Chondrosarcoma Treatment in Israel

Chondrosarcoma is not a single disease but a group of tumors that behave differently. Doctors assess the grade by how the cells look under a microscope:

• low grade – the tumor grows slowly and rarely spreads; in the long bones it is sometimes called an atypical cartilaginous tumor;
• intermediate and high grade – it grows faster and can spread to the lungs;
• special forms – dedifferentiated, mesenchymal and clear cell chondrosarcoma, each with its own treatment approach.

Chondrosarcoma treatment in Israel is planned only after the grade has been confirmed. Telling a benign cartilage tumor (enchondroma) from low-grade chondrosarcoma can be difficult even for an experienced doctor. That is why it is worth showing the scans and biopsy to specialists who work with bone tumors all the time. General information about bone sarcomas is on the page bone cancer treatment in Israel.

Chondrosarcoma diagnosis begins with MRI and CT of the affected bone: they show the size of the tumor, destruction of the outer bone layer and spread into the soft tissues. Doctors look for signs that distinguish chondrosarcoma from a benign tumor: pain at rest, growth of the lesion, thickening and destruction of the bone wall.

The biopsy is performed at the center where the surgery will take place, so that the needle path can be removed together with the tumor. If a biopsy has already been done, the Israeli clinic asks for the slides and blocks for review. The tumor may also be tested for mutations in the IDH1 and IDH2 genes, which occur in about half of chondrosarcomas and are sometimes important for choosing drug treatment. A chest CT is done to look for metastases.

Chondrosarcoma treatment methods depend on the grade and location of the tumor.

Surgery for chondrosarcoma is the main method. The tumor is removed in one piece with a margin of healthy tissue. If the surgeon has managed to remove it completely, the risk of recurrence is much lower. The bone defect is filled with a modular endoprosthesis, a bone graft or a combination of both. The most complex procedures are on the pelvic bones and sacrum, where nerves, blood vessels and support for walking must be preserved.

Gentler surgery. For low-grade tumors in the bones of the limbs, the tumor is sometimes scraped out, the walls are treated and the cavity is filled. The surgeon decides on this after studying the scans and biopsy.

Radiation. Conventional radiation therapy has little effect on chondrosarcoma. If the tumor cannot be removed completely, for example at the skull base or in the spine, proton therapy is considered. If this method is needed, the coordinator will suggest centers that provide it.

Drug treatment. Chemotherapy is used in the dedifferentiated and mesenchymal forms. In advanced disease with an IDH1 mutation, targeted drugs are discussed, including within clinical trials.

Treatment begins with a remote assessment: an orthopedic oncologist studies the MRI, CT and biopsy and says which operation is possible. The patient then arrives for additional tests and a tumor board, after which a date for surgery is set. Large Israeli centers such as Sourasky (Ichilov), Sheba, Hadassah and Rambam accept patients with bone tumors from many countries.

After surgery, the patient spends several days in hospital, and then rehabilitation begins. The final histology report on the removed tumor is usually ready in one to two weeks: it determines whether additional treatment is needed.

The cost of chondrosarcoma treatment in Israel is determined primarily by the surgery: its complexity, the type of reconstruction and the length of the hospital stay. Removal of a tumor on the ribs or in the humerus and pelvic surgery with an endoprosthesis differ in scope many times over.

We request programs from several clinics after reviewing your records and show you what each one includes: consultations, tests, surgery, days in hospital, rehabilitation. If you are comparing countries, there is a page on chondrosarcoma treatment in Germany, and clinics in different countries are collected in the catalog of oncology clinics.

Chondrosarcoma can come back many years later, so follow-up is long-term: images of the operated area and lung CT scans at the intervals set by the oncologist, more often at first and then less often. The Israeli clinic provides a discharge summary with a follow-up plan.

To start chondrosarcoma treatment in Israel, submit a request and send your scans, biopsy report and discharge summaries. The coordinator will pass them on to the doctors, and you will receive their opinion and clinic programs.