An answer in two weeks – new Sheba Rapid Cancer Diagnostic Unit cuts diagnosis times by 80%
Almost all of us have heard or used the expression, “You can die waiting for the results…” A new unit in Sheba Medical Center aims to make that a thing of the past. Not only is Sheba now providing the latest in lifesaving treatments, the new Diagnostic Oncology unit is ensuring that the process is streamlined to start treatments. For some aggressive forms of cancer, a swift start to treatment can be the difference between life and death.
Oncologists are all too familiar with the painstaking process that patients are subjected to when their general practitioner utters those dreaded sentences, “You might have cancer. You’ll have to undergo a battery of tests to determine what you have.”
Based on the current medical bureaucracy in Israel, the USA, UK and beyond, the arduous process including, blood tests, biopsies, MRI’s and CT-scans could take up to at least three months. And if G-d forbid, a person does indeed have cancer growing inside their body, the race against time becomes a critical factor.
Recognizing the need to drastically streamline the process in order to get a diagnostic response and a treatment regimen in place in a much more efficient manner, Dr. Damien Urban, who heads the Oncology Department at Sheba Medical Center’s Cancer Center, has created a revolutionary concept, The Rapid Cancer Diagnostic Unit.
“The mental trauma of waiting for results over a three month period can have a devastating effect. It literally freezes people in their daily lives, so we are trying to overcome this with the creation of the Rapid Cancer Diagnostic Unit,” revealed Dr. Urban.
Dr. Urban developed a unique approach to help ease the experience of cancer diagnosis for patients. “Diagnostic Oncology is a totally new form of medicine that is being developed and will be the future of medicine in general. I created this unit, which is unique to Israel and has yet to be developed in most Western countries. I have seen specific Rapid Breast & Lung Cancer operations, but nothing regarding across the board cancer testing. With my new unit, I can cut the process from 3 months to 2 weeks! Patients are referred straight from their doctor to Sheba and we do all of the testing inside the hospital using the most advanced technology.”
Dr. Urban, who made Aliyah from Australia in 2005, was spurred to formulate an advanced diagnostic unit based on the grueling cancer testing process he had seen, while tending to cancer patients in Australia.
“The Rapid Cancer Diagnostic Unit’s ultimate goal is to help patients overcome the devastating, time consuming bureaucratic process involved in the diagnostics and treatment of cancer. Though we are only at the initial stages of this project, where we are seeing about 4 patients a day, we are working to develop this to the point, where we will be able to handle as many patients as need our services“, said Dr. Urban.
The rapid diagnosis benefits all aspects of cancer treatment. Medical costs are also reduced by the shortened need for services. “This unit will eventually have the ability to save hospital admissions or days spent in the hospital based on the diagnosis. It will also enable patients who are diagnosed with cancer to see an oncologist more quickly so they can get the treatment they need, which also has a positive psychological effect.”
