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About Dr. Kristina Zaslavsky
Dr. Kristina Zaslavsky is a clinical oncologist specializing in malignancies of the digestive system, with a special focus on cancers of the pancreas and bile ducts.
Since June 2026, Dr. Zaslavsky has headed the Oncology Day Care Unit at Ichilov Medical Center in Tel Aviv. Before taking on this position, she spent more than a decade at Sheba Medical Center, where her work included gastrointestinal oncology, pancreatic cancer and urgent care for oncology patients.
Dr. Zaslavsky sees patients at different stages of their illness: following a new diagnosis, before starting treatment, during ongoing therapy, or when a change in the clinical situation calls for a fresh assessment. Her experience in urgent oncology care also gives her a broader perspective on symptoms and complications that may develop during the course of cancer and its treatment.
Pancreatic cancer is one of the central areas of her clinical work. Each case may involve a different combination of factors, including the type and extent of the tumor, imaging and pathology findings, the patient’s general condition and treatments already received. During a consultation, Dr. Zaslavsky reviews the available medical information and discusses with the patient and family what is currently known and which options may need to be considered next.
Alongside her clinical practice, Dr. Zaslavsky is involved in medical education and physician training. Over the years, she has taught residents, physicians and international medical professionals and has participated in international medical education programs.
Private Consultation with Dr. Kristina Zaslavsky
Patients may seek a consultation with Dr. Zaslavsky after a new cancer diagnosis, during treatment, or when a second opinion is needed regarding the next steps. Her consultations are particularly relevant for patients with pancreatic cancer, biliary tract tumors and other gastrointestinal malignancies.
The consultation may include a review of the diagnosis, imaging and pathology findings, previous treatment and the options that can be considered according to the individual clinical situation.
For a private consultation with Dr. Kristina Zaslavsky at Tel Aviv Medical Clinic (TAMC):
📞 Phone: +972-73-374-6844
📧 Email: [email protected]
💬 WhatsApp: +972-52-337-3108
Areas of Expertise
Dr. Zaslavsky’s clinical work centers on gastrointestinal cancers, with pancreatic and biliary tract tumors representing a significant part of her practice.
Her main areas of expertise include:
- Pancreatic cancer
- Biliary tract tumors
- Gastrointestinal malignancies
- Consultation following a new cancer diagnosis
- Reassessment of an existing treatment plan
- Review of treatment options at different stages of the disease
- Symptoms and complications related to anticancer therapy
- Urgent conditions in oncology
- Second opinions in oncology
Professional Experience
Dr. Zaslavsky has worked in clinical oncology since 2014. For more than ten years, she practiced at Sheba Medical Center, where her work focused on gastrointestinal tumors and pancreatic cancer. During this period, she also gained extensive experience treating patients who required urgent oncological care.
Working in an oncology emergency setting exposed her to situations that differ considerably from routine outpatient care, including treatment-related side effects, pain, sudden deterioration and complications of advanced disease. This experience became an important part of her clinical practice and the way she evaluates a patient’s overall condition during cancer treatment.
In June 2026, Dr. Zaslavsky joined Ichilov Medical Center in Tel Aviv and became Head of the Oncology Day Care Unit.
Throughout her career, she has combined clinical practice with medical education, teaching residents, physicians and international medical professionals.
Current Position
Since June 2026, Dr. Kristina Zaslavsky has served as Head of the Oncology Day Care Unit at Ichilov Medical Center in Tel Aviv.
In this role, she oversees a unit where cancer patients receive systemic anticancer treatments and medical follow-up during therapy.
Education and Professional Training
Dr. Zaslavsky studied medicine at Charles University in the Czech Republic from 2007 to 2013, where she received her MD degree.
In 2014, she began her professional training in oncology and clinical practice at Sheba Medical Center. Gastrointestinal oncology, particularly pancreatic cancer, subsequently became one of the principal areas of her clinical practice.
Teaching and Physician Training
Teaching has accompanied Dr. Zaslavsky’s clinical career for many years. She has been involved in the education of residents, physicians and international medical professionals, as well as programs preparing doctors for medical licensing examinations.
Her teaching activities have included programs in Israel, Cyprus and the United Kingdom, where she has participated as both an instructor and examiner. She has also taken part in international cooperation with Kazakhstan in the training of oncology professionals.
Dr. Zaslavsky has additionally been involved in education for other healthcare professionals, including nurses and members of multidisciplinary oncology teams.
Research and Publications
Dr. Zaslavsky’s professional work also includes clinical research in oncology.
One of her studies examined patients with intra-abdominal malignancies who sought urgent medical care because of acute pain. The research compared care provided in a general emergency department with that delivered in a dedicated oncology emergency setting, examining whether the setting itself could affect pain management and other aspects of medical care.
The study was published in the medical literature and is indexed in PubMed.
Professional Activities and Conferences
Dr. Zaslavsky participates in professional oncology meetings and conferences in Israel and internationally.
