Prof. Dr. Özkan Kanat

Prof. Dr. Özkan Kanat is a medical oncologist at Acibadem Bursa Hospital in Bursa, where he practices in the Medical Oncology Department. He has more than 31 years in medicine, with clinical interests across gastrointestinal, breast, gynecologic, urologic, lung and skin cancers. He consults in Turkish and English.

Dr. Kanat graduated from Ondokuzmayıs University Faculty of Medicine in 1995. He completed his training in Internal Medicine at Uludağ University Faculty of Medicine in 2000 and in Medical Oncology at the same faculty in 2001, and he earned a PhD in Pharmacology from Uludağ University in 2013. From 1995 to 2019 he worked at Uludağ University Faculty of Medicine Department of Internal Medicine / Division of Medical Oncology, and in 2019 he joined Acıbadem Healthcare Services. His international experience includes time in 2011 at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center / Gastrointestinal Cancer Unit in New York (with Prof. Nancy Kemeny), at The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Cancer Hospital / Gastrointestinal Cancer Unit (with Prof. Bert O’Neil and Prof. Richard Goldberg) and at Fox Chase Cancer Center in Philadelphia, followed in 2012 by the Vall d’Hebron Institute of Oncology Gastrointestinal and Phase I units in Barcelona (with Prof. Joseph Tabernero).

Clinical focus

Dr. Kanat’s practice covers the medical oncology management of solid tumors. In gastrointestinal oncology he treats patients with pancreatic cancer, gastric cancer, colorectal cancer and anal cancer. His work in breast oncology includes breast cancer and male breast cancer. In gynecologic oncology he sees patients with ovarian cancer and endometrial cancer, and in urologic oncology he treats prostate cancer, kidney cancer and adrenal gland cancer. He also manages patients with lung and thoracic cancers.

Alongside clinical work, Dr. Kanat has contributed to the medical literature, mainly in gastrointestinal and breast oncology. His published review articles address dual HER2 inhibition strategies in treatment-refractory metastatic colorectal cancer, anti-stromal therapy for pancreatic cancer, possible mechanisms of platinum-induced neurotoxicity, targeted therapy for advanced gastric cancer and current treatment options for patients with initially unresectable isolated colorectal liver metastases. He has also co-authored studies on KRAS and BRAF mutation distribution in metastatic colorectal cancer in Turkish patients, HER4 expression in metastatic breast cancer and adiponectin expression in colon cancer and triple-negative breast cancer.

How Dr. Kanat works with international patients

Dr. Kanat 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 appointments and organises 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. Video consultations are available for international patients who wish to discuss their diagnosis and medical oncology treatment needs before deciding whether to travel.