Burcu Durmak İşman, MD

Burcu Durmak İşman, MD is a specialist in Radiation Oncology who practices in the Radiation Oncology unit at Acibadem Kent Hospital (Izmir) in İzmir, Turkey. With more than 25 years in medicine, her work centers on the use of radiotherapy as part of individualized cancer care. Her clinical interests include radiotherapy for breast cancer, gastrointestinal cancers, brain tumors, and head and neck cancers, and she works within the Radiation Oncology unit on the planning and coordination of radiation treatment for patients with these diagnoses.

Dr. İşman graduated from İstanbul University İstanbul Faculty of Medicine in 2001. Between 2002 and 2004 she completed specialization training in the Department of Anatomy at Dokuz Eylül University Faculty of Medicine, and in 2010 she completed her training in Radiation Oncology at Dokuz Eylül University Faculty of Medicine. Her clinical career has been spent in departments of radiation oncology: in 2011 she was clinical staff at Dicle University in Diyarbakır, from 2011 to 2013 at Tekirdag State Hospital, and from 2013 to 2018 at Manisa State Hospital. In 2018 she joined Acibadem Health Group as clinical staff in the Department of Radiation Oncology at Kent Hospital, Izmir. She is a member of the Radiation Oncology Society of Turkey, the European Society for Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology, the National Lung Cancer Society, and the Izmir Breast Diseases Association.

Clinical focus

Dr. İşman’s clinical practice is focused on radiotherapy in cancer oncology. A significant part of her work involves breast cancer radiotherapy, and her areas of expertise also include gastrointestinal oncology, brain tumors, and head and neck cancers. In each case, the role of radiation treatment is assessed on the basis of the diagnosis, the imaging and pathology available, and any treatment the patient has already received.

Treatment planning is carried out within the Radiation Oncology unit. Patients can expect a clear explanation of the radiation treatment options relevant to their diagnosis, including what a proposed course of radiotherapy would involve and how it fits into the overall plan for their cancer care. Where a patient’s case requires it, the timing and coordination of radiotherapy with other parts of the treatment pathway are discussed as part of the planning process.

How Dr. İşman works with international patients

Dr. İşman consults in Turkish and English, and interpreters can be arranged for patients who speak other languages. Before a visit, 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. For patients who are not yet able to travel, a video consultation with Dr. İşman is available so that the available records can be reviewed and the possible role of radiotherapy can be discussed in advance.