Sourasky Medical Center (Ichilov)
Sourasky Medical Center (Ichilov)
Israel, Tel Aviv
Pelles Sharon
23 years of experience
Clinic is certified :
Liver cancer treatment cost in Israel ranges from $22,000 to $40,000 for surgical removal, while essential diagnostics like a PET/CT scan run from $1,300 to $1,800. Total expenses depend on the cancer stage, the use of robotic technology, and the hospital type. International patients typically save 30–80% compared to the United States. Premier care is centered in Tel Aviv, Jerusalem, and Haifa.
Typical Liver Cancer Treatment Costs in Israel
Bookimed Expert Insight: Patients seeking high success rates should prioritize JCI-accredited centers like Sourasky Medical Center, which reports a 90% oncology success rate. For those requiring complex GI interventions, Forbes-listed experts like Dr. Menahem Ben-haim offer specialized surgical expertise. Private options like Assuta Medical Center provide the most flexibility, allowing patients to select their specific surgeon and room type for a personalized experience.
| Israel | Turkey | Austria | |
| Removal of liver cancer | from $22,000 | from $10,800 | from $40,000 |
| Radiofrequency ablation of the liver | from $9,500 | from $3,500 | from $12,000 |
| Proton-beam therapy | from $48,000 | from $70,000 | from $80,000 |
| NanoKnife | from $18,500 | from $9,500 | from $25,000 |
| CyberKnife | from $17,500 | from $4,750 | from $50,000 |
Dr. Pelles Sharon specializes in advanced liver cancer treatments at Sourasky Medical Center, including chemotherapy and targeted therapies. She actively contributes to oncological research, ensuring evidence-based patient care.
Prof. Merimsky heads the sarcoma unit at Sourasky Medical Center, bringing deep expertise in liver cancer treatment with 41 years of experience of experience.
Prof. Arber specializes in preventing and diagnosing GI cancers, not just treating them. He runs the Cancer Prevention Center at Sourasky Medical Center.
Dr. Arnon Nagler is an internationally recognized hematologist and bone marrow transplant expert. He is a Professor of Medicine at Tel Aviv University. He is Director Emeritus of Hematology & Bone Marrow Transplantation and the Cord Blood Bank at Sheba Medical Center. He earned his M.D. from the Hebrew University–Hadassah and an M.Sc. in hematopoiesis from Tel Aviv University. He completed postdoctoral training at Stanford. He is board certified in internal medicine and hematology.
He has more than 35 years of experience. He pioneered reduced‑intensity allogeneic transplant protocols for malignant and non‑malignant diseases. He founded Israel’s first public cord blood bank. He performed the country’s first cord blood transplants.
He has held international leadership roles. He served as Chair and Co‑Chair of the ALWP of the EBMT. He was a vice‑chair and long‑term member of EBMT committees. He served on the board of NetCord/EuroCord and as treasurer. He is a frequent invited speaker. He has published widely in journals such as Blood and Leukemia. He has led major clinical trials as a principal investigator and held editorial roles. He has received multiple awards for innovation and clinical excellence.
Written by Halina Shubala
Israeli oncology centres report success rates between 85% and 95% for surgical removal of early-stage liver tumours. Leading facilities like Sourasky Medical Center maintain a 90% overall oncology treatment success rate. High-volume surgery and precision techniques help maintain these surgical outcomes.
Bookimed Expert Insight: Israeli surgical success often stems from aggressive conversion therapies for complex cases. Programs like Hepatic Artery Infusion convert 80% of inoperable tumours into resectable ones. This means patients previously told they are ineligible for surgery may find options at high-volume centres like Sheba or Sourasky.
Patient Consensus: Patients emphasize that success involves long-term monitoring rather than just clinic discharge. They suggest arranging local follow-up in Australia before traveling to Israel, as scan-based checks for 24 months are the true test of surgery.
Patients choose Israel to confirm liver cancer diagnoses due to ultra-precise histopathology re-evaluations and multidisciplinary tumor boards. Centres like Sheba Medical Center use advanced PET/CT imaging and multi-omics testing. Australian patients gain clarity on staging through experts trained at prestigious US institutions within 3 to 4 days.
Bookimed Expert Insight: Israeli oncology centres like Sheba and Sourasky manage massive patient volumes, treating over 1,800,000 people annually. This high-frequency exposure means their specialists, like Professor Ido Nachmany, see rare liver variants daily. For Australians, this volume-driven expertise often results in reinterpreted staging that may prevent unnecessary invasive surgeries.
Patient Consensus: Patients find the speed of bundled appointments for scans and pathology reviews provides immense psychological relief. They emphasize bringing original digital scans and biopsy slides to Israel to ensure a fast, fresh perspective on their condition.
Cirrhosis significantly restricts liver cancer treatment because it limits the liver's ability to process drugs and heal after surgery. Specialists in Israel use MELD or Child-Pugh scores to assess liver reserve. High-scoring cases often require liver-sparing therapies like radiofrequency ablation or chemoembolisation instead of major surgery.
Bookimed Expert Insight: Israeli oncology centres like Sourasky often prefer local-regional therapies over systemic chemotherapy for cirrhotic patients. Data shows specialists there, such as Professor Ido Nachmany, specialise in robotic liver surgeries. These minimally invasive techniques help preserve the small amount of healthy liver tissue remaining in cirrhotic patients.
Patient Consensus: Patients note that liver function scores often dictate treatment more than the tumour size itself. They emphasize that while major surgery is frequently ruled out, alternatives like TACE or ablation in Israel provide effective, liver-sparing options.
A biopsy is not always required for liver cancer treatment in Israel. Following international guidelines, Israeli oncologists often diagnose hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) using high-resolution imaging. This non-invasive approach is standard if patients have cirrhosis or chronic hepatitis and show specific vascular patterns on scans.
Bookimed Expert Insight: Israeli centres like Sourasky or Sheba often perform a histopathology revision for international cases. Patients should bring original pathology slides from Australia. This allows Israeli specialists to verify a previous biopsy without performing a second invasive procedure.
Patient Consensus: Patients in Israel note that doctors prefer using advanced imaging and blood markers to avoid biopsy risks. Many recommend disclosing any blood-thinning medications early to help the medical team safely plan diagnostic steps.
International patients typically stay in Israel between 4 days and 8 weeks. Quick diagnostics take 3 to 5 days. Minimally invasive liver procedures require 1 to 2 weeks. Complex surgeries or intensive therapies like CAR-T often need up to 2 months for safe recovery before flying.
Bookimed Expert Insight: Israeli oncology centres like Sheba and Sourasky serve over 1.8 million patients annually. Their high case volume allows doctors to streamline pre-treatment tests. Australian patients can often start treatment within 72 hours of arrival. This speed helps many complete complex surgical resections well within the 90-day tourist visa limit.
Patient Consensus: Patients note that the first few days are busy with scans and specialist reviews. They emphasize waiting for a formal fit-to-fly clearance before booking return flights to Australia. The medical teams in Israel routinely provide discharge summaries to ensure smooth transition of care to local GPs.