Prof. Banu Lebe, MD

Prof. Banu Lebe, MD is a pathologist at Acibadem Kent Hospital (Izmir), where she works in the Pathology Department. Her practice centers on the laboratory evaluation of tissue and cell samples to support diagnosis and clinical decision-making. Dr. Lebe has more than 33 years in medicine, and much of her published work concerns dermatopathology, particularly the histopathologic assessment of melanocytic lesions and inflammatory skin conditions.

Dr. Lebe graduated from Ankara University Faculty of Medicine in 1993 and completed her Medical Pathology training at Dokuz Eylül University Faculty of Medicine in 1998. She then pursued an academic career at Dokuz Eylül University in the Department of Surgical Medical Sciences, serving as Assistant Professor from 2001 to 2005, Associate Professor from 2005 to 2011, and Professor from 2011. She joined Acıbadem Healthcare Services in 2025. She speaks Turkish and English.

Clinical focus

Dr. Lebe’s areas of expertise include malignant melanoma, with particular attention to BRAF V600E-mutant and BRAF V600K-mutant melanoma, early melanoma, intermediate melanocytic lesions, low-grade dysplastic nevi and melanocytic lesions with peripheral globules. Her published research addresses the diagnostic performance of dermoscopy in distinguishing early melanomas and intermediate melanocytic lesions from low-grade dysplastic nevi, the management of melanocytic lesions with peripheral globules according to the grade of dysplasia, and the clinicopathologic characteristics of BRAF V600K-mutant melanoma compared with V600E-mutant cases. She has also studied PRAME immunohistochemistry, including the relationship of PRAME expression with clinicopathologic parameters and immunologic markers in melanoma, as well as genetic and epigenetic changes in melanoma progression.

Beyond melanocytic pathology, Dr. Lebe has contributed to case reports and studies on inflammatory and infectious skin disease, including febrile ulceronecrotic Mucha-Habermann disease, pyoderma gangrenosum, lupus erythematosus panniculitis and viral exanthema in COVID-19. Her work also extends to human herpesvirus 6-associated panuveitis. As a pathologist, her role is to examine and interpret samples and to report findings that treating dermatologists, surgeons, oncologists and other physicians use when planning care.

How Dr. Lebe works with international patients

Dr. Lebe communicates in Turkish and English, and interpreters can be arranged for patients who speak other languages. For international patients, the Acibadem international patient team coordinates the collection of prior reports and imaging, such as MRI, CT, X-ray or ultrasound reports, laboratory and pathology results, operative notes and discharge summaries, and arranges appointments and the hospital visit. A first consultation typically covers the patient’s history and symptoms, a review of existing imaging and previous treatments, a clinical examination and a discussion of the options. Pathology findings are delivered within a multidisciplinary setting and support the care plans of the treating physicians. Video consultation is available for international patients.