Bone Cancer Treatment in Turkey

Primary bone cancer is rare. Much more often, metastases of other tumors are found in the bones, and then treatment is built around the main diagnosis. If the tumor has grown from the bone itself, doctors determine its type:

• osteosarcoma – the most common type, usually in teenagers and young adults, most often near the knee or shoulder;
• Ewing sarcoma – in children and young people, sensitive to chemotherapy and radiation; more on the page Ewing sarcoma treatment;
• chondrosarcoma – grows from cartilage, more often after the age of 40, responds poorly to chemotherapy;
• rarer tumors: chordoma, undifferentiated sarcoma and others.

Bone cancer diagnosis in Turkey begins with a review of the tests that have already been done. Oncologists look at the images on the disc and decide what needs to be added. As a rule, the plan requires an MRI of the whole affected bone, a lung CT, PET-CT or a bone scan (a test that shows lesions in all the bones) and a biopsy.

With sarcoma, it is better to have the biopsy at the center where the surgery will later take place: the surgeon chooses the needle path so that it does not interfere with future limb-sparing surgery. If the biopsy has already been done at home, the clinic reviews the slides and blocks in its own laboratory.

Bone cancer treatment methods in Turkey are chosen by a tumor board, and almost always it is a combination of several approaches.

Surgery. The tumor is removed in one piece with a margin of healthy tissue. If blood vessels and nerves are not involved, limb-sparing surgery is performed and the defect is filled with a modular endoprosthesis or a bone graft. Amputation is considered only when it is impossible to preserve the function of the limb.

Chemotherapy. In osteosarcoma and Ewing sarcoma it is given before and after surgery. In Turkey, chemotherapy can also be taken as separate cycles, more on the page chemotherapy in Turkey.

Radiation therapy. It is needed in Ewing sarcoma and when the tumor cannot be removed completely, for example in the bones of the pelvis or spine. Modern machines make it possible to target the tumor precisely and spare the nearby tissues, as described on the page radiation therapy in Turkey.

Radiosurgery. For small lesions that are hard to remove or for recurrent lesions, doctors discuss CyberKnife – high-precision radiation over a few sessions.

Targeted therapy and immunotherapy are used only to a limited extent in bone sarcomas, mainly for relapse. The decision is made by an oncologist after analyzing the tumor.

The cost of bone cancer treatment in Turkey depends on the type of tumor, the extent of surgery and the number of chemotherapy cycles. Guidelines based on clinic programs published on our website:

• comprehensive treatment of Ewing sarcoma (bone cancer) at Memorial Antalya – 25,000-30,000 euros;
• chemotherapy at Memorial Antalya – 1,500-5,000 euros per session;
• a course of radiation therapy – about 3,700-7,900 USD, PET-CT – 500-800 USD, MRI of one area – 300-540 USD.

These are guidelines, not the final price: the clinic names the exact amount after studying your records. We request programs from several clinics and show you what each one includes.

The bone cancer treatment Turkey offers is chosen for a combination of several factors. The country’s large cancer centers have orthopedic oncologists, pediatric oncologists, chemotherapy, modern radiation machines and rehabilitation in one place, so the patient does not need to move between clinics. The flight from many countries is short, and the clinics are used to working with international patients and interpreters.

Another reason is predictable expenses. Before the trip, the clinic sets out what the program includes, and you understand in advance which stages are covered by the program price and which are paid separately.

Bone cancer treatment in Turkey is carried out in large cancer centers such as Memorial, Acibadem, Medical Park, Liv Hospital and Anadolu, which accept patients with bone sarcomas. A comparison of clinics and doctors is collected in the article best bone cancer hospitals and doctors in Turkey.

When choosing a clinic, it is important to consider not only the equipment but also how often it operates on bone sarcomas in particular. The coordinator clarifies this with each center before sending you a program.

Treatment in Turkish centers also includes recovery after surgery. After endoprosthesis surgery, rehabilitation begins: exercise therapy, gradual loading of the limb, work with a physiotherapist. The first sessions take place at the clinic, and then at home following the doctor’s recommendations.

After treatment, regular check-ups are needed: lung CT scans and images of the operated area at the intervals set by the oncologist. The clinic provides a discharge summary with a follow-up plan.

To start bone cancer treatment in Turkey, submit a request and send your scans, biopsy report and discharge summaries. The coordinator will pass them on to oncologists, you will receive the doctors’ opinion and clinic programs, and then you will choose an option and plan the trip. Ask the coordinator whether you can talk to a patient who has already completed treatment.