Ear, Nose & Throat · Head & Neck Surgery · Istanbul
Head & Neck Cancer Surgery in Istanbul
A cancer diagnosis in the head or neck is frightening. A clear plan, explained by the surgeon who will carry it out, is where steadiness begins.
Who this is for
This page is for you if a lump, ulcer or growth has been found in your mouth, throat, voice box, salivary glands or neck — or if a biopsy has already confirmed a tumour and you are deciding what to do next. Some patients arrive with a diagnosis from another hospital and want a second opinion. Both are normal ways to start.
What happens at the first visit
Prof. Dr. Hafız examines you personally and reviews everything you bring: biopsy results, imaging, reports from other doctors. He will usually examine the throat and voice box with a thin camera during the same visit. Then he sits down with you and your family and explains what the findings mean, what he recommends, and what the alternatives are. Nothing moves forward until your questions are answered.
How surgery is planned
Head and neck tumours sit close to the structures that let you speak, swallow and breathe. Planning is therefore as important as the operation itself. Depending on the tumour, surgery may involve removing the growth through the mouth, operating on the neck, or reconstructing tissue after removal. Where the neck's lymph nodes are involved, a neck dissection may be part of the plan. Prof. Dr. Hafız will tell you plainly what he recommends and why.
Prof. Dr. Hafız has operated on tumours of the head and neck for more than three decades, at Istanbul University and in private practice. He performs transoral laser surgery where the tumour allows it, uses nerve monitoring to protect what surgery can spare, and carries out microvascular reconstruction when tissue must be rebuilt. He plans every operation himself and explains it in plain words first.
If you have been told you need head and neck cancer surgery, or you want an experienced professor to review your diagnosis before you decide, a consultation is the right next step. Bring your reports; bring your family; bring your questions.
Do I need a referral to book a consultation?
Can I get a second opinion on a diagnosis from another hospital?
Will I be able to speak and swallow after surgery?
Does surgery always mean the neck is opened?
Medically reviewed by Prof. Dr. Günter Hafız, Professor of Otorhinolaryngology — 08/2026
Appointments
Talk it through in person
Consultations Monday to Saturday at Selenium Plaza, Beşiktaş. In Turkish or English, and by WhatsApp from abroad.