Bladder Cancer Treatment in Israel
According to modern science, the main cause of bladder cancer is the effect of carcinogens eliminated with urine on the bladder mucosa. The main risk factors for this type of cancer thus are:
- Exposure to carcinogenic chemicals (such as plastics, dyestuff, aluminum, etc.)
- Smoking
- Chronic bladder inflammation (urinary infections or cystitis)
- Previous cancer treatment
- Family history of malignant diseases
Common symptoms include dysuria (painful urination), hematuria (blood in urine), frequent urination and nocturia.
Please find below the bladder cancer treatment in Israel program:
Work-up
The purpose of the work-up is to assess the size of the tumour and the extent of its spread. It includes the following investigations:
- Blood & urine work-up (CBC, CMP, tumour markers, coagulation factors, urinalysis and urinary culture)
- Biopsy revision
- CT urography (with contrast)
- Optional: Radioisotope renography (DMSA, MAG3)
- Urologic oncologist consultation
The aforementioned investigations will be completed within 4 business days.
The next stage involves an intravesical investigation, bladder tumour removal and further treatment.
Treatment
Depending on the findings, there are several possibilities as to the optimal method of bladder cancer treatment:
Option 1
If the tumour does not spread outside the bladder, the treatment of choice is a surgery, followed by 6 weeks of intravesical BCG or mitomycin treatment (starts two weeks following the operation).
Price of the surgery (TURBT + bladder biopsy) includes:
- Routine preoperative preparation including an ECG, chest X-ray and an anesthesiologist consultation
- Operative procedure and up to 2 days of hospitalization
- Disposable surgical materials
- Express biopsy and definitive histopathological study
It is advised you remain in Israel for approximately 5 days following your discharge from the hospital.
Option 2
In the event the tumour has invaded the bladder wall and pelvic cavity mets are suspected, systemic chemotherapy will be scheduled following TURBT surgery (resected tissue will be submitted for histopathology). A follow-up investigation will take place after completion of chemotherapy. If indicated, radical cystectomy (bladder resection) with neobladder reconstruction (usually using a fragment of your small intestine) will then be performed.
Price of treatment includes:
- TURBT + bladder biopsy.
- 4-6 cycles of systemic chemotherapy (every 3 weeks, on days 1 and 8)
** Please note that you can undergo chemotherapy in your country of residence.
- Radical cystectomy with urinary diversion by ileal conduit.
Option 3
If ureter infiltration without pelvic invasion is detected, retrograde pyelogram and ureter biopsy will be performed during the TURBT. Provided there are no contraindications, ureter tumour resection and ureteroplasty will immediately take place (TURBT, bladder biopsy, distal ureterectomy + reimplantation).
If ureter tumour resection is contraindicated due to risk of the disease spreading into the pelvic cavity, a 6-week long chemotherapy course is scheduled prior to the ureteroplasty.
Price of TURBT with ureteroplasty includes:
- Routine preoperative preparation including an ECG, chest X-ray and an anesthesiologist consultation
- Operative procedure and up to 5 days of hospitalization at Assuta Tel Aviv Hospital
- Disposable surgical materials
- Express biopsy and definitive histopathological study
It is advised you remain in Israel for approximately 10 days following your discharge from the hospital.
** Procedure can be performed utilizing the robotic da Vinci Surgical System. This will significantly decrease post-operative pain and shorten your recovery period.
