Bone Marrow Transplantation
The Anadolu Medical Center is one of the largest bone marrow transplantation centers in Europe, with an average of 250 transplants a year on patients aged 16 and older. Over 3,000 transplants have been performed between 2010 and 2022, with patients coming from over 40 countries.
The center offers comprehensive transplantation treatments using an integrated approach and adopting a philosophy of personalized medicine. A multidisciplinary team of over 60 experts develop a comprehensive and individualized treatment plan for each patient. This includes specialists in multiple myeloma, bone marrow transplants, radiation oncology and pain management.
TYPES OF TRANSPLANTS PROVIDED
• Allogeneic BMT
• HLA identical sibling BMT
• Haploidentic BMT
• Unrelated BMT
• Autologous BMT
DISEASES TREATED WITH BMT
• Acute Myeloblastic Leukaemia
• Acute Lymphoplastic Leukaemia
• Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma
• Hodgkin’s Lymphoma
• Multiple Myeloma
• Myelodysplastic Syndrome
• Chronic Myeloid Leukaemia
• Chronic Lymphocytic Leukaemia
• Aplastic Anaemia
• Paraxysmal Nocturnal Haemoglobinuria
• Primary Amyloidosis
• Solid Cancers: testicle cancer, ovarian cancer
• Sickle cell anemia
Ear, Nose & Throat (ENT) Oncology
The department specializes in the treatment of various conditions, including hearing loss (including cochlear implant surgery), vertigo, tinnitus, chronic sinusitis, nasal obstruction, external appearance of the nose, nasal polyps, lacrimal duct obstruction, voice problems, problems with swallowing, benign and malignant tumors in the head and neck area.
The Pediatric Otolaryngology (Pediatric ENT) Department specializes in the treatment in children of middle ear infections, tonsil and adenoid problems, allergies and sinus problems and airway problems.
The ENT department is experienced in performing a range of procedures, including microlaryngeal-endoscopic organ-conserving surgery and other techniques for early-stage glottic carcinoma of the larynx, as well as treating skull base tumors in close collaboration with other departments, surgical resection of submandibular and parotid tumors under neural monitoring. Skilled surgical teams use advanced endoscopic equipment to minimize loss of functionality when treating paranasal sinus tumors.
Heart Surgery
Cardiovascular Surgery
The Cardiovascular Surgery Department of Anadolu Medical Center treats cardiovascular and pulmonary diseases in adults and newborns:
- Coronary bypass surgery
- Valve repairs and replacements
- Surgical treatment of aortic aneurysms and arrhythmias
- Pulmonary thromboembolism
- Aortic diseases
- Heart failure surgery –ventricular reconstruction
- Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy
- Pulmonary thromboendarterectomy
- Aortic aneurysm repair
- Valve-sparing aortic root replacement
Vascular and Endovascular Surgery
- Aneurysm repair
- Aortic and thoracic endografts
- Carotid stent
- Carotid endarterectomy
- Lower extremity bypass surgery and stent procedure
- Upper extremity bypass surgery and stent procedure
- Balloon angioplasty and stent implantation
Anadolu Medical Center is the largest and the most active extracorporeal life support organization (ELSO) center in the country, offering medical services to patients who are in critical conditions and could not be treated at other centers.
Arrhythmia Center
- Advanced computer mapping system for concurrent imaging of electrical activity
- Advanced ablation techniques in complex arrhythmias
- Implantable cardioverter devices ( ICD)
- Cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT)
- Surgical MAZE procedures
In Vitro Fertilization
At Anadolu Medical Center, the IVF Center is a prominent fertility clinic in the region, offering a wide range of treatments for male and female infertility as well as the latest in vitro fertilization (IVF) techniques.
The center is equipped with state-of-the-art equipment in the embryology lab, providing services such as fertilization with intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI), assisted hatching, preimplantation genetic diagnosis (PGD), sperm sorting chips method (FERTILE Plus®) to select sperm free of DNA damage, IMSI (Intracytoplasmic Morphologically Selected Sperm Injection) at a magnification of x6.000, blastocyst transfer rate of 50%, and embryo cryopreservation.
The IVF Center offers various procedures, including IUI (Intrauterine Insemination), ICSI (Intracytoplasmic sperm injection), TESA (Testicular Sperm Aspiration), Micro TESE (Microsurgical Testicular Sperm Extraction), IVM (In Vitro Maturation), and FET (Frozen Embryo Transfer).
