Six months after the birth of her second child, at the age of 26, Meirav was diagnosed with advanced Breast Cancer in one of her axillary lymph nodes. Despite undergoing aggressive treatment, she died at the age of 28, leaving two young children and a loving, shattered family. Her death bequeathed to us a mandate to save lives. The Meirav Breast Center at the Sheba Medical Center was established in her name and honor.

Of all the diseases, Breast Cancer is undoubtedly the most feared by women around the world. Every adult is at risk for breast cancer. One of every nine women who live to the age of 90 will be treated for breast cancer during her lifetime. This year, in Israel alone, more than 4,000 women will be diagnosed with Breast Cancer.

Our center treats more Breast Cancer patients than any other cancer center in Israel. We offer comprehensive services with the full range of tests, therapy, other services and specialists need for medical treatment. We provide multidisciplinary care to all patients, including a full array of supportive services such as nutritional and genetic counseling, Gynecologic and Endocrinological (hormone-related) Care, Physical Therapy, and extensive psychosocial support programs in the region for patients with Breast Cancer.

Our researchers are exploring the development of Breast Cancer and devising new methods for diagnosis at the earliest, most curable stages. They are also developing new methods of treatments for all stages of the disease. We also participate in many of the national as well as international clinical trials, continuously trying to improve the prevention, detection, and treatment of Breast Cancer.

Our comprehensive approach to breast care begins with an early-detection program and continues through treatment to rehabilitation.

The Meirav Breast Center is at the forefront of innovative procedures for Breast Cancer treatment.  Our surgeons are on the cutting edge of surgical technology.   One of the most advanced procedures we offer is the sentinel node sampling, in which only one or a few lymph nodes are removed for examination. The "sentinel" node is where cancer cells from a breast tumor would travel first. If this lymph node turns out to be free of cancer, the remaining nodes can be left intact, and the surgery to remove the tumor is completed.  If the sentinel node contains cancer cells, the remaining nodes are usually removed and analyzed, using standard axiliary node dissection.  Removing fewer lymph nodes speeds up recovery, allows women to resume their day-to-day activities sooner, and reduces long-term morbidity rate.

For women who have undergone mastectomy, our plastic surgeons offer innovative reconstructive techniques such as "skin-sparing mastectomy" combined with various possible techniques of breast reconstruction.  A major advance in breast reconstruction, pioneered here, is called "Micro-Vascular Tissue Flap."  After the surgeon removes the inner breast tissue and nipple, leaving a shell of skin in place, the shell is filled with skin and subcutaneous tissue from the woman's abdomen. The flap is sewed in with a special micro-vascular technology, thus avoiding damage to the muscle and the abdominal wall. The result is a more natural-looking reconstructed breast.

We are leaders in innovative Surgical Therapies.  We are in the midst of experimenting with the implementation of a non-invasive technology that will destroy breast cancer cells by the use of Focused Ultrasound (FUS). FUS causes a thermal increase in the tumor thus destroying it without hurting the normal breast tissue. The FUS treatment is done under MRI guidance.

Center at a Glance
Number of Patients per Year - 4000
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 - Outpatient & Institute Building
E-mail - Moshe.Papa@sheba.health.gov.il
Tel -  972-3-530-2360