Treatment of brain tumours in Turkey

How much does brain tumour surgery cost in Turkey?

Treatment of a brain tumour in Turkey costs between €9,000 and €25,000 on average. This usually includes the cost of hospitalisation and hotel accommodation for five nights, the surgeon’s fees, medication and post-operative follow-up. By requesting a quotation, you will obtain a price covering the full cost of treatment, including transport, accommodation, a translator and post-operative follow-up.

Treatment of a brain tumour in Turkey

9 000 €

Introduction

The brain, although protected by the cranium, is nevertheless exposed to all kinds of external aggressions, some of which can lead to the formation of a brain tumour.

According to the ICM (Institut du Cerveau et de la Moelle épinière), 240,000 new cases of brain tumour are diagnosed in Europe every year.

Fortunately, there are various treatment options available to combat this often fatal disease, which affects all age groups.

Find out why Turkey is a destination of choice for brain tumour treatment.

What are the different types of brain tumour?

A brain tumour is defined by the appearance ofa harmful mass made up of cells that have proliferated abnormally.

There are two categories of brain tumour: primary tumours, which originate in the brain, and secondary or metastatic tumours. The latter are cancer cells that have spread from a primary cancer in another part of the body.

According to scientists, there are more than 150 types of brain tumour, classified according to whether they are benign or malignant (cancerous) and whether they are glial or non-glial, since the role of glial cells is to protect neurons.

Here are the different types of brain tumour:

• Pituitary adenoma : benign tumour located in the pituitary gland;
• Astrocytoma : benign tumour that can develop into cancer and develops in any area of the brain from glial cells;
• Ependymoma : often benign, this tumour can be located in the brain or spinal cord;
• Glioblastoma : a member of the glioma family, this tumour can affect several areas of the brain;
• Glioma : some cancerous, others not, these lesions account for ¾ of brain tumours;
• Meningioma : often benign, this tumour develops from the meninges;
• Neurinoma : often benign, develops from the cells surrounding the nerves;
• Neurofibroma : a benign tumour that can degenerate, it develops from the nerves, mainly the hearing nerve;
• Oligodendroglioma : a tumour that develops from a specific type of glial cell.

Read an article about lung cancer treatment in Istanbul and stem cell treatment in Turkey.

What are the main causes of brain cancer?

Unfortunately, the reasons why brain cells begin to proliferate in an uncontrolled manner are still not fully understood.

Some studies suggest thatexcessive mobile phone use is correlated with a steady rise in CNS (central nervous system) tumours, particularly in children.

However, other risk factors seem to influence their appearance. These include

• Age : children and the elderly are most affected;
• Gender : for all types of brain tumour except meningioma, women are less affected than men;
• Ethnicity : Asian countries are less affected than Australia, North America or Europe;
• Exposure to chemicals such as vinyl chloride, electromagnetic fields or ionising radiation;
• Certain viral infections;
• Not forgetting medical history and lifestyle..

How do I know if I have a brain tumour?

The location, size and type of tumour have a definite impact on symptoms. But there are certain warning signs that should lead to targeted examinations.

Tumours of the central nervous system (CNS) are one of the most deadly types of cancer, which is why it is so important to recognise the early signs.

What are the symptoms of a brain tumour?

Symptoms may be general or more specific, depending on the location of the tumour.

• Headaches
• Changes in vision, smell or hearing
• Loss of memory
• Sleep disorders
• Decreased muscle tone
• Epileptic seizures
• Nausea or vomiting
• Unexplained fatigue
• Loss of consciousness
• Muscle spasms
• Problems with balance or coordination
• Difficulty speaking or swallowing
• Confusion

Tests and examinations to diagnose a brain tumour in Turkey

After consulting your doctor, he or she will carry out a number of tests before making a diagnosis of brain tumour. These include clinical and neurological examinations, blood tests and, above all, medical imaging.