The center also provides personalized reproductive treatments with a holistic medicine support, such as glutathione support therapy, ozone therapy, special nutrition programs and psychological support.
Additionally, the center offers fertility-preservation programs for individuals who are planning to undergo cancer treatments, which includes egg freezing, embryo freezing, and sperm freezing to safeguard their reproductive health.
Medical Oncology
Anadolu Medical Center’s Oncology specialists provide diagnosis and treatment for the majority of cancer types. The department has specialists in the following sub-branches: medical oncology, hematological oncology, radiation therapy, cancer surgery, bone marrow transplants, breast center, oncological interventional radiology, gynecological oncology and urological oncology.
The following treatments are provided:
- Chemotherapy
- Immunotherapy
- Targeted drug treatment
- Hormone treatment
- Additional systemic therapies
- Bone marrow transplantation
Thanks to the collaboration with the departments of surgery, radiology, pathology, nuclear medicine, internal medicine, and radiation therapy, Anadolu Medical Center offers multidisciplinary treatment plans for cancer patients. Individualized cancer treatments for each patient are made available thanks to next generation sequencing used to determine the unique mutations present in cancer tissue.
More than 175 physicians collaborate to offer patients multidisciplinary specialized care thanks to site-based weekly tumor boards, in which an extensive team of physicians and other health professionals review individual cases, cutting-edge treatment options such as Cyberknife, da Vinci robotic surgery system, Truebeam, PET-CT as well as use of the CTC technique for early cancer detection and effective treatment.
Patients are cared for by patient support and palliative care teams, which include specialists in algology (pain management), nutrition, and psychology, throughout and after treatment.
Neurosurgery
Anadolu Medical Center is dedicated to achieving excellent outcomes for our patients, utilizing state-of-the-art diagnostic and therapeutic techniques for a range of neurological conditions, including:
- Benign and cancerous brain tumors
- Angioplasty and embolism for arteriovenous malformations (AVMs), aneurysms and carotid stenosis
- Neurovascular surgery for aneurysms, AVMs, and cavernomas
- Radiosurgery (Cyberknife) for brain tumors
- Deep brain stimulation (DBS) for neurological disorders
- Degenerative spine diseases, herniated discs, deformities, tumors, traumas, metabolic disorders and peripheral nerve damage
Advanced neuro-radiological imaging such as tractopoiesis, spectroscopy, diffusion tensor imaging (DTI), as well as retinal and choroidal angiography, neuroradiologic examinations and diagnostic cytology help determine the most appropriate treatment plan for each individual case.
The Neuro-oncology and Neuro-vascular Boards provide multidisciplinary clinical care in collaboration with a variety of specialists to deliver personalized treatments to each patient.
The Neurooncology Tumor Board includes specialists from Neurosurgery, Medical Oncology, Radiation Oncology, Neurology, Pathology, Radiology Departments.
The most complicated operations of are performed with the lowest risks thanks to the advanced technologies available at the center.
Hybrid operating room- advanced medical imaging systems and medical devices can be used together simultaneously.
Nuclear Medicine
At the Anadolu Medical Center’s Nuclear Medicine Department, radioactive substances are employed for diagnostic purposes and the treatment of various conditions, both benign and malignant.
Gallium-68 PSMA PET/CT imaging
The Gallium-68 PSMA PET/CT technology is a highly effective imaging technique that detects the spread of prostate cancer to other tissues and organs. This involves the injection of the PSMA agent, which is specific to the prostate, bound with the gallium-68 radioisotope. Patients are scanned with a PET/CT, and the gallium-68 PSMA binds with certain molecules in the prostate cancer cells, making cancerous tissues visible. This approach involves low radiation doses, and the exam must be scheduled in advance. After administering the drug intravenously, patients must wait for 45 to 60 minutes before the 20-minute scanning process, during which they must remain still. The entire process takes about 2 to 3 hours, and patients are advised to drink plenty of water before and after the procedure. Radiation may remain in the patient’s body for 8 to 12 hours after the exam, so they should avoid contact with pregnant women and children.
