Department of Oncology and Radiation Oncology - Memorial Bahcelievler Hospital Istanbul

About the Department of Oncology and Radiation Oncology at Memorial Bahcelievler Hospital Istanbul

The Department of Oncology and Radiation Oncology at the Memorial Bahсelievler Hospital Istanbul offers the full range of medical services for prevention, diagnostics, treatment and follow-up monitoring of cancer patients. The doctors of the clinical practice mostly use such treatment methods as surgical resection (if possible, laparoscopic and robot-assisted), various chemotherapy and radiation therapy regimens. The specialists also successfully apply hormonal therapy, immunotherapy, antibody therapy, targeted therapy and other innovative techniques. The advanced medical and technical base of the department allows the doctors to detect malignant processes in the human body at any stage, as well as effectively treat cancer, achieving a complete cure or long-term remission. The Chief Physician of the department is Prof. Dr. med. Fazilet Oner Dincbas.

Since cancer treatment is a complex process and requires a highly professional approach, the specialists from various medical fields work hand in hand in the department, including oncologists, general surgeons, chemotherapists, radiation therapists, gynecologists, urologists, gastroenterologists, neurosurgeons, orthopedists, etc. The specialists regularly meet at interdisciplinary tumor boards, during which they jointly develop an individual treatment regimen for each patient. In the process of developing treatment tactics, the type of tumor, its localization, the stage of oncopathology, the general condition of the patient, his age and many other factors are taken into account.

In most cases, the first line therapy is surgical resection of the tumor. With appropriate indications, doctors perform laparoscopic interventions that can significantly speed up the patient's postoperative recovery. Such operations minimize the risks of postoperative complications and infection, exclude intense bleeding and severe pain syndrome. As a rule, to achieve a satisfactory therapeutic result, surgery alone is not enough. In most cases, before or after surgery (depending on the specific clinical situation), the department's patients undergo chemotherapy and/or radiation therapy. The essence of chemotherapy is the use of tablets or intravenous infusions to kill cancer cells in the human body. Radiation therapy acts on the tumor locally using ionizing radiation. The advantage of this type of therapy is that only the tissues affected by the oncological process are exposed to radiation, without harm to healthy organs. The department has state-of-the-art equipment for radiation therapy, for example, Elekta Versa Signature HD, which allows high doses of ionizing radiation to be focused on tumors with maximum accuracy.

Once a cancer diagnosis is established, many patients experience negative emotions that negatively affect treatment outcomes. In this regard, the doctors of the department devote a sufficient amount of time to counseling patients, show empathy. If necessary, competent psychologists work with patients who instill belief in a favorable treatment outcome, which plays a very important role in overcoming cancer.

The department's range of medical services includes:

• Diagnostics and treatment of cancer of the gastrointestinal tract (stomach, colorectal, esophageal tumors) 
• Diagnostics and treatment of liver, pancreatic, gallbladder and bile duct cancer
• Diagnostics and treatment of endocrine cancer (thyroid, parathyroid, adrenal tumors)
• Diagnostics and treatment of cancer of the respiratory system (lung, pleural, chest wall tumors)
• Diagnostics and treatment of cancer of the female reproductive system (uterine, cervical, ovarian, fallopian tube, vaginal, vulvar tumors)
• Diagnostics and treatment of breast cancer in women, including oncoplastic interventions to restore breast aesthetics after total mastectomy
• Diagnostics and treatment of cancer of the male reproductive system (prostate, testicular, penile tumors)
• Diagnostics and treatment of cancer of the urinary system (kidney and bladder tumors)
• Diagnostics and treatment of brain cancer (skull base, pituitary tumors)
• Diagnostics and treatment of head and neck cancer (laryngeal, pharyngeal, paranasal sinus and nasal tumors, tumors of the tonsils and salivary glands)
• Diagnostics and treatment of cancer of the musculoskeletal system (bone and soft tissue tumors, including bone metastases in cancers of other localizations)
• Diagnostics and treatment of other types of cancer