The Department of Surgical Oncology (Surgery C) functions as a general surgery ward with Cancer patients constituting 60-70% of all surgery conducted. This department is one of the leading Surgical Oncology groups in the country. We diagnose and treat all types of malignant conditions such as Gastro-Intestinal Malignancies, Hepatobiliary Malignancies, Breast Malignancies, soft tissue and endocrine tumors and Melanoma. We have extensive experience in the treatment of locally advanced disease by regional delivery of Chemotherapy.

Our Breast Service employs a multidisciplinary approach to both benign and malignant breast disease. We provide prevention, diagnosis, therapy, and follow up to patients with all diseases of the breast as well as primary and secondary prevention in healthy women and genetic counseling to families with a history of breast cancer. Our main goal in breast care is to aggressively treat breast malignancies while maintaining breast preservation. When need arises, we offer breast reconstruction in conjunction with the Plastic Surgery Department.

Our breast services include a social worker and a nursing coordinator who arrange patient support groups and escort patients with Breast Cancer through the process of diagnosis and treatment.

Our GI service treats patients with disorders of the gastrointestinal tract, especially malignancies. We treat diseases of the stomach, intestines, pancreas, and hepatobiliary disorders through minimal invasive surgery as well as conventional therapy. We work with patients both preoperatively and post operatively. The service is multidisciplinary, involving the Gastroenterology Department, oncologists, pathologists and radiologists, with the help of a social worker and a nurse.

Our Colorectal Unit specializes in treating Colon Cancer, Rectal Cancer, local excision of rectal tumors by TEM, inflammatory bowel disease, pouch operations, rectal prolapse, complex anorectal conditions, incontinence (including artificial bowel sphincter). Our staff places particular emphasis on maintaining bowel continuity and sphincter sparing procedures.

Although soft tissue tumors are relatively rare, our department is one of the few in Israel dedicated to the treatment of these tumors, including training doctors in this field.

Our Hepatobilary service treats patients with liver and bile duct malignancies where we pioneered a minimally invasive laparoscopic technique to resect liver tumors as well as treating these tumors with local heating or freezing.

We also have a multidisciplinary team dedicated to treating morbid obesity using minimally invasive techniques directed by Dr. Kuriansky, head of the Minimally Invasive Unit.

We are an academically recognized department of the Sackler School of Medicine of Tel Aviv University.

The Department of Surgical Oncology (Surgery C) operates a laboratory for genetic applications in Surgical Oncology.  This basic research lab is an integral part of our department. Our primary research track involves the effect of the BRCA gene on the cell division checkpoints and its relation to the effects or Radiation and Chemotherapy. 

Surgical residents as well as MS and PhD students are also involved in our research activities.

Department at a Glance
Number of Beds - 48
Number of Inpatient Visits per Year - 2500
Number of Outpatient Visits per Year - 8000
Number of Surgical Procedures - 300 inpatient + 300 outpatient
Specialty Services - Breast Service, GI Service, Colorectal Unit, Soft Tissue Service, Hepatobiliary Service, and Trauma Service, Endocrine Service
Director - Prof. Moshe Papa Prof. Papa completed his medical studies at Tel Aviv medical school magna cum laude in 1976.  He underwent surgical training in 1983 at the Mount Sinai hospital in NY, and then spent 2 years as a surgical staff fellow at the National Cancer Institute NIH researching (immunotherapy) and doing clinical work under the guidance of Dr. Steve Rosenberg.  He later continued his training in surgery as well as colorectal surgery at the University of Toronto and in 1990 and became part of the staff at the Sinai Hospital and worked with Dr. Hartley Stern. In 2000 he was appointed as the head of the Surgical Oncology and Breast Service at Sheba and in 2002 became the head of the department of Surgery and the Laboratory for Genetic Applications in Surgery.  Since 1998 he has been an associate professor of surgery at the Sackler School of Medicine at Tel Aviv University. His major clinical as well as basic research interests involve: Application of a new non invasive surgical modality – the focused ultrasound in Surgical Oncology, Neo-Adjuvant Chemotherapy, Genetics of Breast and Colon Cancer, the impact of the BRCA tumor suppressor gene on the cell cycle check points and susceptibility to Radiation and Chemotherapy and Epidemiologic aspects of Breast Cancer.  He is involved in public education for cancer screening in the communities around the hospital and in establishing a breast center at Sheba.
Address - Western and Eastern Wing, Charles Clore Hospitalization Tower
E-mail - Moshe.Papa@sheba.health.gov.il
Tel - 972-3-530-2414