M.D. Alptekin Arifoğlu

My 82-year-old mother was diagnosed with an inoperable spinal metastasis. Dr. Alptekin Arifoğlu didn't just see a case file; he saw a person who loved tending her balcony garden. He explained stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) with such clarity, using metaphors of 'precision pruning' rather than 'scorched earth.' His team at Acibadem Altunizade crafted a plan that minimized sessions. The relief in her pain was remarkable, and his follow-up call to check if she could water her roses without wincing showed a humanity I've never encountered in oncology. He treats the disease, but more importantly, he treats the life that remains.

Our 7-year-old son required proton therapy for a recurrent brain tumor after initial surgery. The word 'radiation' is terrifying for any parent. Dr. Arifoğlu met us not in a sterile office, but in a consultation room where he first showed my son how the machine worked using a cartoon video with friendly characters. He spoke to him directly, calling the treatment a 'superhero beam' that only targets the 'bad cells.' His approach was a blend of world-class science and profound emotional intelligence. Each session, he'd have a small, different toy on the control panel to distract our boy. We're in remission now, and my son doesn't remember trauma—he remembers the doctor who gave him stickers and made him feel brave.

I was the 'emergency case'—a weekend admission with severe cord compression from an undiagnosed metastatic lesion. The speed and calm authority Dr. Arifoğlu displayed were breathtaking. Within hours at Acibadem Altunizade, he had coordinated with neurology, imaging, and his physics team to plan emergency palliative radiation. He didn't sugarcoat the severity but instilled complete confidence. What stuck with me was his 10 PM visit post-first treatment, not to check vitals, but to ensure I understood the next steps and to ask if the radiating pain down my legs had shifted even slightly. He operates with a surgeon's decisiveness and a therapist's empathy, a rare combination in a crisis.

As a 45-year-old with early-stage laryngeal cancer, I expected my radiation journey to be a standard, impersonal protocol. Dr. Arifoğlu made it anything but. He spent our first consultation mapping not just the tumor, but my career as a voice trainer. He proposed an altered fractionation schedule to better preserve vocal quality, explaining the nuanced trade-offs between cure and function. During the 6-week treatment, he personally reviewed my setup each Monday, adjusting for minute anatomical changes. His resident told me he's notorious for his 'eye for detail' on the beam's eye view images. This wasn't a routine checkup; it was a customized curation of care. I now have clear margins and 90% of my original vocal range—a victory he seems as proud of as I am.