Sourasky Medical Center (Ichilov)
Sourasky Medical Center (Ichilov)
Israel, Tel Aviv
Mor Midovnik
28 years of experience
Clinic is certified :
Melanoma treatment cost in Israel typically ranges from $13,500 to $21,200 for primary surgical interventions. A standard consultation with an oncologist runs from $400 to $600, with total expenses depending on the cancer stage and the necessity of advanced immunotherapy. Patients can expect 30–80% savings compared to the United States. Top treatment centers are located in Tel Aviv, Jerusalem, and Haifa.
Typical Melanoma Treatment Costs in Israel
Bookimed Expert Insight: Patients seeking advanced protocols benefit from JCI-accredited centers like Hadassah, where multidisciplinary teams offer comprehensive diagnosis and treatment packages starting around $31,000. For complex cases, choosing a specialist like Dr. Michael Lotem, who leads dedicated immunotherapy research, ensures access to the latest biological therapies. Sourasky Medical Center is ideal for those prioritizing high success rates, reporting a 90% average in oncology treatment.
| Israel | Turkey | Austria | |
| Mohs microsurgery | from $3,200 | from $2,200 | from $4,000 |
| Melanoma surgery | from $9,200 | from $3,500 | from $9,500 |
| Immunotherapy with Keytruda (Pembolizumab) | from $9,800 | from $3,300 | from $15,000 |
| Wide excision of melanoma | from $13,500 | from $4,000 | - |
| Topical therapy of melanoma | - | from $1,450 | - |
Prof. Merimsky leads the Soft Tissue and Bone Oncology Unit at Sourasky Medical Center, with over 41 years of experience of specialized experience in sarcoma and melanoma.
Dr. Dov Zippel is a surgical oncologist and head of the Meirav Breast Center. Forbes Israel named him to its Best Doctors list in 2025. He treats benign and malignant breast tumors and melanoma at Sheba Medical Center. Dr. Zippel completed a surgical oncology fellowship at the University of Calgary in Canada.
Dr. Yuri Goldes is the Deputy Director of General Surgery at Sheba Medical Center. He pioneered some of Israel’s first robotic resections for stomach and pancreatic cancers. Forbes Israel named him among the nation’s best gastrointestinal surgeons. In 2019, he received the Best Doctor of the Year award from the Israeli Ministry of Health.
Dr. Midovnik is the director of the melanoma center at Sourasky Medical Center, bringing specialized leadership to melanoma care.
Written by Veronika Kazina
Prepare questions regarding your Breslow depth, mitotic rate, and ulceration status to determine tumor thickness. Ask about BRAF gene mutation testing and sentinel lymph node biopsy to guide systemic therapy. Ensure you understand your exact stage and any metastatic spread found via PET-CT scans.
Bookimed Expert Insight: Israeli oncology centers often prioritize histopathology revision for international biopsy slides to ensure staging accuracy. Leading institutions like Sourasky Medical Center report a 90% average success rate in oncology treatment. Bringing your original pathology slides is vital as specialized centers frequently find subtle markers that change the recommended treatment plan.
Patient Consensus: Patients emphasize the importance of challenging initial biopsy methods like shave biopsies that might delay proper staging. Many note that having an ultrasound of the lymph nodes provides immediate peace of mind during the first visit.
Israel is a top destination for melanoma treatment due to pioneering therapies and 90% success rates. Leading centers like Sheba Medical Center offer exclusive protocols like TIL immunotherapy. Access to BRAF gene testing and Mohs microsurgery ensures precise, personalized care for international patients.
Bookimed Expert Insight: Israel’s high volume of sun-related cases has turned its hospitals into a real-world laboratory. For example, Sheba Medical Center treats over 1.9 million patients annually with a heavy focus on precision medicine. This immense scale allows surgeons to refine techniques like wide excision and Mohs microsurgery far beyond standard protocols. While many seek immunotherapy, the expertise in aggressive early excision often yields survival rates exceeding 95% for early-stage cases.
Patient Consensus: Patients note that seeking treatment in Israel often cuts wait times down to under 2 weeks. Those treated by specialists like Dr. Bernstein at Assuta Medical Center praise the efficiency of the diagnostic process and the attentive care received during surgical procedures.
