The total cost of thymoma treatment in Turkey varies depending on the specific procedures required. An initial consultation costs $140, while a PET-CT scan is $650. Blood tests are priced at $650, hepatitis tests cost $340, and an echocardiogram is $320. A pathology block review, including molecular panel, BRAF mutation, and PDL1 IHK tests, costs $1,440. Chemotherapy courses are priced at $1,590 for the first course and around $1,050 for each subsequent course. The treatment plan is customized based on the patient"s individual condition and needs.
Dr. Mustafa Solak specializes in thymoma cases with fellowship training at Hacettepe University Cancer Institute.
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.
Prof. Hüseyin Baloğlu is a pathology specialist at Anadolu Medical Center in Gebze, Kocaeli, Turkey. He focuses on molecular pathology, surgical pathology, and tumour biopsy and diagnostics.
Education and accreditations: MD, GATA Medical School (1986). Pathology specialty training, GATA (1992). Associate Professor (Doçent), GATA (2004). Visiting scholar at Albert Einstein College of Medicine (New York) and Heidelberg University.
Achievements: author of over 600 peer‑reviewed publications. Holds a patent in molecular diagnostics for thyroid cancer. Leads liquid biopsy and precision oncology services.
Professor of Medical Oncology with extensive experience in gastrointestinal oncology – Prof. Sağlam leads the Medical Oncology Department at Gayrettepe Florence Nightingale Hospital.
For a thymoma diagnosis in Turkey, you should see a thoracic surgeon and a medical oncologist. Leading specialists include Prof. Dr. Semih Halezeroğlu at Acıbadem Maslak and Prof. Hasan Fevzi Batırel at Memorial Şişli. They focus on thymectomy, which is the surgical removal of the thymus gland.
Bookimed Expert Insight: Many top thoracic surgeons in Turkey, such as those at Acıbadem, prioritize robotic-assisted surgery over open-chest methods. This technique uses smaller incisions, so patients typically recover faster and experience less pain after tumor removal. Choosing a surgeon with robotic training is often the most important factor for non-invasive treatment.
Patient Consensus: Patients often mention feeling relieved when surgeons explain the link between their muscle weakness and the tumor. They appreciated how translators at Istanbul clinics made complex surgical plans easy to understand without any effort.
Top-rated thymoma doctors in Turkey include Prof. Dr. Erkan Yildirim and Prof. Dr. Altan Kir. These specialists focus on thoracic surgery, which involves operations on organs inside the chest. They utilize minimally invasive techniques to remove tumors of the thymus gland effectively.
Bookimed Expert Insight: Specialists in Istanbul often hold dual certifications from European and Turkish thoracic boards. Prof. Dr. Erkan Yildirim is a Fellow of the European Board of Thoracic Surgery (FEBTS). This means he meets strict international standards for chest surgery, not just local ones.
Patient Consensus: Patients often mention feeling relieved by the clear explanations provided before surgery. They appreciated the quick recovery times after surgeons used robotic or video-assisted methods.
Turkish hospitals provide dedicated English-speaking coordinators who manage every step of thymoma treatment for international patients. These specialists handle doctor communication, appointment scheduling, and logistics. Bookimed coordinators assist with medical record transfers and organize your entire medical journey at no cost to you.
Bookimed Expert Insight: Turkish centers like Anadolu and Memorial often assign a single coordinator to one family. This ensures the same person handles everything from your initial MRI review to recovery. Such continuity helps patients avoid repeating their history to different staff members during hospital stays.
Patient Consensus: Patients are often relieved that coordinators meet them right at the airport gate. They mention that having someone to translate complex surgical details into plain English makes them feel much safer.
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: