Patient Experience
My 82-year-old father was diagnosed with advanced pancreatic cancer. Other hospitals gave us little hope, but Dr. İbrahim Yıldız approached his case with a completely different perspective. Instead of aggressive chemotherapy, he designed a targeted immunotherapy protocol combined with precise palliative radiotherapy. What amazed us was his weekly video calls to check on my father's comfort and his coordination with a nutritionist to manage cachexia. After 8 months, the tumors have remarkably shrunk by 40%, and my father still tends to his rose garden. Dr. Yıldız treats the person, not just the disease.
Our 7-year-old daughter, Elif, was diagnosed with a rare pediatric sarcoma in her femur. Dr. Yıldız's approach was unlike anything we encountered. He created a 'space adventure' narrative for her treatment, where each chemo session was a 'fuel boost' to fight alien cells. He collaborated with a pediatric surgeon who performed limb-salvage surgery using a groundbreaking biodegradable implant. During her lowest points, Dr. Yıldız would sit on the floor of her hospital room, explaining cell biology with cartoon drawings. Two years in remission now, and she still draws pictures for his office wall.
I arrived at Acıbadem Atakent with acute neurological symptoms—severe headaches and vision loss. Within hours, Dr. Yıldız identified it as a metastatic brain tumor from an unknown primary source, a true oncological emergency. His team performed emergency stereotactic radiosurgery that same night. What followed was a diagnostic odyssey; he used liquid biopsy and AI-assisted imaging to finally locate a microscopic primary tumor in my appendix, which was then removed robotically. His ability to connect disparate symptoms into a coherent, actionable plan during a crisis was nothing short of miraculous.
As a 45-year-old with a BRCA2 mutation and a strong family history, my routine surveillance MRI revealed a suspicious 4mm lesion in my breast. Dr. Yıldız didn't recommend immediate biopsy. Instead, he proposed a 3-month 'active monitoring' protocol using a novel contrast-enhanced ultrasound technique he helped develop. He explained the anxiety of overdiagnosis versus the risk of waiting. When the lesion remained stable, we avoided an unnecessary invasive procedure. His practice embodies a future where technology and profound clinical judgment prevent overtreatment, turning a routine checkup into a masterclass in precision prevention.