Sheba Medical Center: Cancer Care in Ramat Gan, Israel

Sheba Medical Center traces its origins to a military hospital established in 1948 and subsequently developed into a civilian public hospital. It is located at Tel Hashomer in Ramat Gan, within the wider Tel Aviv metropolitan area. Its academic links include Tel Aviv University, connecting clinical services with medical education and research.

Sheba is a large hospital campus rather than a standalone cancer clinic. It includes acute care, rehabilitation and specialist services across multiple disciplines. For oncology patients, this structure can support assessment of other medical conditions and access to specialties needed during complex treatment. The relevant team and treatment location depend on the cancer and the proposed intervention.

Its oncology profile includes multidisciplinary care, molecular assessment and clinical research. Particularly distinctive elements are its academic cellular therapy work, including CAR-T, and melanoma programmes involving TIL therapy. These are specialised approaches with defined indications and clinical requirements. Their presence should not be interpreted as evidence that an experimental treatment is preferable to established care for an individual patient.

Breast cancer care can involve breast surgery, medical oncology, radiotherapy and pathology review. Treatment decisions depend on stage, hormone receptor status, HER2 status and other clinically relevant findings. For lung cancer, tumour subtype and molecular markers help determine whether targeted therapy, immunotherapy, chemotherapy, radiotherapy or surgery may be appropriate. Specialist review can also clarify whether additional testing would change the treatment plan.

Blood cancer services are relevant to patients with conditions such as leukaemia, lymphoma and myeloma, although cellular therapy eligibility is restricted to particular diagnoses and circumstances. Selected rare cancers may require expert pathology review and a multidisciplinary discussion because evidence and treatment options can be limited. Melanoma is another notable programme area, including immune-based treatment and TIL therapy. Patients with uncommon diagnoses should ask whether the centre has an established programme specifically for their tumour type.

Treatment planning may combine surgery, radiotherapy and systemic medicines. Depending on the diagnosis, systemic treatment can include chemotherapy, endocrine therapy, targeted therapy or immunotherapy. A multidisciplinary review should explain the aim of treatment, expected benefits, important risks and reasonable alternatives, including options available in the patient's home country.

Precision oncology uses features of the tumour, including selected molecular alterations, to inform treatment. Testing does not always identify an actionable finding, and an identified alteration does not guarantee access to an effective medicine. Patients should ask whether testing is necessary, whether existing results are sufficient and whether recommendations involve standard care or research.

Sheba's in-house academic CAR-T programme involves modifying a patient's immune cells to recognise cancer-associated targets. CAR-T is relevant to selected blood cancers, not cancer generally. Assessment includes disease characteristics, prior therapies, organ function and the ability to tolerate complications. Manufacturing, monitoring and possible admission need to be discussed individually.

TIL therapy uses immune cells collected from tumour tissue and expanded for treatment. It is associated particularly with melanoma and may involve tumour sampling or surgery, preparatory chemotherapy and intensive monitoring. Patients should confirm the exact protocol, its regulatory or research status, current availability and whether their disease and general health meet the programme's requirements.

Around 400 active oncology clinical trials are cited for Sheba. This is an indicative figure: trial portfolios change, and 'active' can include studies that are following existing participants rather than recruiting new ones. The number does not establish how many trials are suitable for a particular cancer, treatment history or international patient.

Trial consideration normally starts with review of diagnosis, pathology, scans, previous treatments and relevant laboratory or molecular results. Eligibility may also depend on physical fitness, organ function, prior treatment intervals and the ability to attend repeated visits. International applicants should ask for the study identifier, recruitment status, eligibility criteria and anticipated visit schedule. The research team must confirm whether overseas participation is possible and explain consent, alternatives, study-related costs and arrangements if treatment needs to stop.

Start by requesting a records-based assessment through Sheba Global before booking travel. State the diagnosis, current treatment, reason for seeking another opinion and whether the main interest is standard care, cellular therapy or a trial. Ask whether local treatment should continue during assessment. Rapid diagnostic packages may help coordinate investigations, but patients should confirm what is included and avoid interpreting 'rapid' as a guaranteed diagnosis or treatment start date.

Before departure, obtain a written outline of the proposed assessment, likely treatment sequence, financial arrangements and expected follow-up. Check current entry requirements, travel advice and insurance exclusions for planned medical care. Establish who will manage complications after returning home and whether the local oncology team can provide required monitoring. Cellular therapies or intensive treatment may require an accompanying caregiver and a period near the hospital; confirm these requirements individually.

Contact details below come from the hospital's own published international patient information.

Location: Ramat Gan, Israel

Email: international.patients@sheba.health.gov.il

Phone: +972 3 530 3030

Website: https://eng.sheba.co.il

Languages supported: Hebrew, English, Russian, Arabic

Remote second opinion: Available

Always confirm current contact details on the hospital's own website before sending medical records, and never send documents to an address you have not verified.