[MAR. 2023] The global rise of Ajou University Hospital Colon Cancer Center
- Name 관리자
- Date 2023-03-27
Practicing “Patient First” through minimally invasive surgery,
the global rise of Ajou University Hospital Colon Cancer Center begins
Curative surgery is required to cure colon cancer completely. In most cases, however, if the cancer spreads to other organs or if the patient is diagnosed with stage 4 colon cancer, the survival rate is low, and performing surgery is extremely difficult. Even if the surgery is successful, the patient’s quality of life will inevitably decline due to fear and anxiety about ongoing treatments such as chemotherapy and radiation. The Colon Cancer Center at Ajou University Hospital puts ‘the patient first’ in every treatment process to alleviate the pain and difficulties experienced by patients and their families. In particular, the center specializes in minimally invasive surgery that minimizes the patient’s surgical site.
Compared to conventional open surgery, minimally invasive surgery, such as laparoscopic and robotic surgeries, has many benefits, including smaller incisions, less pain after surgery, less scarring, and a quick return to daily life. Robotic surgery is known to significantly improve the patient’s quality of life after surgery. Using specialized technology can remove lesions that are difficult to access with a laparoscopic view through detailed joint motions and a 3D view of the surgical site, and preserve organ functions as much as possible. The Colon Cancer Center has recently contributed to expanding the scope of minimally invasive surgery by successfully performing challenging robotic surgeries, such as simultaneously removing rectal cancer and liver metastases. Thanks to the clinical expertise of the medical staff at Ajou University Hospital Colon Cancer Center, the current rate of minimally invasive surgery is about 90% as of 2021, exceeding the 80% average in Korea.
Professor Chang Woo Kim, Head of the Colon Cancer Center (Colorectal Surgery) at Ajou University Hospital, said, “Minimally invasive surgery is associated with less pain and faster dietary recovery, which allows patients to return to their daily lives quickly. Especially, robotic surgery for rectal cancer enables the surgeon to make more precise tumor resections, which helps urinal and sexual function recovery. As robotic surgery has many advantages, we expect its utilization to grow in the future.” Professor Chang Woo Kim has been actively researching colon cancer, and his multicenter study of intensive chemotherapy for rectal cancer involving 14 hospitals in Korea was cited in the latest revision of the ASCRS Textbook of Colon and Rectal Surgery (2022), which is recognized as a world authority on colon and rectal disease.
Since its opening in July 2010, the Colon Cancer Center has reinforced its expertise through a systematic collaboration system. Multidisciplinary medical care from medical professionals with rich experience and expertise in the departments of colorectal surgery, gastroenterology, hemato-oncology, radiation oncology, radiology, nuclear medicine & molecular imaging, and pathology has played a crucial role in improving the survival rate of patients with colorectal cancer. Depending on the degree and location of metastatic colon cancer, medical professionals from the departments of hepatobiliary & pancreatic surgery, thoracic & cardiovascular surgery, urology, and obstetrics & gynecology may also participate in the treatment process. As professionals from each department gather in one place to coordinate the treatment method, order, and timing to present the optimal medical treatment, the satisfaction level of the patients is high.