Samsung Medical Center Partners with Europe\'s Top Two Cancer Hospitals

Samsung Medical Center has recently established partnerships with the top two cancer hospitals in Europe. This collaboration aims to enhance cancer research capabilities and integrate the latest advancements in novel drug technologies into patient care. The partnership is seen as a strategic foothold in becoming a global leader in cancer treatment.

According to industry sources on March 12th, representatives from Charité Hospital in Germany, ranked second in Europe, visited Samsung Medical Center on February 27th. Since signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) in July of the previous year, Samsung Medical Center and Charité Hospital have conducted joint seminars periodically on Patient-Reported Outcomes (PRO).

PRO refers to data patients report about their health status directly, incorporating subjective and quantitative measures like pain, discomfort, and depression, which are not typically evident in standard medical tests. The relevance and importance of PROs have been recognized in clinical and medical settings, and their use has become widespread in the United States and Europe. Cho Joo-hee, director of the Cancer Education Center at Samsung Medical Center, stated, "Whereas the focus was previously on cancer survival rates and recurrence, we are now entering an era where cancer treatment is approached from the patient's perspective."

In early last month, a symposium introducing new cancer treatments was held. Representatives from Gustave Roussy Hospital in France, ranked first in Europe, highlighted the high clinical trial participation rate among cancer patients, underscoring the significance of research in developing new treatments. Gustave Roussy Hospital, known for its active translational clinical research, reports that 40% of its cancer patients participate in clinical studies. Park Jun-oh, director of the Precision Medicine Innovation Research Institute at Samsung Medical Center, remarked, "With the clinical samples we have secured, we can achieve new research outcomes and directly provide patients with the genomic data obtained from these studies."

Both European hospitals boast substantial research staff, with Gustave Roussy Hospital's director, Fabrice Barlesi, noting, "Our hospital alone has over 500 research personnel, including external staff; the number reaches about 1,000." Charité Hospital employs approximately 5,000 researchers out of its 23,000 staff members.

The collaboration between the European hospitals also offers synergies in understanding racial and cultural differences. Martin Krause, a professor at Charité Hospital, commented, "Ethnic and cultural factors significantly influence patient data. We can identify these differences through our collaboration, which will aid in accurately analyzing the data."

This partnership marks a strategic move by Samsung Medical Center towards developing new treatments and advancing as a global hospital. Lee Woo-yong, director of the Cancer Hospital at Samsung Medical Center, expressed optimism about the collaboration, stating, "This partnership will herald a new level of cancer treatment."