Gastric Cancer Center

Gastric Cancer Center is staffed with faculty members and a coordinator from the department of Surgery, Gastroenterology, Hematology and Oncology, Radiation oncology, Radiology and Pathology, all of which are related to stomach cancer care. Our faculty members cooperate according to the unique roles played by the departments related to the diagnosis and treatment of stomach cancer. To provide swift and comprehensive care, the Center adopts a variety of treatment methods including laparoscopic gastrectomy, robotic surgery, endoscopic submucosal dissection, and new chemo and radiotherapies.

Major areas of treatment / Clinics

  • Gastric cancer
  • Gastrointestinal stromal tumor

Strong points

  • ZERO mortality rate within 30 days after surgery
  • ‘One Day’ program

Under this program, patients with progressive gastric cancer cancerwho are referred by our partner clinics can receive exams, diagnoses, and surgery dates on just a single visit. This program aims to provide quick diagnoses and treatment for progressive gastric cancer cancerpatients, which guarantees optimal care and great satisfaction among the patients and their families by reducing anxiety. We do our best to assign the earliest possible surgery dates, and when anticancer therapies are considered necessary, specialists in diverse disciplines join and discuss the best possible regimen.

Diagnostic tests

Gastroscopy, abdominal CT (stomach imaging and virtual gastroscopy), PET, blood testing, thoracic imaging, physiological tests, ultrasonography, MRI, etc.

Latest treatment methods

Surgery is the most fundamental treatment and performed in the form of laparotomy, laparoscopic surgery, and robotic surgery. Fully set up with gastric cancer experts, operating rooms for laparoscopic and robotic surgery and multi-disciplinary operations, a dedicated ward, and a multi-disciplinary system, the Center boasts solid treatment outcomes as well as growing number of surgery.
Endoscopic submucosal dissection is well recognized as a standard treatment for precancerous lesions like gastric adenoma and early-stage stomach cancer whose lesions are small and well differentiated.
We also provide post-surgery adjuvant chemo and radiotherapies as well as diverse conventional therapies against progressive or relapsing stomach cancer to improve the survival rate and the patients’ quality of life. At the same time, we perform a wide range of clinical research to help chart a future direction of cancer treatment.

Recent trends in clinical research

Thanks to a recent advance in molecular biology and oncology, blanket application of chemotherapy to every patient and type is no longer recommended. Now, there is a growing demand for personalized therapies based on patients’ genomic information, namely their individual genomic mutations. We can expect much better results by sorting out patients who may respond to targeted molecular agents.
This targeted therapy has been actively studied for stomach cancer, too, and it has been tested to combine conventional chemotherapies with the targeted agents such as angiogenesis inhibitors and epidermal growth factor inhibitors. According to a recent study, it has been noted that progressive stomach cancer patients who were identified with over-expression or amplification of the HER2 gene showed significantly improved outcomes after treated with Herceptin in addition to conventional chemotherapies. Therefore, the targeted combination of Herceptin and conventional anticancer agents is currently considered a standard.

More information

Gastric Cancer Center operates a variety of programs that enhance the quality of life for gastric cancer patients and their families. In addition, we are publishing and distributing gastric cancer information booklets so that we can answer some of the questions asked by gastric cancer patients and to help patients resolve and settle any confusions. We routinely conduct education programs for gastric cancer patients to answer their questions. We are running an Internet community for gastric cancer patients to help our patients manage their daily lives and exchange accurate information. We also have a gastric cancer mentoring program where patients recently diagnosed with gastric cancer get help from those who have been suffering from the same disease for a longer period.

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Patients' Rights and Responsibilities

Patients' Rights

1. Right to receive medical care

Patients have the right to receive proper care in a safe setting without discrimination nor should their right to care be violated regardless of their gender, age, religion, social status, nationality, language, race, or physical/mental/financial status. Medical teams shall not refuse to provide care without justifiable reason.

2. Right to be informed and to make an autonomous decision

Patients have the right to obtain full and complete information from their medical team, to ask questions, and to determine their agreement or refusal concerning: diagnosis, treatment (purpose, plans and methods), outcomes of care (including unanticipated outcomes), discharge plan, participation in medical research studies, organ transplantation/donation, etc. Within ethical boundaries, patients may discontinue or refuse treatment, request that the medical team explain and suggest alternative treatments, and reserve the right to make their own decisions.

3. Right to confidentiality

Patients' rights to confidentiality regarding their physical/health status and privacy will not be violated. Patients can expect that all medical records/reports and their personal privacy will be kept confidential unless the patient has given consent or disclosure is permitted by law. To ensure their privacy, patients may be informed that Individuals not directly involved in their care may not be present and that the number of guardians accompanying patients to consultation rooms may be limited.

4. Right to request consultation and mediation

In the event of a medical dispute, patients may request consultation and mediation from an internal or external agency (Korea Consumer Agency, Korea Medical Dispute Mediation and Arbitration Agency).

5. Right to have values and beliefs respected

Patients will not be discriminated against because of their culture, religious values, or beliefs, and their rights will not be violated.

6. Right to receive care in a safe setting

Patients have the right to receive hospital-provided care where the patient’s medical information is protected and patient safety can be assured. In addition, patients have the right to be protected from possible dangers that can occur in a hospital and to have stability of mind and body.

Patients' Responsibilities

1. Responsibility to trust and respect the medical team

Patients must accurately inform the medical team of their health condition and must trust and respect the medical team's treatment plan. Patients may be responsible for consequences that result from not following instructions.

2. Responsibility to not use dishonest methods for medical treatment

Patients must reveal their identity before receiving any medical care and must not use false or dishonest methods, such as seeking medical care under disguised ownership.

3. Responsibility to abide by all hospital regulations

Patients are expected to treat all hospital staff and other patients with courtesy and respect; to abide by all hospital rules; and to earnestly fulfill their financial obligation to the hospital. Also, patients and their family members are expected to participate in all safety regulations.