Additionally, the Gallium-68 PSMA PET/CT technology may be used to diagnose neuroendocrine tumors. These tumors have a special receptor called “somatostatin” on their surface, which can be targeted using DOTATATE, a peptide compound. By combining DOTATATE with the radioactive agent gallium-68 and administering it to the patient, the PET/CT device can provide high-precision images of tissues with tumor cells. This method also involves low radiation doses.
Radioactive iodine treatment for thyroid cancer
Radioactive iodine therapy is utilized for thyroid cancer, including papillary and follicular carcinoma, to remove any residual thyroid tissue or for treating tumors larger than 1 cm in diameter. In some cases where the tumor is smaller than 1 cm, total thyroidectomy may suffice. However, radioactive iodine therapy is recommended if the tumor is small and has metastasized or invaded the capsule, or if radiotherapy has been administered in the neck region.
The procedure also involves removing residual thyroid tissue to uncover and treat any hidden metastases, reducing the likelihood of cancer recurrence and prolonging the patient’s life. Patients deemed eligible for the treatment are administered it about three to four weeks after surgery.
Lutetium-PSMA therapy
Lutetium-PSMA (177Lu-PSMA) therapy is a type of radionuclide treatment that is increasingly being used to treat patients with advanced-stage prostate cancer. The therapy aims to reduce the size of the tumor and stop the proliferation of tumor cells, thereby controlling the progression of the disease and alleviating common advanced symptoms such as bone pain and fatigue. This therapy is typically used when the disease has advanced or spread, or when the patient is unable to tolerate the side effects of other therapies like chemotherapy.
The radiation used in this therapy is intended to destroy cancer cells. PSMA, which is injected into the body, travels to the tumor and targets cancer cells. PSMA is also found in other tissues such as salivary glands, lacrimal glands, and kidneys, which may be exposed to radiation, but this exposure is minimal. Unlike chemotherapy, PSMA attaches to cancer cells and does not have devastating side effects. Some patients may experience temporary dryness of the mouth, fatigue, or a temporary drop in blood values, but these effects can be managed through regular blood analyses in the post-treatment period. Patients who are likely to experience side effects can be identified through tests taken prior to treatment, and personalized treatment strategies specific to each patient can be used to minimize side effects, supported by the results of dosimeter studies.
Radium therapy
Radium therapy is known for its high energy level and therefore, damaging effect. However, its alpha radiation can only travel very short distances, typically equal to the size of 2 to 10 cells. This means that while it damages cancer cells in bones, it does not affect healthy cells. Post-treatment side effects are rare and usually manifest as a temporary drop in blood levels, requiring patients to undergo check-ups at certain intervals.
Targeted alpha therapy in prostate cancer involves administering Ac-225 PSMA, a radioactive agent used to reduce tumor size, halt tumor cell proliferation, and kill cancer cells in patients with metastatic advanced-stage prostate cancer. This treatment is preferred when the disease progresses, spreads, or when patients cannot tolerate other therapies such as chemotherapy.
Lutetium-PSMA therapy is typically the first choice of treatment for radionuclide therapies and has been administered to many patients worldwide, with the goals of relieving symptoms, extending life expectancy, and improving the quality of life. However, in some patients, the disease may not respond to this therapy, and in those cases, targeted alpha therapies using actinium-225-PSMA have been shown to provide better results.
Actinium therapy
Actinium (Ac-225) therapy utilizes radiation that is specifically designed to target and destroy cancer cells. The “smart” PSMA injected into the body travels to the tumor and targets cancer cells. While PSMA receptors are primarily found in prostate cancer cells, they are also present in other organs such as salivary glands, lacrimal glands, and kidneys, which could be exposed to radiation. However, the radiation exposure is minimal, and unlike chemotherapy, PSMA directly attaches to cancer cells, minimizing the potential for devastating side effects. Some patients may experience temporary side effects such as dry mouth, fatigue, or a temporary drop in blood values, which can be monitored and controlled through post-treatment blood analyses at certain intervals.
Ocular Oncology
Anadolu Medical Center is dedicated to providing innovative treatments for highly complex cases of eye cancer, including retinoblastoma, optic nerve glioma, ocular melanoma, and orbital tumors.
Advanced technologies include cryotherapy, transpupillary thermotherapy, cornea and conjunctival tumor excisions, brachytherapy, systemic and topical chemotherapy, photodynamic therapy (a non-surgical form of treatment) and teletherapy such as Cyberknife, all tailored to meet the specific needs of each patient.