Diagnostic accuracy in Israel matches international OECD standards. Specific oncology and melanoma assessments utilize advanced digital pathology and genetic testing. High-volume centers like Sheba Medical Center serve up to 2 million patients annually. These facilities use AI and electronic health records to minimize diagnostic errors.
Bookimed Expert Insight: While many countries offer basic biopsies, Israel's diagnostic accuracy is driven by the sheer scale of specialized centers. Sheba and Sourasky handle nearly 4 million patient visits combined annually. This massive data flow allows their AI systems to recognize rare melanoma patterns that lower-volume clinics might miss.
Patient Consensus: Patients note that Israeli doctors often catch Stage II melanoma that was previously dismissed elsewhere. They specifically value the ability to get pathology results in under 48 hours for urgent cases.
Tumor-Infiltrating Lymphocyte (TIL) therapy is an advanced immunotherapy using a patient's own immune cells to combat cancer. Israel is a global pioneer in this field. Leading centers like Sheba Medical Center offer these protocols for advanced melanoma cases that resist standard treatments.
Bookimed Expert Insight: While Sheba Medical Center is a world leader with over 200 patients treated, accessibility varies based on specific research protocols. Patients should verify if their case qualifies for the Young-TIL protocol. This streamlined process at Sheba significantly reduces the cell manufacturing wait time to just fourteen days.
Patient Consensus: Patients note that while the process is physically demanding and requires hospital isolation, it remains a vital option when other immunotherapies fail. Many emphasize the importance of having a high tumor mutational burden for successful cell expansion.
Israeli oncology centers routinely provide advanced non-TIL therapies including Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors, targeted BRAF/MEK inhibitors, and oncolytic viral therapy. Facilities like Sheba Medical Center and Sourasky Medical Center utilize JCI-accredited protocols to deliver personalized immunotherapy and precision medicine for melanoma.
Bookimed Expert Insight: While many search for experimental TIL, Israel’s real strength lies in rapid diagnostic integration. Centers like Hadassah Medical Center utilize BRAF gene mutation testing and histopathology revisions to confirm the specific molecular subtype within days. This allows doctors like Dr. Michael Lotem to switch from general immunotherapy to targeted BRAF/MEK inhibitors immediately, which is critical for aggressive metastatic cases.
Patient Consensus: Patients note it is important to confirm BRAF status quickly to access the right drug combinations. Many highlight that specialists like Dr. Bernstein at Assuta provide reassuring, thorough ultrasound screenings of lymph nodes during follow-ups.
International patients typically begin melanoma treatment in Israel within 2 to 5 days of arrival. The process starts with a diagnostic phase lasting 1 to 3 days to confirm staging. Clinical pathways for surgery or immunotherapy often initiate immediately following these final evaluations.
Bookimed Expert Insight: Data shows a significant efficiency gap between private and public tracks. Assuta Medical Center, a private facility, performs over 92,000 operations annually with a focus on patient-selected specialists. This private model often bypasses the administrative queues found in larger state institutions like Sourasky, despite the latter's massive volume of 1,800,000 yearly patients. Sharing digital biopsy slides before travel typically strips 2 days off the onsite timeline.
Patient Consensus: Patients report that having a coordinator meet them helps speed up the initial ultrasound and doctor visits. Many note that quick results at clinics like Assuta provided immediate peace of mind and faster surgical dates.
Top accredited hospitals for melanoma in Israel include Sheba Medical Center, Sourasky Medical Center, and Hadassah Medical Center. These JCI-accredited facilities are global leaders in immunotherapy and advanced surgical oncology. They offer specialized treatments like TIL therapy and Mohs microsurgery for high success rates.
Bookimed Expert Insight: Patient volume often signals where the most complex cases go. While Sourasky and Sheba serve nearly 2,000,000 patients annually, private centers like Assuta offer faster access to identical high-tech diagnostics. Leading surgeons like Dr. Shlomo Schneebaum and Dr. Haim Gutman often operate across both public and private sectors.
Patient Consensus: Patients note it's important to seek second opinions via telemedicine to optimize plans before traveling. They appreciate the specialized care for BRAF-positive cases but suggest preparing for 2-4 week wait times.
