Since with all the same diagnosis, the same stage and conditions of the malignant tumor development, each patient still responds differently to the same treatment, Israeli doctors are working hard in the field of a personalized approach to each cancer patient achieving more effective treatment results.
Personalized medicine has been quickly developing in Israel over the past years.
Personalized medicine not only allows doctor to determine the right treatment for each patient, but also stay two steps ahead of the disease and prevent its development due to prognostic tests.
Personalized medicine is a field that adapts the treatment to each patient based on the information obtained from their genetic profile.
A genetic mutation results the tumor growth. Each tumor has its own genetic mutations characteristics, which are not necessarily the same in different patients, even if the tumor is located in the same organ in both patients. Genetic mutation affects the further development of the tumor and as mutations are different in each patients their tumors will develop differently.
Personalized oncology utilizes the genetic variation between different patients and between different tumors as well as the clinical data of each patient in order to adapt to him or her the treatment that will give the best results with a minimum side effects.
In order to define personalized treatment regimen for each patient, Israeli doctors use a variety of genetic tests such as mutations detection tests, for example EGFR and ALK genes in some lung cancer patients or mutations in the BRAF gene in melanoma patients.
Based on the mutations detection, targeted therapy will be determined and a personalized regimen will be defined.
Immunotherapy is an innovative and groundbreaking treatment method in which the patient’s immune system is mobilized to destroy cancer cells. It is a target treatment that mainly identifies and attacks the cancer cells, thus inhibiting the spread of the disease and causing less damage to healthy cells, compared to other therapeutic alternatives. Based on extensive scientific studies, it is known that in some cases the success of the therapy depends on the the PD-L1 protein presence.
The test that identifies the presence of the protein is performed today in the immunotherapy laboratory at the Israeli Pathology Laboratory. This test is the only test that can be relied on for its reliability in order to make a decision about treatment with immunotherapy drugs, and it is the one that also allows to adjust personalized treatment.
Oncotests are used in Israel to check the genomic profile of a tumor.
Israeli tests currently provide the most reliable, comprehensive and accurate information on the genomic profile of the cancer cells.
During these analyses a large number of genes are thoroughly scanned for DNA breaks, duplications and deletions and/or insertions of DNA segments. The tests are done on tumor tissue taken by biopsy or surgery.
The information obtained from the test refers to the mutations that have occurred in the genes and cause the tumor spread.
These technologies make it possible to adjust the treatment to the patient based on the unique tumor’s characteristics, and not according to general statistics.
Based on the tests treatment will be adapted to the patient’s specific genomic profile.
Usually oncotests have a few important functions – diagnostic, prognostic, predictive, determination of hereditary predisposition or their combinations.
Oncotest is done on blood sample to detect circulating cancer cells in the blood that is preforming a predicative function showing the doctor tendency of disease development. The second part of the test is determination of the tumor sensitivity to different medications.
CTC liquid biopsy test is a diagnostic tool that providing doctors and patients with a dual diagnosis of a malignant disease. During the analysis number of tumor cells (CTCs) circulating in the bloodstream are calculated. Oncotest also provides a drug list of target treatment.
Guardant 360 is a test for all types of cancer done on blood analysis, DNA segments identification and mapping to determine the tumor sensitivity to certain drugs. During the test genomic transparency is achieved through the verification of 73 genes.
The test is performed using a simple non-invasive blood test and helps to determine the target treatment. Foundation examines 70 oncogenes and identifies all possible mutations and relevance in these genes. FoundationOne Liquid Biopsy technology has the high MSI index approved by the FDA and examines the immunotherapy drugs for many cancers. The oncotest helps to monitor the cancer progression in patients with advanced diseases over time.
CellMax-PanCa Monitoring Test is a molecular genetic analysis aimed at the early detection and cancer treatment using innovative methods.
This test allows to perform an early diagnosis of cancer disease and it is based on a blood sample. Circulating tumor cells (or CTC) are cells that break away from the primary tumor and enter into the bloodstream at a very early stage of cancer progression.
These oncotests are used to determine the risk of distant metastases in patients with locally advanced stage I-III, estrogen and / or progesterone positive, and HER2 negative breast cancer to define if chemotherapy is necessary in addition to hormone therapy.
Afirma. This oncotest provides a detailed genomic profile of the patient’s thyroid node biopsy, to identify if a suspicious node is benign or malignant. This information allows doctor to decide if a surgery is necessary and to adjust the treatment as well.
Tests are intended for patients with stage II or stage III advanced colon cancer to assess the risk of cancer recurrence after surgery and the need for additional therapy.
Due to detection of prognostic biomarkers, these oncotests help the oncologist to predict how prostate cancer will develop over a long time, and when to move from active observation to the treatment.
If you are faced with the choice of a treatment method at any stage of the disease, please contact us, send your medical documents and a detailed medical history.
Our specialists will recommend you an oncotest that is suitable for your case. Our coordinator will contact you and provide all the details.
If the test requires blood samples, you will need to come to Israel. If a tissue sample is required for the test, you can send it to us from Romania to Israel by courier.
At the end of the test, you will receive a detailed report in English with a list of drugs for personalized treatment, which you can send to your attending physician.
If you want to be consulted by an Israeli doctor, we will recommend a doctor and promptly arrange a doctor consultation online.
You can get a second opinion of an Israeli oncologist, head of a specialized department and research center of one of the biggest hospitals in Israel.
If you have a question to ask a reputable doctor, if you doubt your diagnosis, faced with the choice of a treatment method, want to get a second opinion on biopsy, MRI / PET / CT scans, find out about whether there are new treatment options in your case, please contact us. We organize a doctor's consultation and treatment in Israel for Romanian patients. 