The cost of retinoblastoma treatment in Turkey varies depending on the medical procedures selected. Initial diagnostics, such as ocular ultrasound and MRI, range from $2,000 to $4,500. Chemotherapy sessions are priced around $6,000 per course. For surgical interventions like enucleation, the cost is approximately $8,000. These prices can change based on individual patient needs and the specific treatment plan developed by the healthcare provider.
| Turkey | Austria | Spain | |
| Radiation therapy for colorectal cancer | from $7,000 | from $12,000 | from $10,000 |
| Photocoagulation | from $250 | from $750 | from $800 |
| High intensity focused ultrasound ablation (HIFU) | from $4,000 | from $12,000 | from $6,000 |
| Enucleation of eye | from $5,400 | from $14,000 | from $8,500 |
| Chemotherapy for breast cancer | from $1,200 | from $15,000 | from $3,500 |
Associate Professor Muhammet Derda Ozer specializes in retinoblastoma with training at Wills Eye Institute, a global leader in ocular oncology.
Professor Dr. Ceyhun Bozkurt specializes in pediatric oncology with a focus on retinoblastoma at Medical Park Bahcelievler Hospital.
Dr. Hasan Mutlu combines targeted cancer therapies with next-generation genetic research, offering cutting-edge retinoblastoma treatment at Medical Park Antalya Hospital Complex.
Professor Yesim Yildirim specializes in cancer immunotherapy and targeted therapies, with a focus on breast, gastrointestinal, and lung cancers.
Retinoblastoma doctors in Turkey include Dr. Muhammet Derda Ozer, who performed 25,000+ surgeries, and Dr. Ceyhun Bozkurt, who trained at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. These specialists combine ocular oncology training from centers like Wills Eye Institute with advanced pediatric hemato-oncology to manage complex eye tumors.
Bookimed Expert Insight: Retinoblastoma treatment in Turkey often involves teams where surgical experts like Dr. Muhammet Derda Ozer, who trained at Wills Eye Institute, work alongside specialists like Dr. Omer Dogru. This is vital because advanced cases may require bone marrow transplants, a specialized procedure Dr. Dogru mastered at Cerrahpasa and Medical Park.
Patient Consensus: Families often notice a white pupil reflex in photos and find that Turkish specialists provide precise drawings to explain why treatments like cryotherapy or intra-arterial chemotherapy are chosen. While frequent sedated eye exams are emotionally tiring, parents feel reassured by doctors who have managed dozens of similar pediatric eye cancer cases.
Your child will be treated by a multidisciplinary team in Turkey for retinoblastoma. This team typically includes pediatric oncologists, ocular oncologists, and pediatric surgeons to provide coordinated care. Specialist centers often involve experts like Dr. Muhammet Derda Ozer who has performed 25,000+ ophthalmic surgeries.
Bookimed Expert Insight: Leading Turkish centers facilitate immediate collaboration between pediatric hematologists and ocular oncologists from the first consultation. For instance, specialists like Dr. Sema Yilmaz and Dr. Ceyhun Bozkurt practiced at top US institutions like Harvard. This training ensures your child receives internationally recognized protocols for complex eye cancers.
Patient Consensus: Parents found that major Turkish hospitals immediately involve oncologists and ophthalmologists after a diagnosis. Families appreciated having genetic counselors present to explain risks and felt reassured by the quick communication between specialists.
Retinoblastoma doctors in Turkey provide advanced treatments like intra-arterial chemotherapy and plaque brachytherapy to preserve vision. Specialists like Assoc. Prof. Dr. Muhammet Derda Ozer at Anadolu Medical Center carry out thousands of complex eye surgeries using refined microsurgical techniques. Many top doctors hold fellowships from institutions like Harvard and Wills Eye Institute.
Bookimed Expert Insight: Turkish specialists often combine intra-arterial chemotherapy with focal treatments to achieve higher eye preservation rates. Data shows that doctors like Assoc. Prof. Dr. Muhammet Derda Ozer, who has performed 25,000+ surgeries, focus on these multi-modal approaches to avoid enucleation, or eye removal.
Patient Consensus: Parents noticed that intra-arterial chemotherapy worked quickly to shrink tumors without making their children feel very sick. They emphasized that combining laser therapy with chemotherapy helped save their child's eye and kept their vision intact.
Turkish medical teams frequently coordinate with local doctors to manage retinoblastoma treatment through virtual consultations and clear digital record sharing. Specialists like Dr. Muhammet Derda Ozer at Anadolu Medical Center and Prof. Dr. Ceyhun Bozkurt often review imaging before patients arrive in Istanbul.
Bookimed Expert Insight: While initial consultations happen digitally, patients should identify a specific contact person at the Turkish hospital. Data shows that hospitals with international certificates, such as Anadolu Medical Center or Medical Park, have more structured systems for sending records abroad.
Patient Consensus: Documentation is often a personal responsibility, so patients recommend requesting all imaging and pathology reports before flying home. Some noted that sharing these English summaries helps local doctors understand Turkish protocols during follow-up care.
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: