Stop the Difficult Journey to Seoul... Pediatric Cancer Patients from Gyeongnam Receive Specialized Treatment at Yangsan Pusan National University Hospital

Ministry of Health and Welfare Designates Regional Pediatric Cancer Treatment Center Hospital in Gyeongnam Area

Yangsan Pusan National University Hospital has become a designated regional pediatric cancer treatment hub hospital for the Gyeongnam region by the Ministry of Health and Welfare.

On the 25th, Gyeongnam Province announced that on the 20th, the Ministry of Health and Welfare decided to foster five regional pediatric cancer treatment hub hospitals nationwide to enable pediatric cancer patients to receive systematic treatment without having to go to Seoul, selecting Yangsan Pusan National University Hospital as the hub for the Gyeongnam region.

According to the province, the five regional pediatric cancer hub hospitals are ▲Chungnam National University Hospital ▲Hwasun Jeonnam National University Hospital ▲Chilgok Kyungpook National University Hospital ▲Yangsan Pusan National University Hospital ▲National Cancer Center.

Each hospital is responsible for the following regions: ▲Chungcheong region covering Daejeon, Chungnam, Chungbuk, and Sejong ▲Honam region covering Gwangju, Jeonnam, Jeonbuk, and Jeju ▲Gyeongbuk region covering Daegu and Gyeongbuk ▲Gyeongnam region covering Busan, Ulsan, and Gyeongnam with Yangsan Pusan National University Hospital ▲Gyeonggi region covering Gyeonggi and Gangwon.

Yangsan Pusan National University Hospital. [Photo by Yangsan Pusan National University Hospital]

Starting next year, Yangsan Pusan National University Hospital will form and operate a dedicated pediatric cancer treatment team centered on pediatric hematology-oncology specialists within the hospital, utilizing hospital contract doctors and pediatric specialists from other departments as much as possible.

The regional hub hospitals are existing public medical institutions designated by the government, such as regional cancer centers and children’s public specialized treatment centers, where pediatric hematology-oncology specialists and hematopoietic stem cell transplantation are available.

They will provide pediatric cancer-related medical services including diagnosis, chemotherapy, hematopoietic stem cell transplantation, follow-up care, outpatient and inpatient treatment, and emergency care.

When high-difficulty severe surgical operations or advanced equipment-based chemotherapy such as proton therapy are required and difficult to perform at the regional hub hospital, patients will be transferred to hospitals equipped with surgical teams for treatment, after which they can receive follow-up chemotherapy and care at the hub hospital.

Gyeongnam Province is promoting the Gyeongnam Pediatric and Adolescent Cancer Survivors Integrated Support Service project, which provides self-management and school return support programs to help pediatric and adolescent cancer patients grow into healthy members of society after completing cancer treatment.

Experts in integrated cancer survivor support, including doctors, nurses, and social workers, help improve the physical and mental health of patients and their families and assist with returning to daycare and school as well as resuming daily life.

The Integrated Support Service Center providing these services is located within the Gyeongnam Regional Cancer Center at Jin-gu National Gyeongsang National University Hospital.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.