Diagnostics for ocular and orbital tumors include ultrasonography, retinal and choroidal angiography, neuro-radiological examinations, and diagnostic cytology. Specific treatment is determined based on data obtained from diagnostic tests, with a conservative approach aiming to destroy the neoplastic lesion while preserving the eye and visual function.
Orthopaedics
The Orthopaedics and Traumatology Center is staffed by skilled doctors who use cutting-edge equipment and technology to provide diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation of musculoskeletal system diseases.
Specialized treatments include:
- Orthopedic oncology for osteoma, soft tissue tumors and metastatic tumors
- Arthroscopic surgery for knee, shoulder, ankle, elbow, wrist and hip
- Spinal surgery, including endoscopic spinal surgery, scoliosis and deformity surgery
- Joint prosthesis surgery for knee, shoulder, hip and elbow
- Hand and upper extremity surgery
- Orthopedic trauma surgery
- Reconstructive microsurgery and re-implantations
- Treatment of congenital and traumatic brachial plexus injuries
- Chronic lower back pain treatment, including epidural, inner facet, and disks
- Pediatric orthopedics
- Treatment of sports injuries
- Orthopedic treatment and botox applications for cerebral palsy
Pain Management
The Pain Management Center of Anadolu Medical Center treats pain in the lower back, neck, shoulder, hip, head and face, neuropathic (nerve) pain, myofascial (muscular) as well as diseases such as spinal stenosis, herniated discs, nerve entrapment syndromes, neuralgias such as occipital neuralgia, intercostal neuralgia (rib pain), failed back surgery pain (FBSS), pain from cancer and after surgery.
The invasive procedures available at the Pain Management Center at Anadolu Medical Center include:
- Epidural Injections (Interlaminar, Transforaminal Steroid, Epidural lysis, Blood Patch)
- Selective Nerve Root Injections
- Facet Joint/Nerve Injections
- Radiofrequency Ablation / Neurolysis / Denervation (Trigeminal, Sphenopalatine, Peripheral RF)
- Intervertebral Disc Procedures (Discography, IDET, Annuloplasty, Nucleoplasty)
- Sympathetic Nerve Blocks/Ablation (Stellate Ganglion, Thoracic/Lumbar Sympathetic Block, Celiac Plexus, Superior Hypogastric, Impar ganglion block)
- Spinal Cord Stimulation
- Drug Delivery Systems (Permanent port and Programmable Pump System)
- Peripheral Nerve Blocks
- Joint Injections
- Trigger Point Injections
- Botox Injections
- Acupuncture
Pediatric Oncology
The Pediatric Oncology department, thanks to a team of multidisciplinary specialists, treats a wide range of solid malignancies in children and adolescents, such as bone and soft tissue tumors, as well as liver and kidney tumors, neuroblastoma, retinoblastoma, malignant and benign brain and spinal cord tumors, Wilms’ tumor, rhabdomyosarcoma, soft tissue tumors, osteosarcoma, germ cell tumors, retinoblastoma, histiocytoses, endocrine neoplasms, hemangioma, vascular abnormalities, lymph node enlargement, neurofibromatosis and rare tumors.
Expert pediatric oncologists, spine surgeons, neurologists, radiation oncologists, orthopedic surgeons, urologists, and thoracic surgeons diagnose, operate on, and treat cancers and tumors with the latest clinical techniques, all in a child-friendly environment to ensure the best possible outcomes and quality of life for patients and their families.
Anadolu Medical Center also provides cutting-edge diagnostic and treatment options, including limb-sparing osteosarcoma surgery, minimally invasive radiofrequency ablation to eradicate tumors, I-131 MIBG for recurrent neuroblastoma, and innovative radiation oncology therapies such as CyberKnife and TrueBeam. Expert pathologists utilize molecular diagnostic testing to identify tumor types and predict the effectiveness of potential treatments.
Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery
The Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery Department at Anadolu Medical Center employs advanced technology and innovative surgical techniques to provide comprehensive plastic and reconstructive surgery services. This includes maxillofacial surgery, orthognathic surgery, facial bone fractures and facial traumas.
Additionally, the department offers post-oncologic reconstruction of the face and other body regions, maxillary and mandibular reconstruction using tissue transfers, treatment of cleft lip and cleft palate, correction of associated secondary deformities, and surgery of the hand, including replantation and correction of congenital hand anomalies.
