M.D. Orçun Can

My 82-year-old mother was diagnosed with metastatic colon cancer after months of vague symptoms. Dr. Orçun Can didn't just see a statistic—he saw a person who still tended her balcony garden. His approach was revolutionary: instead of aggressive standard chemo that would have devastated her, he proposed a targeted therapy based on specific genetic markers from her biopsy. For two years, he managed her treatment like a careful conductor, balancing efficacy with quality of life. She attended my daughter's wedding, traveled to see her sister, and passed peacefully at home when the treatment options were exhausted. Dr. Can called me personally afterward to offer condolences. He practices oncology with both brilliant science and profound humanity.

Our 7-year-old son Leo was diagnosed with a rare pediatric sarcoma after a soccer injury revealed something more serious. The word 'oncology' with 'child' in the same sentence is every parent's nightmare. Dr. Orçun Can met us in the pediatric oncology wing of Acibadem Maslak, speaking directly to Leo about 'fighting the bad cells' with superhero metaphors. He coordinated with pediatric specialists, explaining every step in dual layers: technical details for us, simple analogies for Leo. During the hardest chemo weeks, Dr. Can would sometimes arrive with a small puzzle or ask about Leo's favorite cartoon. Our son is now in remission, back on the soccer field. Dr. Can didn't just treat cancer; he protected childhood amidst the storm.

I arrived at Acibadem Maslak as an emergency transfer with acute tumor lysis syndrome—a life-threatening complication from undiagnosed aggressive lymphoma. My organs were beginning to fail. Dr. Orçun Can took over my case at 11 PM, assembling a critical care team within minutes. What followed was 72 hours of precise, urgent intervention: managing electrolyte chaos, starting emergency dialysis, and initiating carefully calculated chemotherapy to arrest the cancer without pushing my body over the edge. He slept in the hospital, checking on me hourly. He turned a medical catastrophe into a controlled crisis. Six months later, I'm in complete remission. Dr. Can operates with the calm precision of a bomb disposal expert when oncology becomes an emergency.

As a 45-year-old with a BRCA2 mutation and strong family history of breast and ovarian cancer, I consulted Dr. Orçun Can for preventive surveillance, not treatment. Most oncologists would have scheduled routine scans and sent me on my way. Dr. Can spent 90 minutes mapping my entire family tree of cancers, discussing emerging research on risk-reducing medications, and creating a personalized, multi-year surveillance plan that felt both rigorous and manageable. He connected me with a genetic counselor and a support group for previvors. When my MRI last year showed a precancerous lesion, his early detection protocol meant we caught it at stage 0. He practices proactive oncology—preventing fires rather than just putting them out.