Breast cancer treatment abroad
Breast cancer is one of the most common oncological pathologies. Its characteristic feature is the formation of a malignant tumor in the glandular tissue of the breast. Cancer is manifested by deformation of the nipple and bleeding from it, compaction in the chest, keratinization of the skin. In most cases, the disease is diagnosed in women, but sometimes it occurs in men.
Attention! Until a few decades ago, breast cancer was prevalent among older women. But today the disease has become "younger" and is often found in very young girls.
Like any oncological disease, breast cancer poses a threat to the patient's life. However, modern methods of diagnosis and therapy can successfully fight the disease. When treating breast cancer abroad, in most cases, specialists manage to preserve the patient's breast and restore its external shape. And sometimes a cure is possible even without surgery.
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Benefits of Breast Cancer Treatment Abroad
Even those patients with limited financial resources tend to get breast cancer treatment abroad. After all, the advantages of foreign oncology are obvious:
- Accurate diagnostics, which determines the success of therapy;
- Constant monitoring of the reaction of the neoplasm to the effect of drugs allows mammologists to select drugs that are effective for each specific case and, if necessary, quickly change treatment regimens;
- High quality of the drugs used: foreign clinics do not use generics that cannot guarantee the result of therapy;
- The use of technologies, thanks to which, in most cases, it is possible to preserve the breast, and not to completely remove it, as oncologists of the CIS countries do;
- High-precision radiation therapy - devices of the latest generation make it possible to accurately adjust the radiation beam to the size of the tumor and reduce the negative effect on the surrounding tissues to a minimum;
- Effective chemotherapy with minimal risk of side effects and no hair loss.
The advantages of treatment abroad can also be attributed to the well-coordinated work of a whole group of specialists: doctors, diagnosticians, laboratory assistants, scientists. Their joint work creates real miracles.
How is breast oncology diagnosed in foreign clinics?
Diagnosis begins with examination and palpation of the breast. The doctor also checks the lymph nodes. If the doctor found alarming signs, the patient is referred for further examination.
Breast diagnostics in clinics abroad includes:
- Mammography is an x-ray of the breast to detect a tumor at an early stage. Used for screening and re-diagnosis when the diagnosis is already known;
- Ultrasound - the procedure makes it possible to determine whether the formation is dense or filled with liquid;
- CT and MRI - high-precision methods that reveal the degree of tumor development and the presence of metastases;
- Histological examination - the study of a tissue sample, which allows you to determine the nature of the tumor, the stage of development, the type of pathological cells. A biopsy is performed to obtain material.
Important! The doctor selects diagnostic methods that will be most informative in an individual case. To clarify the diagnosis, additional methods can be used that are not included in the standard set of examination.
Innovative Breast Cancer Treatment Abroad
Traditionally, the main method of therapy for any type of cancer is surgery. However, foreign oncologists have developed other ways to combat the disease.
For the treatment of breast cancer in foreign clinics such methods are used:
- Cryotherapy is one of the least traumatic methods. Liquid nitrogen is injected into the center of the cancer node through a cryoprobe. Under the influence of cold, cancer cells and blood vessels that feed the tumor die. The procedure is effective at the initial stage of the disease;
- Intraoperative radiation therapy - with the help of a shock dose of radiation, all atypical cells that could remain after the operation are destroyed. The procedure is performed once and after passing it, the patient no longer needs postoperative radiation therapy;
- Immunotherapy - the immunotherapy increases patient’s immunity, the body begins to recognize cancer cells and fight them on its own;
- Targeted therapy - for its implementation, special drugs are used that recognize tumor cells and purposefully act on them. At the same time, the drugs have practically no effect on the healthy surrounding tissues. Has fewer side effects than traditional chemotherapy.
Which countries are chosen for treatment?
At the slightest opportunity, our compatriots seek to get medical treatment abroad.
Most often, CIS citizens choose Israel for the treatment of breast tumors abroad. Among all developed countries, treatment success rate is highest here. Therefore, Israel has a large annual influx of medical tourists. From the countries of the former Soviet Union alone, about 30 thousand patients arrive here annually. Thanks to the support of the state, new methods are constantly being developed in Israel, and with good results they are quickly introduced into clinical practice. Often, Israeli doctors save patients with even the most advanced forms of cancer.
The second most popular country is Germany. At least 20 thousand patients with oncology undergo treatment courses in the country annually. According to the level of development, medicine in Germany occupies one of the leading places in the world. German doctors are very pedantic and always strictly adhere to all points of the treatment protocol.
About 10 thousand citizens of the CIS choose Switzerland, and 5 thousand patients choose the USA and Austria. In these countries, there is a well-developed oncological base, and scientific developments are constantly being carried out to find new methods of cancer therapy.
Advice! Unfortunately, quality treatment abroad is not available to all of our citizens. Diagnostics is much more accessible, its cost does not exceed 3-4 thousand dollars. A correctly diagnosed and adequate prescription can save a patient's life.
Cost of breast cancer treatment in clinics abroad
The cost of therapy depends on many factors, including the chosen clinic and the proposed treatment program. Based on the form and stage of the disease, medical specialists can use either one therapeutic technique or several. The price of breast cancer treatment abroad is calculated on an individual basis for each patient.
The cost of medical services is influenced by the economic development of the state. Therefore, in different countries, the prices for treatment have significant differences.
Approximate prices for the diagnosis and treatment of breast cancer are shown in the table:
Israel | Germany | Turkey | USA | |
Diagnostics ($) | 3500 | 18000 | 11000 | 23000 |
Treatment ($) | 7700 | 25000 | 15500 | 32000 |