Her professional activities include:
- ISCORT — annual participation since 2023
- ESMO Gastrointestinal Cancers Congress — Barcelona, 2025
Languages
Dr. Kristina Zaslavsky speaks:
- Russian
- Hebrew
- English
- Czech
Private Consultation with Dr. Kristina Zaslavsky
Patients may request a consultation following a cancer diagnosis, while receiving anticancer treatment, or when seeking a second opinion. Before the appointment, it is helpful to prepare recent medical summaries, pathology reports, imaging results and information about previous or current treatment.
For a private consultation with Dr. Kristina Zaslavsky at Tel Aviv Medical Clinic (TAMC):
📞 Phone: +972-73-374-6844
📧 Email: [email protected]
💬 WhatsApp: +972-52-337-3108
Frequently Asked Questions — Dr. Kristina Zaslavsky Answers
1. I have been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. What is important to clarify first?
I usually start with a simple question: what do we actually know about the disease at this point?
I want to review the imaging, pathology report if one is already available, relevant blood tests and recent medical summaries. I also need to understand how the patient is feeling and their general condition.
With pancreatic cancer, the extent and location of the tumor are particularly important. Before discussing treatment, I prefer to make sure that we have enough reliable information to understand the situation properly.
2. Does everyone with pancreatic cancer need chemotherapy?
No. There is no single answer that applies to every patient.
The situation is very different when surgery is being considered compared with locally advanced disease or cancer that has spread to distant organs. A patient’s age, general condition and other medical problems also matter.
So I would first look at the individual case. Only then does it make sense to discuss which treatment options may be relevant.
3. I was told that my pancreatic tumor is inoperable. Is a second opinion worthwhile?
This is actually a common reason patients come to me for a second opinion.
The word “inoperable” can describe quite different situations. Sometimes it relates to the position of the tumor and its involvement with nearby blood vessels. In other cases, the reason may be the extent of the disease or the patient’s overall medical condition.
During a second opinion, we can review the imaging and medical records again and understand why the original decision was made. The purpose is not necessarily to reach a different conclusion. Sometimes confirming that the proposed approach is reasonable is equally valuable.
4. Can genetic or molecular testing affect treatment for pancreatic cancer?
For some patients, yes.
We now know that certain genetic or molecular findings may be relevant when treatment options are considered. But that does not mean every available panel is necessary for every patient, or that every finding will change treatment.
When I review a case, I also look at which tests have already been performed and whether additional information could be useful for the decisions ahead.
5. What is the difference between pancreatic cancer and bile duct cancer?
They are different diseases, even though the pancreas and biliary system are anatomically close and some symptoms can initially look similar.
The tumors arise from different tissues, and their biological characteristics and treatment approaches may differ. That is why I want to be clear about the pathology and imaging findings before discussing the next steps.
Sometimes patients arrive with a large folder of medical records but are still unsure what their exact diagnosis is. Clarifying that is a good place to start.
5. Can I get a second oncology opinion after treatment has already started?
Of course. A second opinion is not limited to the period before treatment begins.
Patients come for different reasons. Some want another assessment of the treatment they are receiving. Others are experiencing significant side effects, or they have new scan results that raise questions about what should happen next.
A second opinion also does not automatically mean changing your oncologist or stopping the current treatment. It is an opportunity to review where things stand now and see whether anything else should be taken into consideration.
6. What happens if my cancer treatment stops working?
First, I would want to understand what has actually changed.
When someone tells me, “the treatment isn’t working anymore,” I need more information. I want to see the latest imaging and compare it with previous scans, understand whether symptoms have changed, review blood tests and know how long the treatment was given and at what doses.
Only after looking at the full picture can we determine whether the disease has truly progressed and discuss what options may be considered next.
7. Do severe side effects mean that cancer treatment has to be stopped?
Not necessarily. But significant side effects should not simply be ignored either.
There is a difference between an expected reaction that can be managed and a new problem that needs prompt medical assessment. My experience in urgent oncology care has taught me to pay close attention to what has changed in the patient’s condition, rather than looking only at the treatment protocol.
If new symptoms appear or the patient feels significantly worse during treatment, medical assessment is important. Decisions about stopping anticancer therapy should not be made independently.
8. What medical records should I prepare for an oncology consultation?
Don’t worry if everything isn’t arranged perfectly. What matters is having enough information to understand the history of the disease.
Ideally, bring a recent medical summary, pathology report, CT, MRI or other imaging reports, recent blood tests and details of treatments you have already received. If genetic or molecular testing has been performed, bring those results as well.
If something important is missing, we can identify that during the consultation.
9. Can I consult an oncologist before the biopsy results are available?
Sometimes, yes, but there are limits to what can be concluded at that stage.
We can review the imaging, discuss what is suspected and go over the information already available. We can also clarify which diagnostic steps are still pending. However, without a final pathology diagnosis, it may be too early in some cases to discuss a specific anticancer treatment plan.
I prefer to make that distinction clear: what we know today, what remains uncertain, and what information is still needed before a well-founded decision can be made.
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