Prof. Meliha Nalçacı, MD

Prof. Meliha Nalçacı, MD is a hematologist in the Hematology Department at Acibadem Bakirkoy Hospital in İstanbul. She assesses and treats adults with disorders of the blood and bone marrow, with a particular emphasis on myelodysplastic syndromes, myeloproliferative neoplasms and immune thrombocytopenia. Her career in medicine spans more than 46 years and combines clinical practice with academic teaching and research.

Dr. Nalçacı graduated from İstanbul University İstanbul Faculty of Medicine in 1980 and completed her training in Internal Medicine at the same faculty in 1984. From 1987 to 1993 she worked as a Research Assistant in the Department of Internal Medicine, Department of Internal Medical Sciences, and in 1994 she completed her specialization in Hematology. She served as Associate Professor in the Department of Internal Medicine, Department of Internal Medical Sciences, from 1993 to 1999 and became Professor at İstanbul University İstanbul Faculty of Medicine in 1999. In 2025 she joined Acıbadem Healthcare Services.

Clinical focus

Dr. Nalçacı’s clinical work centers on chronic hematologic conditions. These include myelodysplastic syndromes, essential thrombocythemia, primary myelofibrosis and the wider group of myeloproliferative neoplasms, including chronic myeloproliferative neoplasms, Philadelphia-negative myeloproliferative neoplasms and JAK2 V617F-mutated myeloproliferative neoplasms. She also cares for patients with immune thrombocytopenia, including rituximab therapy for adults whose condition has not responded to earlier treatment, and she has clinical and academic experience in the transfusion of blood and blood products.

Her published research reflects these areas. She has co-authored studies on the clinical significance of IDH mutations in essential thrombocythemia and primary myelofibrosis, the impact of JAK2V617F mutational status on phenotypic features in these conditions, the burden of the JAK2V617F-mutated allele in Turkish patients with myeloproliferative neoplasms, and the prognostic significance of ASXL1 and JAK2V617F mutations in Philadelphia-negative myeloproliferative neoplasms. Further work includes MPL W515L/K mutations in chronic myeloproliferative neoplasms, a gene polymorphism and its relation to cytogenetic abnormalities in myelodysplastic syndrome, a review of therapeutic options and management in myelodysplastic syndromes, long-term follow-up of rituximab therapy in adults with refractory symptomatic immune thrombocytopenia, and the transfusion of blood and blood products.

How Dr. Nalçacı works with international patients

Dr. Nalçacı 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, such as laboratory and pathology results, imaging reports, 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 results and previous treatments, a clinical examination and a discussion of the available options. Video consultations are available for international patients who wish to discuss their situation with Dr. Nalçacı before traveling.