Chemotherapy

Generally, during chemotherapy, tumors are treated with variety of chemicals. Tumor treatment includes 3 main elements, these are surgery, radiotherapy and chemotherapy. Chemotherapy is prescribed according to the tumor type, and the characteristics of the patient.

For what purposes is chemotherapy used?

• To achieve full recovery of the patient
• To prevent tumor proliferation
• To stop or slow down tumor growth
• To eliminate tumor related symptoms

Types of medical treatment

Medications work differently. Some of the chemotherapeutic medications are cytotoxic and they destroy tumor cells, others are cytostatic - to inhibit tumor development and proliferation. Hormones and supportive care medications can be added to treatment plan.

When is chemotherapy used?

For treatment of certain types of tumors, chemotherapy is the only way. Other types may require consistent or concomitant use of chemotherapy with radiotherapy, or chemotherapy in combination with surgery. Chemotherapy program is selected individually, in accordance of each case.

Surgical treatment of female reproductive organ cancer diseases is performed at Gynecologic Surgical Oncology department. Multidisciplinary approach is used to choose the most appropriate surgical treatment for each patient, according to their case.

Female reproductive organs include uterus, ovaries, fallopian tubes, vagina and vulva. Gynecologic cancer is a term for cancers of one these organs which are studied by gynecologic oncology. Our doctors have comprehensive knowledge of gynecologic cancers and experience to diagnose them at earliest stage possible, to perform surgical treatment with innovative approaches and to manage treatment after surgery (radiotherapy, chemo and hormonal therapies, etc.)

Types of gynecologic cancers treated at our department

Cervical, ovarian and uterine cancers present most common types of gynecologic cancers. Cervix is the part of uterus, where uterus is connected to the vagina, and is different from uterus with its cellular tissue, cervical and uterine cancers have different development and proliferation characteristics for this reason. We provide comprehensive treatment for all types of gynecologic cancers including uterine, cervical, ovarian, vulvar, vaginal cancers and gestational trophoblastic tumors.

Treatment planning for gynecologic cancers

The laparoscopic approach is preferred at early stages cases of endometrial and cervical cancers as this minimally invasive approach shortens recovery time and decreases post-operative discomfort. Laparoscopic surgeries in our center are performed at high level without any complications.

Pathologists, as they attend surgeries, provide doctors with diagnosis, fastest way passible. Due to our high-tech infrastructure surgeons and radiologists are able to review pre-op radiology images even during the operation.

Postoperative treatment is planned at “tumor boards” attended by specialists from different fields, including oncology, radiology, pathology, therapy and etc.

The medical oncology department of Anadolu Medical center offers diagnostics and treatment for all kind of cancer as well as preventive screenings for healthy patients who are under the risk.  Treatment and examination plans for all patients with cancer are formulated with multidisciplinary approach in collaboration with Surgery and Radiation Oncology departments.

All required procedures, including chemotherapy, are performed by high-qualified physicians and oncology nurses specifically trained to meet the physical and psychological requirements of cancer patients and to handle all possible complications that can arise during the whole process. Monitoring of chemotherapy patients outside the hospital is also a must. Our chemotherapy service is provided at the Oncology and Chemotherapy unit of Anadolu Medical Center’s Ataşehir Outpatient Clinic.

Targeted therapies specific to the pacient

We use patient-specific treatments as well as immunotherapy (to fight tumor with the immune system cells) in our center.  The Department of Medical Oncology with the Departments of Genetics and Pathology, determines therapies and medications specific to the patient and treatments based on the genetic mutations and modifications determined by analyzing the genetic structure of the tumor cells.

What is Neurosurgery?

Neurosurgery is a complex branch of medicine which deals with the surgical treatment of the central and peripheral nervous system diseases and problems. At Anadolu Medical Center Neurosurgery department we diagnose and treat all kinds of problems that may occur in this field.

Which diseases are treated by neurosurgery?

The field of neurosurgery includes diagnostics and surgical treatment of brain, spinal cord and peripheral nerve benign and malignant tumors, surgeries of hernias and vertebral displacements (spondiylolisthesis) of spinal cord, traumatic, and non-traumatic (due to aneurysm burst and vascular malformations) brain hemorrhages, spinal cord injuries, nerve traumas and other conditions of nervous system that require immediate surgical interventions. Besides, in the sphere of neurosurgery is the surgical treatment of congenital anomalies, surgical treatment of congenital anomalies, such as congenital scoliosis, cranionostosis, hydrocephalus, some problems related to spinal dispharism. Also, surgical treatment of epilepsy, when needed, surgical intervention for pain elimination (cordotomy, RF, rhizotomy, etc.) and carotid stenosis. Placing pumps and neurostimulators which may be necessary for movement disorders, for example, excessive muscle spasms related to paralysis, is in the field of functional neurosurgery. When the condition is not life-threatening surgery is planned after cooperation with of neurooncologist, radiation oncologist, neurologist, physical therapist, algologist, orthopedist and psychiatrist.

Diseases treated and diagnosed at our department:

• Brain, spine and spinal cord tumors
• All spinal diseases including hernias of the lower back and neck
• Aneurysm
• Arteriovenous malformation
• Cavernoma
• Congenital diseases that develop during the formation of the nervous systems (like meningomyelocele)
• Other childhood diseases
• Hydrocephalus
• Carpal tunnel and other nerve entrapments
• Traumas of the head, spine and spinal cord
• Brain hemorrhages

Radiation oncology uses high energy radiation to damage cancer cells, by affecting their DNA. As a field, Radiation Oncology focuses on cancer treatment but radiotherapy is effective in treating other diseases as well.

Our radiation oncology department team consists of radiation oncologists, radiation therapy technicians, medical physicists, radiation protection experts, dosimetrists, simulator technicians, cardiac technicians, nurses, psychologists, dietitians, social workers, and patient consultants.

Following methods are used for treatment at our Radiation Oncology Department

• Radiation Therapy
• 3D Conformal Radiation Therapy (3DCRT)
• CyberKnife®
• Truebeam

What is Thoracic Surgery?

Thoracic surgery is a field of medicine that deals with surgeries within the thorax excluding heart, great blood vessels, and breasts in women.

What does Thoracic Surgery deal with?

Congenital deformities, thorax acquired tumors, tumors and particulary stenoses of the airways, congenital and acquired disease of the lung, diseases of the asophagus and diaphragm, all of them are in the sphere of Thoracic Surgery.

Breast Surgery belongs to a field different from Thoracic surgery

Breast surgery is a separate branch that assesses the risk of developing breast cancer and plans the treatment based on examination and research findings. Treatment benign and malignant nodules or tumors of breast, infectious diseases and breast pain are also included in the area of ​​breast surgery.

Thoracic and lung diseases of patients of any age, are treated at the Anadolu Medical Center Thoracic surgery department,

Which surgical procedures are performed in our department?

• Cancer surgery
• Emphysema surgery
• Minimal invasive thoracic surgery (lung and pleural biopsies, hyperhidrosis sympathectomy and lobectomy done via video-assisted
• thoracoscopic surgery)
• Mediastinoscopy– Bronchoscopy
• Repairs of deformity of the chest wall (Nuss technique)
• Chest wall tumors
• Diaphragm surgery
• Tuberculosis surgery
• Tracheal surgery and tracheal stents