Anadolu Medical Center
The total cost of chordoma treatment in Turkey varies based on the treatment plan and procedures involved. Diagnostic tests include a PET-CT scan for $1,050, MRI for $550, and a pathology consultation for $500. A biopsy with consultation costs $1,990, while IMRT therapy is priced at $7,150. The treatment program is tailored after a comprehensive assessment by medical professionals.
The doctor is a highly experienced Turkish medical oncologist specializing in sarcoma, lymphoma, pancreatic, lung cancer, and breast cancer. With over 20 years of experience, the doctor focuses on tumor biology, tumor immunology, cancer immunotherapy, and targeted therapies. Since 2019, the doctor has been serving as a medical oncologist at Anadolu Medical Center and previously held leadership roles at Istanbul Okan University Faculty of Medicine and GATA Haydarpaşa Training Hospital. The doctor has authored over 40 publications in cancer research and is a member of the Turkish Medical Oncology Association and the European Head and Neck Society.
Dr. Eda Tanrikulu, an Anadolu Medical Center oncologist, places in the top three in Turkey on the national medical oncology exam. She has served as a head researcher for multiple international cancer studies.
Dr. Solak specializes in treating rare cancers like Chordoma, with training at 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 specialize in skull base and spinal chordomas through microsurgery and radiation. Specialists like Dr. Selcuk Gocmen and Dr. Akin Akakin focus on total tumor removal. This is vital because chordomas often wrap around critical nerves or the brainstem.
Bookimed Expert Insight: Data shows that neurosurgeons in Istanbul clinics often hold international fellowships in the US. This matters because they bring back advanced techniques for managing rare tumors like chordoma. For instance, specialists at clinics like Hisar or Anadolu frequently collaborate with neuro-radiologists for precision planning.
Patient Consensus: Patients often mention feeling relieved when specialists explain the surgical plan in simple terms. They noticed that coordination between the surgeon and the nursing staff made recovery smoother. Real experiences show that having a dedicated translator provided by Bookimed helps during complex medical talks.
Turkish chordoma surgeons often train at elite institutions like Johns Hopkins or MD Anderson. These specialists typically hold international fellowships. This global training gives them experience in complex skull base surgeries. Many practice at hospitals accredited by the Joint Commission International (JCI).
Bookimed Expert Insight: Surgeons in Istanbul frequently combine North American fellowship experience with high case numbers. Professionals at centers like Anadolu Medical Center maintain direct clinical ties to Johns Hopkins. This ensures treatment plans for chordoma follow identical protocols used at top US hospitals.
Patient Consensus: Patients are often relieved by how well doctors explain the surgery in English. They noticed that teams work together closely, which made the complex treatment feel safer.
Turkish doctors manage chordoma through multidisciplinary tumor boards at JCI-accredited centers. These teams combine neurosurgery, radiation oncology, and medical oncology expertise. They follow international protocols from Johns Hopkins and ESMO to plan complex surgeries and precision radiation. This team-based approach ensures multiple experts review every rare bone tumor case.
Bookimed Expert Insight: Leading Turkish centers like Anadolu Medical Center maintain a permanent affiliation with Johns Hopkins Medicine. This connection allows Turkish teams to cross-reference rare chordoma cases with American specialists. This collaboration provides patients with a second layer of expert verification for surgical plans.
Patient Consensus: Patients noticed that several doctors attended their initial meetings to explain the plan. They felt relieved when neurosurgeons and radiologists discussed the risks and recovery steps together. This coordination helped them understand exactly how the surgery and radiation would work.
Turkish surgeons use intraoperative neuromonitoring (IONM) to track nerve signals in real time during chordoma surgery. They apply electrical stimulation to find healthy nerves hidden inside tumors. This technology helps prevent paralysis or loss of bladder function during complex bone tumor removals.
Bookimed Expert Insight: Turkish neurosurgeons often combine intraoperative MRI with 3D navigation for chordoma cases. This pairing is vital because chordomas sit very close to the brainstem and spinal cord. Using these tools together allows for safer en bloc resections, meaning pulling the tumor out in one piece.
Patient Consensus: Patients often mention feeling relieved when surgeons explain how they map nerves during the procedure. They appreciate that specialized monitors help protect their mobility while the doctor removes difficult bone tumors.
You can get a second opinion by sending your MRI scans and pathology reports through Bookimed. Specialists at Anadolu Medical Center and Acibadem Healthcare Group review these files to provide treatment plans. This remote process helps confirm if your skull base or spine surgery is necessary.
Bookimed Expert Insight: Turkish specialists often collaborate in multidisciplinary teams including neurosurgeons and radiation oncologists for chordoma. Centers like Anadolu Medical Center provide these team reviews more quickly than many European facilities. This speed is vital for rare tumors where every day counts for successful treatment.
Patient Consensus: Patients are often relieved by how quickly Turkish doctors review complex spinal imaging. Many noted that having a dedicated coordinator for report translation made the process much easier. They felt more confident moving forward after a specialist explained their MRI results clearly via video call.
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: