Cancer Treatments, Medical Oncology

AdaliaHealthCare is associated with distinguished and highly skilled Physicians and Specialists in Antalya and Istanbul. Our Multi-Disciplinary Medical Professionals have gained outstanding reputation for their innovative cancer treatments. 

ANTALYA MEDSTAR CANCER HOSPITAL has become the incomparably superior Cancer Hospital in the whole region. Medstar has been equipped with the latest state-of-the art technology and the best cancer treatment specialists (Oncologists, Hematologists and Bone Marrow) have joined the hospital’s medical staff.

ANTALYA MEDSTAR CANCER HOSPITAL has been the choice for Cancer Treatment for Turkish patients as well for patients from Europe, Eastern Europe, Russia, former Soviet States, Middle East and Africa.  

ANTALYA MEDSTAR CANCER HOSPITAL  consists of 18,500 m2 with a capacity of 124 private rooms and is equipped with latest and greatest in Medical Devices and Technology.  

In cancer treatment, in conjunction with utilizing latest technology, the most important factor is the quality, knowledge and experience of the medical team that carries out cancer treatment.

Our distinguished Cancer Treatment Medical Professionals perform different roles in cancer treatment.

Here’s a glimpse of Medstar Cancer Treatment Specialists:

Prof Mustafa Ozdogan MD Medical Oncologist

Prof Ihsan Karadogan MD Hematologist

Prof Dr. Alihan Gürkan MD General Surgeon

Prof Rabin Saba MD Infectious Disease Specialist

Prof Akin Yildiz MD Nuclear Medicine and Radiologist

Prof Saim Yilmaz MD Radiologist and Interventional Radiologist

Steps in Cancer Treatment: 

In order to obtain a maximum  effective result in treatment of cancer  patients, the following steps are usually followed ( unless any unexpected complications  force  otherwise)

1. Step: Diagnosis
   • Physical examination
   • Laboratory tests
   • Radiologic procedures ( Ultrasonography, X-Ray, Computed tomography, MR)
   • PET-CT
   • Biopsy – Whenever possible, we perform percutaneous image-guided biopsy, applied thru a small needle under local anesthesia. The procedure is painless and the patient can be discharged the same day.
   • The step 1 requires  1 week patient monitoring.
   • Treatment: Depending on the results of step 1 and the physician’s decision, following treatment options can be performed alone or in combination.
2. Step- Surgical operation
3. StepChemotherapy, usually 4-6 courses.  
4. Step Radiotherapy, usually 25-30 working days required.
5. If Steps 2,3,4  have not generated  satisfactory results , or medical  necessities  arise and  depending on patient’s need-  Minimally invasive image-guided therapies to be applied.
   

Hematology Stem Cell Transplantation

Since the time when our center was certified by the Ministry of Health in March 2012, we have receive about 1000 patient applications  every month  and successfuly performed  only in first two months 22 autologos stem cell and 8 allogenic stem cell transplantations.  They were all from different countries , from Oman,  Libya ,Russia Azarbeycan and others. . All of them returned to their countries in good health. In every year we plan to perform 150-250 autologous or allogenic stem cell transplantation for leukemia, lymphoma, multiple myeloma and other cancers.

Medical Oncology

The modern cancer treatment requires the use of latest technical innovation, medical expertise and experience. Today the model of ‘’One size fits all’’ has been abondoned, but treatment models that fit each individual separately have been adopted instead. This has enabled us to reach succesful treatments results and reduce the side effects in our patients. In our center, we apply the Dignicap technique by cooling the headskin to eliminate the risk of unwanted hair loss during chemotherapy. We pay great attention to chemotherapy-induced complications particularly infections. In order to overcome the problem of infection during chemotherapy and stem cell transplantation.

Our phylosophy in cancer treatment has certain aspects. First of all, we know that the base of our strategy must be the evidence-based methods in diagnosis and treatment. For this reason, we routinely check our strategy in accordance with the NCCN and ESMO guidelines in each patient. On the other hand, we also know that strict guidelines may not always catch up with the extremely rapidly developing technology and experience in cancer care, in which case we must sometimes go beyond the classic guidelines. To obtain maximum benefit from both approaches, our oncology team, which includes not only the above-written professors but also around 20 more specialists from different disciplines, come together every Thursday to discuss difficult cases and decide on the best possible treatment for our patients. When still needed, some cases are consulted to the well known institutions abroad (mainly in the US).

While dealing with a cancer patient, we also know that it may not be enough only to give the best possible treatment.The secret of a succesful cancer care is how to give patient and beloved ones hope , respect and love so that patient will feel he/she will win this combat. That is why we integrated love, spirit and art in our extraordinary chemotherapy unit, which was recently awarded by the Turkish Ministery of Health. Our patients may listen to live piano performances, draw themselves or watch painters draw pictures, surf in the internet, watch movies on their TV or simply enjoy the beautiful view of Antalya during their chemotherapy sessions.

Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology

In modern cancer care, one of the most important issues is to establish the diagnosis correctly and rapidly. In this regard, we pay great attention to utilizing the cutting edge technology in medical imaging. In the radiology department, we use a multislice CT scanner, a 1.5 Tesla MR, digital tomosynthesis+CAD for mammography, a flat panel digital subtraction angiography machine equipped with cone beam CT, 5 color Doppler ultrasounds, digital radiography and a RIS system. We also take maximum advantage of interventional radiology procedures such as ultrasound, CT and MR-guided biopsies and drainages. We also frequently perform vertebroplasty, kyphoplasty, RF ablations, hepatic arterial port implantation, chemoembolization and radioembolization and latest and newest technic  Nanoknife  ablation. In a very near future, we plan to start percutaneous hepatic chemosaturation therapy and HIFU (High Intensity Focused Ultrasound.

