Asan Medical Center

12/05/2026

AMC held the closing ceremony for the first MY HOPE movement crew, a six month program that helped young cancer patients build healthy lifestyles and connect with peers through regular activities such as running, hiking, and marathons. 🏃♀️⛰️💪

Participants achieved personal goals including climbing Hallasan Mountain and completing marathon races while gaining physical and emotional strength through mutual support. AMC said the program was designed to help young cancer patients regain confidence and overcome cancer together, with recruitment for the second MY HOPE movement crew scheduled to begin this fall. 🌱🤝✨

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▲ To support young cancer patients in establishing healthy lifestyles and provide opportunities to connect with peers who have shared similar experiences with cancer, Asan Medical Center held a closing ceremony on April 30 for the first six month journey of the MY HOPE movement crew.

11/05/2026

Researchers at the University of Ulsan College of Medicine and Asan Medical Center have developed a nanobiosensor kit capable of rapidly and accurately detecting the lung cancer biomarker USE1 without the need for complex equipment. By combining AI based structural analysis with nanotechnology, the team created a system that generates fluorescent signals visible under UV light when the biomarker is present, achieving a diagnostic accuracy of 96 percent. The findings were recently published in the international journal Journal of Nanobiotechnology. 🫁🔬🧬

USE1, first identified by Professor Chang Hwan Lee’s team in 2017, is overexpressed in 92.5 percent of lung cancer patients and is considered a major target for diagnosis and treatment. Using high affinity DNA aptamers, rolling circle amplification technology, and quantum dot based signal enhancement, the researchers successfully developed a biosensor capable of selectively detecting USE1. Clinical validation using patient tissue samples demonstrated 100 percent sensitivity and 88.3 percent specificity, raising expectations for future applications in early diagnosis, liquid biopsy, and targeted therapeutics. 🩺⚡🔍

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▲ (From left) Professors Chang-Hwan Lee from the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology and Jun-O Jin from the Department of Microbiology at the University of Ulsan College of Medicine and Asan Medical Center

07/05/2026

As Parents’ Day approaches, many families are reminded that subtle changes in older adults may signal serious medical problems rather than normal aging. Older adults account for a growing share of emergency room visits, and their conditions can deteriorate rapidly due to reduced physiological reserve and multiple chronic diseases. 👵👴❤️

Emergency conditions in older adults often present atypically. Heart attacks may occur without chest pain, while symptoms like fatigue, dizziness, or confusion may be the only warning signs. Falls can cause hidden but life threatening injuries such as hip fractures, brain hemorrhage, or spinal damage, and infections can quickly progress to sepsis or septic shock. 🏥🚑

Because symptoms are often vague and progression is fast, early recognition and immediate response are critical. Even small changes in behavior, function, or cognition should not be ignored. Rapid action during the “golden time” is essential to prevent severe complications or death. ⏱️⚠️🩺

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As Parents’ Day approaches on May 8, many people take time to visit their parents who live far away or at least give them a call to check in and share their love and appreciation. Seeing parents who suddenly appear much older than remembered, or hearing a weak and tired voice over the phone, can l...

06/05/2026

A Korean research team has developed a gene edited CAR NK cell therapy that can effectively target and eliminate pancreatic cancer cells even in immunosuppressive tumor environments. 🧬🧪🦠🧫

By blocking TGF β signaling and introducing a cancer targeting receptor in a single process, the team improved both therapeutic efficacy and manufacturing efficiency. The therapy showed enhanced cancer cell killing in organoid models and animal studies, with even stronger effects when combined with dexamethasone. 💉⚕️🔬

This approach demonstrates potential as a new treatment strategy not only for pancreatic cancer, which has a low five year survival rate of about 13%, but also for other solid tumors that are resistant to conventional immunotherapy. 📊🚀

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Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma, the most common type of pancreatic cancer, is often diagnosed at an advanced stage and shows limited response to conventional treatments, resulting in a five year survival rate of only about 13%. In solid tumors such as pancreatic cancer, the fibrotic tumor microenv...

