, with microscopic examination of each layer occurring simultaneously with the intervention. Tumour tissues are removed until the morphological analysis shows that no malignant cells are detected in the examined fragment. The undeniable advantages of this method include careful control of the complete removal of tumour tissues, which significantly prevents recurrence.
In advanced stages of the pathology, with significant invasion of the oncological formation, curettage and removal of the tumour focus in combination with a fragment of surrounding unchanged tissues are performed. In this case, pathological tissues are scraped with a curette, after which electric current is applied to the edges of the surgical wound, thus preventing bleeding by cauterizing blood vessels and eliminating isolated cancer cells.
Chemotherapy
In the treatment of skin sarcomas, chemotherapy courses are prescribed to the patient both before and after the surgical removal of the oncological formation. In the first case, the main goal is to reduce the size of the tumour focus, while after the intervention, chemotherapeutic agents effectively destroy residual cancer cells, preventing the development of recurrence. Cytostatic drugs are used systemically, administered intravenously drip or orally, and locally, in the form of ointments used for treating affected skin. In Israel, low-toxicity chemotherapeutic agents of the latest generation are used, which do not cause serious side effects in patients.
Radiotherapy
In most cases, it is prescribed in combination with chemotherapy, before and after surgical intervention. Preoperative (neoadjuvant) radiotherapy, like chemotherapy courses, aims to reduce the size of the tumour focus, while postoperative (adjuvant) therapy aims to eliminate isolated malignant cells and prevent recurrence. Sessions of external beam radiation are performed on modern equipment, using progressive technologies that ensure exposure to the entire tumour surface while minimizing the impact on normal tissues.
Immunotherapy
A modern method effective in the late stages of oncological disease, particularly when resistant to ongoing treatment. Immunotherapeutic agents activate the antitumour activity of the patient's own immune system, allowing it to bypass the masking of cancer cells, recognize them, attack, and destroy them. Monoclonal antibodies and targeted drugs from the 'small molecules' group are included in the conservative treatment regimen for skin sarcomas. The action of drugs in this group is based on inhibiting the action of the enzyme tyrosine kinase, resulting in the slowing of disease progression and preventing the development of recurrences, even in advanced cases.
Cryoablation
When treating at an early stage of the disease, provided the tumour is small and superficially located, a minimally invasive cryoablation technique is successfully used. The essence of the method lies in treating the tumour focus with liquid nitrogen delivered through a catheter. The resulting ultra-low temperature leads to the instant freezing and death of cancer cells.
Photodynamic Therapy
A characteristic feature of this modern method of removing neoplasms using a laser is the preliminary administration of a photosensitizing agent to the patient. Accumulating in pathologically altered cells, it significantly increases their sensitivity to laser radiation. When irradiating the tumour with a laser beam, its tissues undergo necrosis and destruction. The method has shown positive results in the treatment of protruding dermatofibrosarcoma and Kaposi's sarcoma.
Modern Diagnostic Methods for the Disease
Patient examination, diagnosis, and the development of a treatment program take about three days in Israeli medical centers.
During the initial consultation with the leading oncologist-dermatologist, which the patient attends on the first day of their stay at the clinic, the doctor performs a superficial examination, clarifies the specifics of the symptoms, and compiles a list of necessary examinations.
The following diagnostic procedures are performed:
- dermatoscopy;
- ultrasound examination (US);
- imaging studies (CT, MRI, PET-CT);
- biopsy with histological examination of the obtained material;
- laboratory blood tests (detailed and biochemical analyses, detection of specific tumour markers, cytogenetic tests).
The results of the studies are reviewed by a council that includes an oncologist-dermatologist and specialized experts. After studying the indicators, the doctors collectively determine the diagnosis and prescribe treatment.
How Much Does Treatment Cost
The price of the therapeutic course, determined after diagnosis and selection of treatment methods, interests most foreign patients. Treatment in Israeli clinics costs about 30% less than in Western European clinics and allows for savings of about 50% compared to the amount required in the USA.
Advantages of Treatment in Israel
- International level of doctor training.
- Modern material and technical base of clinics.
- Use of progressive antitumour therapy methods.
- Fast accurate diagnosis.
- Affordable prices.
Receiving treatment using the progressive methods available in Israel will allow you to soon forget about the disease and return to your normal life. The main thing is not to delay; contact your chosen clinic as soon as possible and confidently entrust your health to the leading oncologists in the world.