• A computer tomography (CT) scan is the first-line examination, identifying 80% of tumours.
• PET scans (positron emission tomography) are commonly used to locate, diagnose and classify brain tumours.
• MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging) is the best technique for detecting a brain tumour. The contrast medium highlights the lesion while providing precise information (size, location, even nature).
• Biopsy : this surgical procedure is used to determine the exact nature of the tumour. In the case of a lesion that is difficult to access, a stereotactic biopsy is performed. The surgeon uses a needle to take a sample of the tumour after making a small hole in the skull.

How are brain tumours treated in Turkey?

There are various procedures available to oncologists for treating brain tumours. Depending on the nature, grade, size, location and advanced stage of the lesion, not to mention the patient’s overall state of health, they may decide to use one or more options.

• Surgery allows the tumour to be completely resected if it is not too extensive, or, failing that, to be partially removed. Craniotomy involves reaching the tumour after removing part of the skull, which is then reattached. Where possible, endoscopic surgery using a small camera and specialised tools makes the operation less invasive.
• Radiotherapy (external, internal, GammaKnife radiosurgery) is designed to kill cancer cells by bombarding them with high-dose X-rays.
• Chemotherapy uses anti-cancer drugs to stop the proliferation, or even eradicate the cancer cells. Administered either by venous injection or by tablet, chemotherapy is often combined with surgery, either beforehand to reduce the size of the tumour, or afterwards to eliminate residual cells.
• Immunotherapy or biological therapy aims to boost the patient’s immune system so that it can be as effective as possible.
• Targeted therapy is an alternative to chemotherapy when it is poorly tolerated. It uses drugs that act on molecular abnormalities in cancer cells, sparing healthy cells.

What is the post-operative recovery time for brain tumour treatment in Istanbul?

Several factors need to be taken into account when determining a patient’s recovery time after brain tumour surgery.

This depends above all on the complexity of the operation, the medical care required and the patient’soverall state of health .

As post-operative care and rehabilitation play a crucial role in speeding up the recovery process, patients should maintain contact with their surgeon for several months after the operation.

How long is the stay in Turkey for brain tumour surgery?

Although each case is different, a patient who has undergone brain tumour surgery stays in Turkey for an average of one month. This corresponds to the time needed to maintain every chance of successful surgical treatment, as well as the period during which post-surgical check-ups and follow-up examinations are carried out.

It should be noted that international patients will need to be accompanied on this medical trip, which will require accommodation for two travellers.

Why choose Turkey for brain tumour treatment?

There are many good reasons to choose Turkey for brain tumour treatment. Here are just a few of them.

• With a growing number of foreign patients reaching 1.4 million by 2023, Turkey occupies the 7ᵉ place in the world for medical tourism.

• Trained mainly in America and Europe, qualified and highly experienced neurosurgeons, as evidenced by their high success rate, practice in Turkey.

• Turkey’s 28 hospitals and clinics offer state-of-the-art medical technology and therapies to patients suffering from this condition.

• Many of Turkey’s JCI (Joint Commission International) accredited hospitals are world-renowned for their competitively-priced, multi-specialist treatments, including those for brain tumours.

• Turkey offers an unrivalled range oflow-cost accommodation options, both in Istanbul and its historic Bosphorus, and in other cities such as Ankara, Kocaeli and Trabzon.

• The procedures for applying for a visa in Turkey make it very accessible, particularly with the new e-Visa application procedure.

What are the main side-effects of brain tumour treatment?

Depending on the treatment(s) received, patients may experience, among other things

• Migraine
• Fatigue
• Disgust for food
• Nausea and vomiting
• Diarrhoea
• Hair loss
• Skin changes
• Mild cognitive impairment

How is the type of treatment for a brain tumour determined?

A non-cancerous brain lesion is usually treated definitively by surgery. However, its location, type, size, cancerous nature and the criteria inherent in the patient influence oncological management, which may be multidisciplinary.

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Frequently asked questions about brain tumour surgery