Leukemia Treatment in Israel

Leukemia is a bone marrow and blood cancer, caused by abnormally high production of blast cells. As a result of healthy cells being replaced by these abnormal cells, the bone marrow is unable able to produce a sufficient number of healthy blood cells. This, in turn, leads to erythrocyte (RBC), leukocytes (WBC) and thrombocytes deficiency. The disease is also known to metastasize into other organs (liver, spleen, lymph nodes, etc.). That is why leukemia treatment includes both chemotherapy and a bone marrow transplant.

Leukemia Treatment Program

First, you will be referred for the following diagnostic procedures:

• Lab work up: Blood smear, CBC and CMP
• Bone marrow biopsy revision with IHC staining (to establish base values for further reference)
• New bone marrow biopsy and cytogenetic analysis
• PET CT scan (to evaluate lymphadenopathy)
• Abdominal US scan (to rule out hepatosplenomegaly)
• 2 hemato-oncologist consultations

Treatment program is made up of the following:

• Chemotherapy (please note that chemotherapy protocols (if indicated) will be determined after the completion of the diagnosis stage)
• Donor selection and bone marrow transplant

The procedures will take place at the state-of-the-art Sheba Tel HaShomer Medical Center. Please note that as the treatment protocols are customized for every patient, it is not possible to determine the exact cost of leukemia treatment program until all diagnostic procedures had been completed.

Types of Leukemia

Experts differentiate 4 common types of the disease; while other types also exist they are rarer.

• ALL – acute lymphoblastic leukemia
• AML – acute myeloid leukemia
• CLL – chronic lymphocytic leukemia
• CML – chronic myeloid leukemia

Symptoms

• Blood coagulation disorders
• Weakness and fatigue
• Pallor
• Frequent infections
• Dyspnea (shortness of breath)
• Headaches (usually in cases when the disease has spread to the CNS)

As all of the above can be related to other illness, the only way to diagnose the disease is by means of specialized tests.