In line for cancer patients: For the first time, patients will be able to receive advanced proton radiation therapy in Israel.
This means that in the first stage, patients suffering from brain and spinal tumors will not have to travel abroad for an extended period of time and will not have to pay about $ 100,000 for the treatment.
Hadassah Hospital and the Israeli company Pi-Cure have signed a cooperation agreement that will allow patients to receive treatment in Israel, free of charge, as part of a trial.
Once the trial begins at Hadassah, it is expected to expand to additional hospitals in Israel.
Proton radiation therapy is considered to be the next thing in the field of radiation therapy.
These are advanced radiation treatments.
In contrast to existing X-ray treatment, which is non-selective and causes damage to the tissues surrounding the tumor, proton radiation therapy focuses on the tumor itself and does not cause peripheral damage.
Proton projection.
Causes the destruction of cancer cells, Photo: Yossi Zeliger
Proton irradiation works by accurately transferring high-energy radiation to the tumor.
The radiation causes damage to the DNA of the cancer cells and leads to their destruction. The advanced treatment is given in only one percent of the hospitals in the world and is mainly intended for the treatment of children and cases of brain or chest tumors. The first treatment in the country is not intended for children.
Three years ago, the Ministry of Health published the first tender for the establishment of a national center for proton screening in Israel.
It is estimated that the treatment is intended for almost 800 patients a year and the winner of the tender was Ichilov Hospital.
But the center has not yet been established, and cancer patients from Israel who need treatment continue to fly to receive it abroad, with economic harm and distance from their family.
"This is the first time protons are being treated in Israel. The good news for Israelis is that we can offer treatments that are very difficult to perform with normal radiation. In the case of brain cancer, normal radiation can cause vision damage and brain stem damage," explains Prof. Aharon Popovzer, director of the oncology department at Hadassah Ein Hospital. vineyard.
Collaboration between Hadassah and B-Pure, Photo: Yossi Zeliger
Michael Marash, CEO of Pi-Cure, said: "Our proton device is approved by the FDA and CE, and during the summer FDA approval is also expected for a system installed in Israel.
It is an Israeli pride to bring this technology into the world. "
As mentioned, to date there is no solution for proton treatment in Israel, and patients are forced to fly to Europe or the United States in order to receive this treatment.
"Reaching the 'Unknown' '
Efrat Habib, 39, of the Halasartan community, is one of the patients who had to fly abroad to receive the treatment.
"In the case of my tumor, it was known that chemotherapy only causes damage and that proton radiation is the treatment that works," says Efrat.
"When you want to take care of yourself, you fly no matter what."
"It was in March 2020, at the height of the first wave of the Corona," she recalls.
"The sky has just closed, and we boarded one of the last flights. My husband and son stayed in the country and I only saw them after three months. It's a huge difficulty - my son was 3 and did not understand where I went. It is to get to the 'unknown', unaccompanied by doctors Yours, and trust only the staff there. "
She later underwent treatment with regular radiation, which caused her headaches and severe side effects.
"Physically, there is nothing to compare - the protons are a gift. It is a pity that it took so long for it to reach Israel, but it is good to hear that this treatment is beginning to be given in the country."
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