04.09.2025 19:37
Ibrahim Yılmaz, a 59-year-old man who has been smoking for about 40 years in Istanbul, regained his health after undergoing a rare double surgery, performed for the second time in Turkey, to overcome throat and lung cancer. Following the successful 10-hour surgery, Yılmaz was initially kept under observation and was later discharged in good health.
59-year-old İbrahim Yılmaz, who has been living in Istanbul and smoking for 40 years, applied to Şişli Hamidiye Etfal Training and Research Hospital 3 months ago with complaints of hoarseness and shortness of breath. Tests revealed a mass in Yılmaz's lung. The examination known as Positron Emission Tomography, or "PET-CT," showed suspicious lesions in both the left lung and the larynx.
THROAT AND LUNG CANCER SURGERY PERFORMED SIMULTANEOUSLY
Biopsy results revealed that the patient had adenocarcinoma in the lung and squamous cell carcinoma in the larynx. Thus, it was discovered that the patient had two independent primary cancers at the same time.
Following this, a simultaneous surgical operation was planned for Yılmaz. In the approximately 10-hour operation, the laryngeal cancer surgery was successfully performed simultaneously by Ear, Nose, and Throat Specialist Assoc. Prof. Dr. Özlem Ünsal, while the lung cancer surgery was conducted by Thoracic Surgery Specialist Assoc. Prof. Dr. Onur Derdiyok.
Yılmaz regained his health by undergoing a rare double surgery to remove both laryngeal and lung cancer at the same time.
"WE DECIDED TO PERFORM THE SURGERY IN THE SAME SESSION FOR FASTER TREATMENT"
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Özlem Ünsal stated that the patient approached them with complaints of hoarseness. She expressed that tests revealed the patient had laryngeal and lung cancer, and based on this, they planned the treatment and decided to perform simultaneous surgery on both tumors with thoracic surgery.
Ünsal noted that this was the second time in Turkey that a patient with both laryngeal and lung cancer underwent surgery simultaneously in separate sessions, stating, "Since our priority in treatment was the lung, the lung cancer surgery would be performed first. The recovery process for this would take about 1.5 months. After that, if necessary, treatment would continue with radiotherapy. This would delay the treatment process for the laryngeal cancer. Therefore, instead of splitting it into two separate sessions, we decided to perform both surgeries in the same session to provide faster treatment for both tumors." she said.
"OUR PATIENT IS NOW IN GOOD HEALTH"
Emphasizing that the small size of the mass in the lung made their job easier, Ünsal said, "The surgery we performed was successful. After the surgery, we kept our patient in the clinic for a while. After the examinations and dressings, we discharged him, and now our patient is in good health." she stated.
Ünsal highlighted the importance of performing surgeries requiring a multidisciplinary approach with experienced and specialized teams.
"SUCH SURGERIES ARE NORMALLY RISKY EVEN ALONE"
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Onur Derdiyok stated that the patient had been smoking for about 40 years and was experiencing shortness of breath along with hoarseness. He explained that under normal circumstances, surgeries for laryngeal and lung cancer are risky even when performed alone, stating, "Despite the patient's respiratory reserve being problematic, it was decided by the council that he would undergo surgery simultaneously. Because in cancer surgery, what is important is that no cancerous tissue remains in the body after the operation. This decision was made so that our patient could quickly start oncological treatment." he informed.
"THE SURGERY LASTED ABOUT 10 HOURS"
Derdiyok emphasized that the risks that could occur during the surgery were explained to the patient, stating, "The surgery lasted about 10 hours. The ear, nose, and throat team performed the laryngeal surgery, while we conducted the lung cancer surgery laparoscopically. The minimally invasive approach was advantageous for the patient's compromised respiratory reserve. Thus, the patient quickly began to breathe and his respiratory reserve was preserved as much as possible." he expressed.
"RARE IN THE WORLD, SECOND CASE IN TURKEY"
Pointing out that the surgery performed is a rarely seen method, Derdiyok shared the following: "The surgery we performed is the second of its kind in Turkey and one of the very rare operations in the world literature. The difference from the first surgery performed in Turkey was that this patient's respiratory reserve was much lower. There was a high possibility that the oxygen levels would remain low after the surgery, and there was also a chance of needing to be connected to a ventilator. However, with a multidisciplinary approach and coordinated teamwork, our patient was discharged in good health."