04/05/2026

AMC successfully performed four complex cardiac procedures simultaneously using 3D full endoscopy without blood transfusion, marking a global first in a patient who refused transfusion for religious reasons. The minimally invasive approach enabled precise surgery without sternotomy, leading to faster recovery and comparable outcomes to open chest surgery. 🫀🔬🏥✨💉🚫

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▲ Professor Jae Suk Yoo from the Department of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery at Asan Medical Center performing bloodless complex cardiac surgery using 3D full endoscopy

30/04/2026

President Ho Joon Im of the Asan Medical Center Children's Hospital received the 16th Chong Kun Dang Respectable Hospital Figure Award for his long-standing dedication to pediatric cancer and rare blood disorders. He is recognized as a leading expert in hematopoietic stem cell transplantation, particularly haploidentical transplantation, and has expanded treatment opportunities for children lacking suitable donors in Korea. 👨⚕️👶🩺

Since 2025, he has also focused on strengthening clinical systems and patient safety at the Asan Medical Center Children's Hospital. He emphasized that despite rapid advances in medical technology, the essence of pediatric care remains unchanged, and expressed his commitment to continue caring for children with compassion and dedication. 🏥✨

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▲ (From left) Sung-kyu Lee, President of the Korean Hospital Association; President Ho Joon Im of the Asan Medical Center Children's Hospital; Young-Joo Kim, CEO of Chong Kun Dang Pharm.

29/04/2026

A research team led by Professor Jin Hoon Park of the Department of Neurosurgery at Asan Medical Center has developed a new surgical parameter, NeckCA (Necessary Cervical Kyphosis Correction Angle), to improve outcomes in cervical deformity surgery. The metric predicts postoperative compensatory changes caused by shifts in the head’s center of gravity and enables precise calculation of patient specific correction angles during preoperative planning, addressing a key cause of recurrent misalignment after surgery. 🧠🦴🩺

In a study of 29 patients, those who achieved sufficient correction based on NeckCA showed better pain and functional outcomes and a significantly lower recurrence rate (18.7% vs. 69.2%). The team also proposed tailored surgical strategies based on NeckCA values. The findings, published in the ‘Journal of Neurosurgery: Spine’, are expected to enhance surgical precision and reduce recurrence in cervical deformity treatment. 📊🏥📈✨

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28/04/2026

A newborn with a severe congenital lung malformation, whose chances of survival were extremely low, was successfully treated at AMC and later discharged after recovery. Shortly after birth, the infant developed life threatening respiratory failure caused by a massively overinflated lung mass compressing the heart and the opposite lung, requiring ECMO support just two days after birth. Despite the high risk, the medical team proceeded with surgical removal of the mass under ECMO based on their extensive experience. 🩺👶🫁

Although the infant experienced complications, including worsening pulmonary hypertension during recovery, a multidisciplinary team provided highly specialized and individualized intensive care, leading to significant improvement in lung function. Thanks to the coordinated efforts of the medical staff and the determination of the parents, the newborn recovered successfully and is expected to grow up healthy. 🏥✨🙏

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▲ In March, Professor Byong Sop Lee of the Division of Neonatology at Asan Medical Center examines Han-gyeol ahead of his discharge.

27/04/2026

A multinational Phase 3 clinical trial led by Asan Medical Center found that oral paclitaxel (DHP107) is noninferior to conventional intravenous chemotherapy in patients with HER2-negative recurrent or metastatic breast cancer. Progression free survival, overall survival, and objective response rates were comparable between the two groups. 🩺💊🏥📊

The oral formulation also showed a favorable safety profile, with significantly lower rates of peripheral neuropathy and hypersensitivity reactions, while most gastrointestinal side effects were mild. These findings support oral paclitaxel as a convenient and effective alternative to injectable therapy, with the potential to reduce hospital visits and overall healthcare costs. 🧬📉✨

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23/04/2026

The 13th Liver Center Symposium, held on April 4 at Asan Institute for Life Sciences, gathered about 170 medical professionals to discuss advancements in liver disease treatment. The program covered research achievements, management of advanced hepatocellular carcinoma, and key issues in hepatology, with lectures by international experts drawing strong engagement. 🩺🧬🌍🏥📊🎤

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The 13th Liver Center Symposium was held on April 4 at the Grand Auditorium of Asan Institute for Life Sciences, bringing together approximately 170 medical professionals. Under the theme “From Research Innovation to Precision Treatment of Liver Diseases,” the event served as a platform to share...

23/04/2026

Side mirrors evolved to reduce blind spots and improve safety, and healthcare faces a similar need to address what remains unseen. Despite advanced treatments, gaps in time, communication, and perception limit clinicians’ understanding of patient experience.

Patient Reported Outcome Measures (PROM) help close these gaps by capturing patients’ symptoms and quality of life over time, enabling safer, more patient centered care and better-informed treatment decisions.

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Side mirrors were not always part of automobiles. There was a time when simply turning one’s head was enough to check the surroundings. However, as speeds increased and more vehicles filled the roads, it became clear that accidents were more likely to occur not in front, but in the unseen areas to...