Understanding Prostate Health and Treatment Options Abroad
Prostate conditions — ranging from benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) and prostatitis to prostate cancer — affect a very large proportion of men as they age. Prostate cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer in men in many countries, and BPH affects the majority of men over 60. Turkey’s internationally accredited urology centres offer comprehensive prostate diagnostics and a full range of treatment options, including the latest minimally invasive and robotic surgical techniques.
Diagnosis and Screening in Turkey
Turkey’s leading urology hospitals offer comprehensive prostate health assessments that include PSA (prostate-specific antigen) blood testing, digital rectal examination, multiparametric MRI (mpMRI) — the gold standard imaging tool for detecting clinically significant prostate cancer — and targeted or systematic prostate biopsy where indicated. The combination of PSA and mpMRI significantly improves the accuracy of prostate cancer detection while reducing unnecessary biopsies.
Minimally Invasive BPH Treatment
For men with lower urinary tract symptoms caused by benign prostatic enlargement, Turkey’s urology centres offer a full spectrum of minimally invasive treatments. These include laser prostatectomy (HoLEP — holmium laser enucleation of the prostate), which has become the gold standard for surgical BPH treatment; TURP (transurethral resection of the prostate), the classical surgical approach; Rezum (water vapour therapy); and UroLift (prostatic urethral lift procedure) for appropriate candidates.
Robotic Prostatectomy for Prostate Cancer
For patients with localised prostate cancer requiring surgical treatment, robotic-assisted radical prostatectomy using the da Vinci surgical system represents the current surgical gold standard. The robot’s articulated instruments and three-dimensional magnified vision enable the surgeon to perform precise nerve-sparing dissection, optimising the chances of preserving urinary continence and erectile function after surgery.
Several of Turkey’s JCI-accredited hospitals have da Vinci robotic surgery programmes with experienced robotic urological surgeons. The cost of robotic prostatectomy in Turkey is approximately 40 to 60 percent lower than equivalent private treatment in Western Europe.
Radiation Therapy Options
For patients for whom surgery is not preferred or appropriate, Turkey’s oncology centres offer modern radiotherapy options including IMRT (intensity-modulated radiation therapy), IGRT (image-guided radiation therapy) and brachytherapy (internal radiation seed implantation). Proton therapy is available at specialist centres for selected cases.
Second Opinion Services
Turkey’s leading urology centres provide second opinion consultations for patients who have received a prostate cancer diagnosis and wish to explore all available treatment options before committing to a course of action. Dr.Visor facilitates these consultations for international patients. Speak to our team at drvisor.com.