This is another field our team makes a big difference. Our latest and most advanced radiotherapy technology performed by experienced specialists plays a very important role. .The department of nuclear medicine possesses the most advanced Siemens PET device in the country, the molecular CT, which combines the TOF and HD technologies together. Siemens exclusively promotes our Department as reference clinic in Turkey.

Radiotherapy

In dealing with cancer treatment effectively, the latest and most advanced radiotherapy technology performed by experienced specialists plays a very important role. The Radiation Oncology Team integreted with well reputed worldwide medical institutions ( mainly in US) provides a great contribution to us with one of the most advanced radiotherapy device (Avian’s Rapid Arch and Cyber Knife Radiotherapy Device.

A message from Prof Saim Yilmaz MD Radiologist and
Interventional Radiologist

Dear colleagues and patients ,

The aim of the Medstar Cancer Hospital is to serve patients using the most advanced treatment options in every field of cancer management including chemotherapy, surgery, radiotherapy and interventional oncology. As we know, interventional oncology is the fastest growing field in oncology and has become the forth main treatment modality following chemotherapy, radiotherapy and surgery. Our interventional oncology section is directed by myself Prof Saim Yılmaz, MD , I am a renowned interventional radiologist, and Medstar is one of the best known and busiest centers in Turkey. Our team performs interventional procedures using a Siemens Zeego digital subtraction angiography machine equipped with a Cone beam CT (Dyna CT), a Siemens multislice CT machine and several Premium ultrasound machines. The commonest procedures in our Daily practice in interventional oncology is as follows:

• Image guided biopsies: Ultrasound, CT and MRI guided core needle biopsies mostly from breast, lung, liver and thyroid, but practically from anywhere in the body. Surgery is very seldom used for biopsy in our hospital.
• Tumor ablations: Mostly radiofrequency and microwave ablation for lung, liver, bone and soft tissue tumors. If the size of the tumors are less than 5 cm, their numbers are less than 5 and the tumor growth is slow, we prefer to use ablation alone or in combination with other therapies. Our center performs around 40% of the RF ablations in Turkey.

We have recently started nanoknife ablation (irreversible extraporation) for locally advanced pancreatic cancers, porta hepatis tumors and prostatic cancers. In this amazing new technology also, our center performed the biggest number of procedures in Turkey.

• Intraarterial treatments: We perform intraarterial chemotherapy for locally advanced head-neck, uterine, rectum, lung and breast cancers, sometimes using angiographic catheters or sometimes via arterial ports we implanted percutaneously. We frequently use radioembolization and/or chemoembolization for multiple, large HCC or liver metastases alone or in combination with RFA. We have recently started percutaneous chemosaturation for liver metastases, which is a new and promising therapeutic option. We are one of the very few centers in Europe that offer this therapy to cancer patients.

• Prof. Saim Yilmaz MD

Radiologist and Interventional Radiologist
Antalya Medstar Cancer Hospital

For more valuable information about innovative non-operable cancer treatments utilizing Interventional Oncology please visit Prof Saim Yilmaz’s personal web site below:

Click This Link

An additional information about Nanoknife

Nanoknife, available now at Antalya Medstar Cancer Hospital , is a minimally invasive cancer treatment that uses irreversible electroportation technology to precisely target and kill hard-to-reach tumors at the cellular level. The precision of the NanoKnife allows our interventional radiologists to treat tumors that in the past would be virtually impossible for surgeons to operate on due to their location.

What can be treated with NanoKnife?

NanoKnife is an option for small tumors, typically less than five centimeters, which are considered inoperable or poor candidates for traditional treatments. NanoKnife can be used for both primary tumors or for tumors that have metastasized or spread to other parts or organs of the body. At Antalya Medstar Cancer Hospital, our interventional radiologist team uses NanoKnife to treat tumors that develop in soft tissue, including the liver, lungs, kidneys and pancreas.

How does it work?

NanoKnife technology applies a series of quick bursts of electrical energy through electrodes that are inserted directly into and around the tumor and destroy it – leaving the surrounding tissue, veins, nerves and ducts unaffected. Healthy cells and tissue can then grow back and regenerate within the area. NanoKnife is different from other treatments and traditional surgery in that it can be done quickly and painlessly, and success can be evaluated much more quickly.

What are the benefits of NanoKnife?

• Cutting-edge: Can treat tumors that are considered inoperable, or where radiation therapy is not an option.
• Virtually painless: The treatment requires general anesthesia and patients generally experience few or no side effects.
• Fast: The treatment requires a brief stay in the hospital, usually just overnight.
• No stitches or staples: The patient can leave the hospital with only a small bandage.

Antalya Medstar Cancer Hospital is one of the very few provider of Nanoknife ablation in whole Europe and one of only a handful in the world to offer one of the newest weapons for fighting cancer — NanoKnife. Our interventional radiology experts use this new minimally invasive treatment to destroy soft-tissue tumors, particularly those that have spread to the liver, kidneys, and lungs. NanoKnife uses a targeted approach to treating small, hard-to-reach tumors at the cellular level. It works by applying electrical energy directly into tumors. This opens the cell walls of the tumor; the cancer cells die; and healthy tissue remains unharmed. Because NanoKnife causes few side effects or scarring, treatments can be repeated if new lesions develope.

For further info please see Nanoknife and Nanoknife locations on google and also see visual demo at: