RADIATION ONCOLOGY

   

 

OUR MISSION

Our mission is to be an innovative, creative, contemporary academic institution that is a pioneer in research and education service in all components of Radiation Oncology, keeps employee and patient satisfaction at a high level, adheres to ethical principles, adopts a multidisciplinary approach in cancer treatment, can be referred to nationally and internationally, and can establish effective communication and cooperation with its stakeholders.

OUR VISION

Our vision is to be a leading clinic accredited by the Turkish Society of Radiation Oncology (TROD), the European Medical Association (UEMS) and the European Radiation Oncology Subject (ESTRO), with an experienced team in all components of Radiation Oncology, producing information, performing high-quality treatments and providing training accompanied by current technologies, reaching the highest level of employee and patient satisfaction.

HISTORY

Dokuz Eylul University (DEU) Faculty of Medicine Radiation Oncology Department, which was established in 1991 with the highest standards, started to accept patients in July 1991 and continues to serve today by closely following and applying the latest developments.

Our “FIRSTS”:

1992- Within the scope of DEU Vocational School of Health Services (SHMYO), the “first” Radiotherapy Technician program was founded in Turkey.

1992-Multidisciplinary study groups were formed for the first time for various cancers in DEU.

1994- The “first” National Radiation Oncology Congress (UROK) was held (15-19 May 1994- Çeşme/İzmir) under the presidency of our P.B. President Dr. Münir Kınay.

1995- European Radiation Oncology Association (ESTRO) Courses started to be held for the first time in Turkey under the leadership and hosting of our department.

2002-2003- In our department, restructuring was carried out with the “BAP Project” (scientific research project) and three-dimensional conformal radiotherapy (3D-CRT) /intensity-adjusted radiotherapy (IMRT) techniques were started to be used for the first time as a university radiation oncology clinic in Turkey.

2006- For the first time in Turkey, the Medical Physics Master Program was founded by leading the establishment of the DEU Medical Physics Department as a multidisciplinary department within the scope of the Institute of Health Sciences.

2014-The new “Comprehensive Oncology Center, Radiotherapy Clinic”, which is one of the first public hospitals in Turkey and where the most advanced system in public cancer treatment is used, has been opened for service.

2015- After the clinical visit for the purpose of “first” accreditation by TROD, the “first” clinical DEU Radiation Oncology Department received TROD Specialty Training Qualification Certificate.

2018- True Beam treatment device was bought and “Radiotherapy Information System” was “upgraded” to the upper version.

 

12 postgraduate courses conducted by the European Radiation Oncology Association (ESTRO) were organized in İzmir in the period 1995-2012, hosted by our department:

 

In addition, the local organization of the “Regional Training Course on Current Trends in the Radiation Oncology of Lung Cancer” course (23-27 January 2006) was undertaken in cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).

 

In our clinic, theoretical and practical training is provided to the research assistants within the framework of a regular training program in accordance with the Radiation Oncology Association core training program (CEP), and high standards of training are provided with rotation proficiency exams applied every six months. Our department has trained 28 radiotion oncology specialists until today and is still continuing its specialty student education.

In October 2015, in accordance with our vision, the first clinical visit for accreditation purposes was carried out by TROD and our TROD Expertise Training Competency Certificate was presented in UROK 2016 (National Radiation Oncology Conference). Thus, our department revealed that it was a pioneer in Radiation Oncology Specialization Training as the first clinic to receive this certificate.

Within the scope of DEU SHMYO (Vocational Health High School), the “first” Radiotherapy Technician program in Turkey was established in 1992.

Associate degree education is carried out with theoretical and practical courses given by the faculty members and officials of our department by taking students regularly every year to the Radiotherapy Technician Program.

In 2006, for the first time in Turkey, graduate education in the field of medical physics was initiated by leading the establishment of the Department of Medical Physics as a multidisciplinary department within the scope of SBE (Institute of Medical Science).

The faculty members of our department also contribute to the DEU Oncology Institute Basic Oncology Doctoral Programs by giving courses.

 After the establishment of our clinic in DEU Faculty of Medicine in 1992, multidisciplinary study groups were formed for the “first” time for various cancers with the efforts and leadership of our founding department head, Prof. Dr. Münir Kınay. These groups have taken multidisciplinary decisions in the diagnosis and treatment of cancer patients with weekly regular meetings (tumor councils) and have maximized the disease management of cancer patients. In addition to patient care, these groups also collaborated in the fields of education and research. In addition, multidisciplinary treatment protocols have been established and activated in various cancers. Within the body of the DEU Medical Faculty; Head and neck tumors group, bone and soft tissue tumors group, central nervous system tumors group, breast tumors group, colorectal tumors group, gynecological tumors group, genitourinary system tumors group, thoracic tumors group, pediatric tumors group and the most recently established upper gastrointestinal system tumors group have been working continuously since their establishment.

In the 2002-2003 period, a restructuring was carried out with the BAP Project in our department and three-dimensional conformal radiotherapy (3D-CRT) /intensity-adjusted radiotherapy (IMRT) techniques were used for the first time in our country as the University Radiation Oncology Clinic.