The department also provides microvascular tissue transfers using microsurgical techniques and administers wound care for acute and chronic wounds, such as pressure ulcers, diabetic wounds, and venous ulcers.
Lastly, the department specializes in treating both benign and cancerous skin tumors.
Radiation Oncology
The Department of Radiation Oncology at Anadolu Medical Center was the first hospital in Turkey to acquire the CyberKnife Radiosurgery System in 2005 and the fourth center in Europe to offer such treatments. It is equipped with cutting-edge technology, including the CyberKnife Robotic Radiosurgery System, Radixact, TrueBeam and TrueBeam STx systems.
Cyberknife M6
Cyberknife M6 is a linear accelerator mounted on a precise robotic arm with 6 axis that provides millimetric accuracy in radiation therapy. Beams can be delivered approximately from almost 1500 different spots during treatment depending on the location, size and shape of the tumor.
CyberKnife is considerably more precise than conventional radiation treatment technologies thanks to its advanced real-time tumor imaging, tumor-tracking software, and ultra-precise robotic technology. In one to five treatment sessions over the course of less than a week, CyberKnife delivers targeted radiation to the site of the cancer. Procedures are pain-free, minimally invasive, with real-time monitoring of tumors and patient respiration. The treatment is performed without cuts and blood loss, no anesthesia or hospitalization.
Varian Edge
The Varian Edge device is an advanced product from Varian that integrates conventional treatment techniques with cutting-edge options like radiosurgery. It is capable of treating tumors in both the head and body.
The device operates at two different energy levels, allowing for high dose speed settings and shorter treatment sessions. Its high definition multileaf collimator, featuring 120 leaves and 2.5 mm width, delivers high-dose beams to the tumor with millimetric precision while protecting surrounding tissues with the same level of accuracy.
The device uses a six-axis positioning system with PerfectPitch 6 DoF table to precisely target radiation to the correct location, automatically correcting both linear and angular errors depending on the patient’s position.
For intracranial radiosurgery procedures, the Edge device uses HyperArc HDRT to deliver beams from multiple points, enabling significant dose reduction outside of the tumor. The device’s gantry, table, and rotator head automatically check for motion, leading to shorter treatment sessions by eliminating interruptions caused by entering the room.
Radixact
Radixact, manufactured by Accuray, is the latest model used for “tomotherapy,” and allows precise treatment using three-dimensional computed tomography images, irradiation with the lowest side effects, a painless procedure, hair preservation through scalp protection during brain irradiation, and more homogeneous and uniform dose distribution and uninterrupted treatment in wide and long areas.
The device combines a megavoltage computed tomography function with a linear accelerator, consisting of two arrays of multileaf collimator and a 6 MV linac system. These two multileaf collimators alternate to provide a highly conformal dose intensity adjustment capacity and homogeneous dose distribution at the target location, thanks to the irradiation applied by a gantry with continuous rotation, similar to a computed tomography device.
The main treatment methods performed with Radixact include Intensity-Modulated Radiotherapy (IMRT, 3DCRT), Image-Guided Radiotherapy (IGRT), Adaptive Radiotherapy, Total and Half Body Irradiation (TBI).
Robotic Surgery
Anadolu Medical Center has highly skilled surgeons who are experienced in performing complex robotic surgeries for both benign and malignant diseases, safely and with high precision, offering many advantages to patients such as reduced blood loss, less pain, shorter hospitalization and improved cosmetic outcome.
General surgery applications include gastrointestinal diseases, pancreatic conditions, liver and bile tract diseases, and endocrine organs such as the thyroid and adrenal gland. It can also be used for cancer treatment of tumors in the thyroid gland, stomach, large bowel, rectum, liver, pancreas, and adrenal glands.
In gynecology and gynecologic oncology, Da Vinci robotic surgery can be used for uterine and cervical cancers, myomas, and pelvic organ prolapse. Thoracic surgery applications include pneumonectomy, lobectomy, lung segmentectomy, esophageal surgeries, mediastinal masses and cysts.
In urology and uro-oncology, Da Vinci robotic surgery is to treat prostate cancer, kidney cancer, ureteropelvic junction obstruction, bladder cancer, and in other surgical procedures such as ureteral reimplantation, pyelolitotomy, diverticulectomy and adrenalectomy.