Early Diagnosis Of Cancers Saves Lives At Tel Aviv Hospital

When 1,000 apparently healthy Israelis of a median age of 48 were screened at Tel Aviv’s Sourasky Medical Center for 11 of the most common cancers, 2.4 percent (24) were diagnosed at an early stage with malignancies and treated successfully, according to an article just published in the European Journal of Internal Medicine.

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The healthy individuals were screened at Sourasky between 2006 and 2010 by the team, which was led by Dr. Nadir Arber, head of Sourasky’s Center for Cancer Prevention. The research project aimed at mapping all participant results and determining the group’s risk factors. Since the end of the study, the 24 participants diagnosed with cancer have been followed up on in order to ensure that they were indeed cured at an early stage.

Although most of those screened were men, 10 of the participants were found to have breast cancer, with seven suffering from cancer of the digestive system, three from skin cancer and the remainder from prostate cancer. Surprisingly, although 45 percent of those screened either smoked previously or at the time of the screening, no lung cancer was diagnosed.

Over 7 percent were found to have precancerous growths, most in the digestive system, with the remainder in the uterus, cervix, skin and mouth. All tumors were fully removed at an early stage.

At risk: over 50, overweight or over-drinkers

People aged over 50 were at a higher risk of cancer, as were those who were overweight and/or drank excessive alcohol – but in none of the cases did a family history of cancer result in malignancies.

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Via the Jerusalem Post
Photo: The Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center