In 2014 March, the new “Comprehensive Oncology Center, Radiotherapy Clinic”, which is one of the first public hospitals in Turkey and where the most advanced system in public cancer treatment is used, has been opened for service. After the technological structuring, our department was provided with a 4D-CT simulator, stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS)/ stereotactic radiotherapy (SRT) with image-guided radiotherapy (IGRT), stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT), a linear accelerator (Truebeam STx) that offers volumetric density-adjusted arc therapy (VMAT), IMRT, 3D-CRT and respiratory control radiotherapy (RPM System), a Treatment Planning System that can be computerized in these advanced techniques, a three-dimensional brachytherapy system, dosimetry systems and a “network” system that provides data transfer between all these elements

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In 2018, there was a need to purchase a second high-tech device in accordance with the definition of ‘Comprehensive Oncology Center’ instead of our old Linear Accelerator, which expired and technology, and the third technological renewal process was initiated. In the relevant period, “Technological Infrastructure Advisory Board” was established and clinical needs were determined with the participation of technicians, physicians and doctors, and a second True Beam device was purchased with the support provided by the Ministry of Development, and the “Radiotherapy Information System” was upgraded.

During the global SARS-CoV-2 Pandemic period, which started in March 2020, our department took measures in line with the recommendations of the Chief Physician of the TROD and DEU Medical Faculty Hospital, the clinical physical infrastructure was changed to prevent virus transmission, personnel training was given on personal protection measures, and the treatments of cancer patients were continued without interruption with the highest protection measures. Our clinic also led the treatment of cancer patients during the pandemic period and shared its experiences on this subject with other radiation oncology centers with webinars organized on a national basis. In our clinic, treatments are continued uninterruptedly with maximum measures to prevent transmission to cancer patients and clinical personnel with the same sensitivity.

 

SERVICES WE PROVIDE:

TECHNICAL INFRASTRUCTURE

Treatment Devices (3 Linear Accelerators, 1 Brachytherapy Unit)

(VARIAN TRUEBEAM STX, VARİAN TRUEBEAM, VARIAN GAMMAMED IX PLUS)

VARIAN, TRUEBEAM STX

Low (6,10,15 MV X) and high (6,10 FFF X) dose fast photon energies,

Electron energies in different grades and 2.5 mm multi-leaf collimator (dMLC)

 

VARIAN, TRUEBEAM STX

Low (6,10,15 MV X) and high (6,10 FFF X) dose fast photon energies,

Electron energies in different grades and 2.5 mm multi-leaf collimator (dMLC)

 

VARIAN GAMMAMED IX PLUS

Integrated 3D Brachytherapy with external radiotherapy systems

 Planning Systems.

4D BT SIMULATOR: SOMATOM DEFINITION AS

80 cm gantry opening, RPM supported, compatible with laser system and LINNAK

ONCENTRA MASTERPLAN

3D-CRT, IMRT planning possibilities

ECLIPSE V 15.1

3D-CRT, IMRT, VMAT, SRS, SRT, SBRT, RPM and ART planning possibilities

BrachyVision V 15.6

3D Brachytherapy planning features integrated with Eclipse and Aria

 

OTHER SYSTEMS

Radiotherapy Information System Aria 15.5

DICOM RT compatible image and planning data transfer feature, HL7 compatible reciprocal data transfer with Hospital Information Management System (HBYS)

Immobilization Accessories

Various accessories suitable for 3D-CRT, IMRT, VMAT, SRS, SRT, SBRT treatments

Dosimetry Systems

 

CUSTOMIZATION ACCORDING TO ROUTINE SERVICE AND RESEARCH AREAS

In our clinic, patient services and clinical studies are carried out by polyclinic study groups divided according to the following order.

Polyclinic I: Head and Neck Cancers, Central Nervous System Tumors, Skin Tumors, Bone and Soft Tissue Tumors, Primary Unknown Tumors and Benign Diseases

Polyclinic IIa: Breast Tumors, Female Genital System Tumors

Polyclinic IIB: Gastrointestinal System Tumors and Genito-urinary System Tumors

Polyclinic III: Hematological Tumors, Thoracic Tumors, Childhood Tumors and Brachytherapy

Patients who have just been diagnosed in our clinic, continue radiotherapy, consulted with consultation, and completed their radiotherapy and came to the control appointment are examined in the outpatient clinics according to their diagnoses and evaluated with the results of the examination. In addition to intravenous/ intramuscular supportive therapies and blood product transfusions, patients who have to receive radiotherapy under anesthesia, especially pediatric patients, are monitored at the end of anesthesia in our supportive treatment unit.

 

CURRENT ACADEMIC STAFF

Prof. Dr. İlknur Bilkay Görken – Head of Department

Prof. Dr. Rıza Çetingöz

Prof. Dr. Fadime Akman

Prof. Dr. Ayşe Nur Demiral

Assistant Prof. Dr. Oğuz Çetinayak

Assistant Prof. Dr. Barbaros Aydın

Teaching Assistant Dr. Cenk Umay

Specialty Students

Research Assistant Dr. Volkan Semiz

Research Assistant Dr. Dilara Gülsan

Research Assistant Dr. Mehmet Varol

Research Assistant Dr. Navid Sedeqı

Research Assistant Dr. Mehmet Çağrı Duymaz

Research Assistant Dr. Ece ATAÇ

Research Assistant Dr. Ece ÖZKAYA

Research Assistant Dr. Solin Önder

Research Assistant Dr. Umut Basan

CURRENT SERVICE STAFF

4 Medical Physics Specialists

18 Technicians

2 Nurses

3 Medical Secretaries

1 Archive Officer

2 Auxiliary Staff

2 Cleaning Staff