Anadolu Medical Center
The total cost of astrocytoma treatment in Turkey varies depending on the treatment plan. Initial diagnostics, including a consultation, laboratory tests, and MRI with contrast, are approximately $1,850. Surgical removal of the tumor ranges from $18,000 to $28,000, while postoperative radiotherapy with temozolomide is around $7,000. The treatment program is personalized, following an individual assessment by the medical team.
| Turkey | Austria | Spain | |
| Stereotaxic radiosurgery | from $4,500 | from $17,000 | from $12,000 |
| Radiation therapy for colorectal cancer | from $7,000 | from $12,000 | from $10,000 |
| Craniotomy | from $5,650 | from $20,000 | from $25,000 |
| Chemotherapy for breast cancer | from $1,200 | from $15,000 | from $3,500 |
| Halcyon | from $5,400 | - | - |
Specializes in tumor biology and immunotherapy – Dr. Bülent Karagöz focuses on advanced cancer treatments at Anadolu Medical Center.
Dr. Tanrikulu has served as the head of Haydarpaşa Numune's medical oncology unit and is an active researcher in international clinical trials.
Dr. Solak specializes in treating astrocytoma with extensive training from Hacettepe University Cancer Institute and MD Anderson Cancer Center.
Dr. Banu Atalar is a board-certified radiation oncologist (Türkiye, 2004). She is a Full Professor at Acibadem MAA University (2018–present) and a clinician at Anadolu Medical Center (2026–present). She trained at Istanbul and Cerrahpaşa. In 2011, she completed a Stanford clinical research fellowship in stereotactic radiosurgery. Her practice focuses on CNS, thoracic, and GI tumors. About 75% of her care involves SRS and MR‑guided adaptive SRS.
Her honors include the ASCO IDEA award (2004), the IASLC International Mentorship Award (2018), and H.FACR (2025). She has 72 international peer‑reviewed publications. Her leadership roles include President of the Turkish Society for Radiation Oncology (2025–27) and Chair of the ESTRO National Societies Committee (2024–27). She served on the ASCO Resource‑Stratified Guidelines Committee (2013–18) and on RSS meeting and nomination committees. She organized national congresses (2023, 2025) and has been an invited speaker at major meetings.
Top neurosurgeons in Turkey for astrocytoma include Dr. Nejat Akalan at Medipol Mega and Dr. Ahmet Hilmi Kaya at Anadolu Medical Center. These specialists hold international fellowships and have performed 900+ brain procedures, specializing in removing tumors while protecting vital motor functions.
Bookimed Expert Insight: Turkey's leading neurosurgeons often lead EANS-accredited departments, such as the one at Istanbul Florence Nightingale Hospital. This accreditation confirms that the surgical team follows rigorous European training standards for brain tumor removal. Patients should look for specialists like Dr. Ilhan Elmaci who hold these specific international teaching credentials.
Patient Consensus: Patients often mention feeling relieved after seeing real-time imaging like intraoperative MRI during their procedure. Many noted the translators made communicating with senior professors like Dr. Nejat Akalan very easy.
International patients can receive remote second opinions for astrocytoma from Turkish neuro-oncology specialists. These specialists review MRI scans and pathology reports through telemedicine to confirm tumor types. This helps patients verify their diagnosis and treatment plans before traveling for complex brain surgery.
Bookimed Expert Insight: Specialists in Turkey often provide a preliminary evaluation of medical documents without a fee. This allows patients to understand their treatment options at several clinics before booking a full consultation. Bookimed coordinators help organize these reviews to ensure the right neuro-oncologist sees the files.
Patient Consensus: Patients are often surprised by the speed of responses from Turkish neurosurgeons via video calls. Many felt reassured when doctors explained complex MRI findings in simple terms during their remote sessions.
Turkish hospitals treat astrocytoma using multidisciplinary tumor boards. These teams include neurosurgeons, medical oncologists, and radiation oncologists. They collaborate to design personalized plans. This ensures every specialist reviews the brain tumor case. Such teamwork improves safety during complex brain surgeries.
Bookimed Expert Insight: Leading Turkish centers often link their neuro-oncology councils to international networks. For example, Anadolu Medical Center works with Johns Hopkins Medicine. This means patients get treatment plans backed by global research standards. Such partnerships often lead to faster adoption of newer surgical techniques.
Patient Consensus: Patients were impressed by how quickly different specialists met to discuss their results. They felt reassured when the surgeon and oncologist explained the same plan. One person mentioned that having a translator during these multi-doctor meetings was very helpful.
Turkish neurosurgeons use intraoperative MRI (iMRI) and neuronavigation to remove astrocytomas with high precision. These tools allow specialists like Dr. Akın Akakın at Hisar Hospital Intercontinental to map brain tumors in real time. This ensures maximum tumor removal while protecting vital speech and motor functions.
Bookimed Expert Insight: While many centers offer advanced hardware, doctors like Dr. Mustafa Kılıç at Medipol Mega specialize in combining Gamma Knife with microsurgery. This hybrid approach allows them to treat deep-seated tumor remnants that are too risky for traditional excision. Choosing a specialist who masters both tools often leads to better long-term disease control.
Patient Consensus: Patients often mention how surgeons explained the mapping process to them before the procedure. They felt much safer knowing the team used real-time monitoring to protect their ability to speak. Many were surprised at how quickly they could move after such complex brain surgery.
Healthcare is the key development sector of the Turkish government. The Turkish authorities are convinced that care for the citizens' health should be an absolute priority of state policy and spend about 77 billion liras for healthcare annually.
As a result, 28,000 medical facilities provide excellent medical care in the country. About 50 centers have certificate of JCI (Joint Commission International), the international improver of healthcare quality and safety across the globe. The index of certificates obtained is the largest. To compare, Israel has 20 JCI-accredited facilities, and Germany — only 10 clinics of this type.
| Currency | lira (you also can pay for services in dollars and euros) |
| Best period for the trip | May-October |
| Language | Turkish (most of medical staff speaks English fluently) |
| Visa | is not required for a trip of at least 30 days per visit |
| Time difference with Europe | 3 hours |
| Time difference with the USA | 8 hours |
| Capital | Ankara |
| Medical tourism center | Istanbul |
| Popular resorts | Alanya, Antalya, Kemer, Marmaris |
In Turkey, hotels of different price ranges and service levels are presented. The level of Turkish hotels is comparable to hotels in Tunisia, Morocco or Egypt. Most tourists choose 4 and 5 star hotels with all-inclusive meals. Such hotels have everything for a comfortable stay: varied food, a large well-groomed territory, animation for children and adults. Some hotels have their own water park, which guests can use for free. Budget travelers can afford to book an economical 3-star hotel with half board or no meals at all.
The main advantage of Turkish resorts is the long beach season. On the Mediterranean coast, it starts in April and lasts until November. In the resorts of the Aegean Sea — from May to October. The most comfortable time for swimming is from mid-June to the end of October. A large influx of tourists is in July-August, when the air temperature is +38°C, and the water warms up to +27°C.
In 2020, the Republic of Turkey has visa-free agreements with 89 states. Some foreigners are exempted from obtaining entry visas, others are required to receive an electronic visa (e-Visa), and still others must apply for a visa at Turkish missions abroad.
What states need a visa for treatment in Turkey and what countries can cross the border free and easy read here.
Visas for travel to Turkey require a number of documents. The necessary papers can be submitted 90 days before the planned departure. Lists of documents includes: