Prof. Handan Onur Topuzlu, MD

Prof. Handan Onur Topuzlu, MD is a medical oncologist practicing in the Medical Oncology Department of Acibadem Taksim Hospital in İstanbul. Her clinical work focuses on the evaluation and management of common solid tumors, including breast cancer, gynecological cancers of the cervix and uterus, pancreatic cancer, and colorectal cancers of the colon and rectum. With more than 45 years in medicine, she brings long clinical experience in internal medicine and medical oncology to the care of patients with these diagnoses.

Dr. Topuzlu completed her medical degree at Ankara University Faculty of Medicine in 1981. She went on to complete specialty training in Internal Medicine at Ankara University Faculty of Medicine in 1987, followed by training in Medical Oncology at the same institution in 1992. This sequence reflects the conventional pathway of a medical oncologist, in which a foundation in internal medicine precedes focused oncology training. She joined Acıbadem Healthcare Services in 2022 and currently sees patients at the Taksim hospital.

Clinical focus

Dr. Topuzlu’s areas of expertise cover several of the more frequently encountered solid tumors. In breast cancer, she is involved in assessing patients at different stages of disease and in discussing the medical treatment options that may be appropriate for the individual case. Her gynecological oncology interests include cervical cancer and uterine cancer, conditions in which medical oncology often works alongside other specialties in planning care.

She also treats patients with pancreatic cancer and with colorectal cancers, encompassing both colon cancer and rectal cancer. As with the other tumor types she manages, the approach depends on the extent of disease, the results of pathology and imaging, the patient’s general health, and any treatments already received. Dr. Topuzlu’s role as a medical oncologist is to review these factors, explain the findings in understandable terms, and outline the options so that decisions can be made in a considered way and, where relevant, in coordination with other specialties involved in the patient’s care.

How Dr. Topuzlu works with international patients

Dr. Topuzlu 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, arranges the appointment, and organizes the hospital visit. A first consultation typically covers the patient’s medical history and current symptoms, a review of existing imaging and any previous treatments, a clinical examination, and a discussion of the possible options and next steps. For international patients who wish to obtain an initial assessment before traveling, a video consultation with Dr. Topuzlu is available.