At SMC, approximately 200 patients are newly diagnosed with pediatric cancer each year. We are annually administering 90 ~ 100 cases of stem cell transplantations to be recognized as the foremost pediatric cancer center of Korea in the fields of pediatric hematology and oncology.

Diagnosis and treatment of pediatric cancer essentially require organic collaboration between the Department of Pediatrics and a number of other relevant departments, such as Department of Laboratory Medicine, Department of Pathology, Department of Radiology, Department of Radiation Oncology, Department of Pediatric Surgery, Department of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, Department of Neurosurgery, Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Department of Urology, Department of Ophthalmology, Department of Nuclear Medicine, Department of Pediatric Psychology, Department of Pediatric Dentistry, Department of Dermatology and Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, etc. Pediatric Cancer Center is maintaining the close collaborative system with other departments by organizing various conferences.

SMC’s Pediatric Cancer Center has been administering the largest number of pediatric stem cell transplantations in Korea for eight consecutive years. This, as a single hospital, it is of the highest standard in the world. Umbilical cord blood transplantation, the hope of the pediatric cancer patients who do not have matching bone marrow, was first administered on January 2002 and SMC’s Department of Pediatrics played the leading role in the process. Also, by applying the treatment techniques specialized per each stage of neuroblastoma, brain tumor and retinoblastoma, we are improving the survival rate of patients. Therefore, we are leading in pediatric cancer treatment in Korea. In particular, the Pediatric Cancer Center is producing an outstanding survival rate of 62.1% without the onset of disease for 5 years in patients of high-risk neuroplastoma by 2 consecutive administrations of autologous stem cell transplantation and high dose chemotherapy.

To keep up with the ever-changing trend of pediatric cancer treatment, we are not only administering preventative nursing more actively, but also creating atmosphere filled with love to encourage and support the parents of cancer patients. Also, the management and education provided by the professional nurse specializing in pediatric cancer are improving the quality of our nursing service. In addition, Pediatric Cancer Center offers more accurate chemotherapy by employing the system of pharmacists placed in exclusive charge of their assigned patients. The community service center is assisting families of children suffering from cancer through active financial support. Chamsaranghoe, the community of the parents of cancer patients, is encouraging the parents of cancer patients through a variety of service activities.

The House of True Love opened in Irwon-dong under the auspices of Samsung Card and is the very first facility for pediatric cancer patients in Korea operated by independent funding from a hospital. Since opening on June 2002, this facility is being used by numerous pediatric cancer patients and their families. The House of True Love serves as a space of accommodation for families living in remote areas while receiving treatments on an outpatient basis. This reduces the period of hospital stay and allows more patients to receive chemotherapy on an outpatient basis. Accordingly, the House of True Love lowers the patients’ economic burden and their sufferings over the course of receiving treatments