Breast cancer treatment in Turkey

Most of the clinics where you can get diagnosed and treated for breast cancer are concentrated in Istanbul. However, there are several clinics located in Ankara and Antalya.

• Chemotherapy;
• Surgical treatment;
• Radiation therapy;
• Targeted therapy;
• Hormone therapy;
• Immunotherapy.

The final cost of treatment is influenced by several independent factors.

First of all, it is important to understand what kind of diagnostics was carried out at the place of residence. If the examinations are done recently and correctly, the clinic can accept:

Biopsy results (with glass revision);

• MRI;
• CT;
• X-ray;
• PET-CT.

The cost of breast cancer treatment is influenced by the volume of therapeutic interventions. If the patient has already partially completed the treatment, the doctor will adjust the plan in accordance with the patient’s current condition.

Finally, the patient’s general condition may affect the cost of treatment. If the patient is in serious condition, then hospitalization in the intensive care unit may be required, which will increase the final cost of treatment. In opposite, if the patient receives treatment on an outpatient basis, what means he is not in the hospital all the time, then such treatment will be cheaper.

The length of stay of a patient in Turkey depends on:

• Stages of the disease;
• Diagnostics performed;
• Treatment performed.

On average, the duration of a complete diagnosis for breast cancer is 3-4 days.

Additional pathological studies can be carried out up to 1 week. Chemotherapy is carried out in courses, from several days to a week for 1 course, but there is no need for the patient to stay in the clinic permanently.

After the operation, the patient can be transportable within a few days. If there is a need for radiotherapy, then in total the patient can stay in the clinic from 3 weeks to 1.5 months.

Diagnosis of breast cancer begins with an appointment with a mammologist oncologist. The specialist collects anamnesis, examines and palpates the mammary glands and lymph nodes of the axillary region, after which he prescribes instrumental research methods:

• Mammography — X-ray of the breast. This study is performed to assess the size of the neoplasm and its abnormal growth in the adjacent tissue.
• Breast ultrasound is done to determine if a breast mass is a solid mass or a fluid-filled cyst.
• Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) creates a three-dimensional image of the breast. This helps doctors assess the extent of the spread of the tumor and plan further surgery.
• A breast biopsy is done to determine the type of tumor cells. To do this, the doctor takes several samples of the tumor using a thin needle, and then sends them to the laboratory for further tests. A biopsy is the only definitive way to diagnose breast cancer.

To clarify the stage of breast cancer, doctors also take into account the development of the tumor. To do this, Turkey is conducting additional studies for the presence of tumor markers, such as estrogen and progesterone receptors, HER2 receptors, proliferation factors, etc. These studies complement the basic diagnosis and help to build a treatment plan step by step.

The priority of Turkish surgeons is minimally invasive operations with maximum preservation of the mammary gland. Oncological surgeons work in conjunction with plastic surgeons. This makes it possible to remove the tumor and reconstruct the mammary gland during one operation or after a course of chemotherapy, radiotherapy.

Doctors in Turkey perform the following operations:

• Lumpectomy. This is the most organ-preserving operation, during which the surgeon removes the tumor and a small area of ​​healthy tissue in order to exclude the recurrence and spread of the tumor. Before lumpectomy, neoadjuvant chemotherapy may be given to reduce the size of the tumor.
• Mastectomy — removal of the breast, including lobules, ducts, adipose tissue. New surgical techniques allow Turkish doctors to perform mastectomy while preserving the nipple and areola.
• Mastectomy with lymph node dissection is performed in cases where there is a lesion of the lymph nodes. Removal of lymph nodes can be limited or extended, up to removal of axillary lymph nodes.
• Removal of both breasts is extremely rare. It is recommended in the case of a genetic predisposition and a burdened family history. In the vast majority of cases, breast cancer does not develop in two glands.

After removal of the malignant tumor, the patient can undergo a reconstructive operation using one of the following techniques:

• Breast reconstruction using abdominal muscles and autologous adipose tissue;
• Operation using a silicone implant;
• Reconstructive surgery using a flap of the back muscle.

Even if the nipple and areola are removed, a complete aesthetic breast reconstruction is performed in Turkey using tattoo techniques and special implants.

Consultation with an oncologist / mammologist / radiation therapist or other narrow specialists — from $120;
CT (computed tomography) — from $50;
MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) — from $600;
Biopsy with histological examination — from $1 200.

Breast cancer treatment consists of several types of therapy, each of which is assigned individually after a complete diagnosis:

Chemotherapy — from $1 000 for 1 course;
Radiation therapy — from $6 000;
Targeted therapy — from $3 000;
Lumpectomy — from $7 000.

In Turkish clinics, you can undergo radiotherapy for breast cancer on modern linear accelerators. The ultimate goal that doctors pursue when working with each patient is a point irradiation of tumor cells with minimal damage to healthy tissues.

Doctors in Turkey use Varian Edge and TrueBeam STx linear accelerators. With their help, it is possible to completely control the irradiation area, taking into account the three-dimensional size of the tumor and the patient’s breathing movements. This makes the radiation therapy more effective and the side effects less intense.