Advanced melanoma treatment in Israel focuses on pioneering cellular immunotherapies like TIL therapy and next-generation checkpoint inhibitors. Major JCI-accredited centres such as Sheba and Sourasky (Ichilov) provide targeted gene therapies and precision robotic surgery. These facilities maintain high oncology success rates through university-affiliated research and integrated clinical trials.
Bookimed Expert Insight: Israel's leadership in melanoma stems from its massive clinical volume. Sheba Medical Center alone serves over 2 million patients annually and ranks among the top 10 hospitals globally. This high patient turnover allows specialists to refine complex cellular protocols like TIL therapy far faster than smaller regional centres.
Patient Consensus: Patients note that comprehensive pathology reviews and BRAF mutation testing are essential before traveling to Israel. They highlight the efficiency of local coordination and the importance of having a GP in Australia ready to monitor labs after return.
Specialists confirm TIL therapy candidacy through rigorous medical screening and multidisciplinary reviews. Patients must have advanced Stage III or IV melanoma that progressed after standard immunotherapies. Doctors assess physical fitness, organ function, and the availability of a 1.5 cm accessible tumour for surgical cell harvesting.
Bookimed Expert Insight: Israeli centres like Sheba Medical Center are global leaders in TIL immunotherapies, treating over 2 million patients annually. Our data shows specialists there often prioritise candidates with lower tumour volumes and normal LDH levels. These factors typically lead to better outcomes during the intensive Interleukin-2 infusion phase.
Patient Consensus: Patients in Israel note that doctors carefully evaluate if a tumour is surgically harvestable before starting. They emphasise the need to confirm heart and liver fitness early to handle the full treatment sequence.
Sheba, Sourasky (Ichilov), Hadassah, and Assuta are the primary centres for melanoma care in Israel. These JCI-accredited facilities specialise in advanced treatments like TIL immunotherapy, Mohs surgery, and gene mutation testing. Expert centres in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem report success rates of up to 90% for oncology cases.
Bookimed Expert Insight: Israel's leadership in melanoma stems from its extreme volume of complex cases. Sheba Medical Center alone serves over 2 million patients annually. This vast experience allows hospitals to offer rare treatments like TIL immunotherapy that are unavailable in most countries. For Australian patients, this means access to specialists who have managed thousands of advanced cases using the latest immunotherapy protocols.
Patient Consensus: Patients note that Israel's major centres provide efficient pathology reviews and surgical care in one location. Many found the quick turnaround of results and the ability to combine diagnostics with immediate surgery highly reassuring.
Plan for a stay in Israel ranging from 7 days for diagnostics to 10 weeks for advanced immunotherapy. Standard surgical removal requires 7 to 14 days. These JCI-accredited facilities specialise in complex melanoma cases. Timelines vary based on cancer stage and specific treatment needs.
Bookimed Expert Insight: Israeli oncology centres like Sheba and Sourasky handle massive volumes, with Sheba serving 2 million patients annually. Their expertise handles complex cases efficiently. Patients should arrive with histology slides and CDs. This often accelerates the staging process. It may reduce the diagnostic stay by 2 to 3 days.
Patient Consensus: Patients note that initial trips often take 1–2 weeks for staging and pathology reviews. They suggest bringing all previous scan reports on USB to avoid repeating tests in Israel. This helps manage the schedule and clinical expectations.
Israeli hospitals provide intensive support for international patients through dedicated departments that manage logistics and medical coordination. Major JCI-accredited facilities offer professional case managers, native English-speaking staff, and structured care pathways. These services help patients navigate complex treatments like immunotherapy and advanced melanoma surgery smoothly.
Bookimed Expert Insight: Israeli medical centres operate as massive tertiary hubs with Sheba and Sourasky treating millions of patients annually. This high volume allows hospitals to maintain specialized international desks that act as a single point of surgery coordination. Patients should choose centres with JCI and Newsweek rankings, as these facilities typically have the most established administrative pipelines for Australians.
Patient Consensus: Patients note that major Israeli hospitals provide fast access to specialists and efficient service, though arriving with organized medical records is essential. People appreciate the quality of care and English-speaking staff, while advising others to confirm all pricing details for pathology and imaging upfront.