Vice President & Chief Medical Officer (CMO) Je-Hwan Lee of Asan Medical Center Awarded Order of Service Merit; President Si Yeol Song of AMC Cancer Institute Receives Presidential Citation; Professor Jun Hyuk Hong Honored with Ministerial Citation

Asan Medical Center Recognized for Its Role as Korea’s Largest Cancer Treatment Institution and for Advancing Cancer Care Systems

▲ Medical staff at Asan Medical Center were honored for their contributions at the 19th Cancer Prevention Day ceremony hosted by the Ministry of Health and Welfare.

Medical staff at Asan Medical Center, which plays a pivotal role as Korea’s largest cancer treatment institution caring for one in eight registered cancer patients nationwide, were honored for their contributions at the 19th Cancer Prevention Day ceremony hosted by the Ministry of Health and Welfare.

At the ceremony held on March 17 at The Plaza Hotel in Seoul, Vice President & Chief Medical Officer (CMO) Je-Hwan Lee of Asan Medical Center (Professor of the Division of Hematology) was awarded the Order of Service Merit (Okjo Medal). President Si Yeol Song of AMC Cancer Institute (Professor of Department of Radiation Oncology) received a Presidential Citation, while Professor Jun Hyuk Hong of the Department of Urology at Asan Medical Center was honored with a Ministerial Citation from the Ministry of Health and Welfare.

The AMC Cancer Institute treats approximately 1.05 million cancer patients annually and performs an average of 18,000 cancer surgeries each year. It has achieved world-class treatment outcomes, with five-year survival rates of 82.1% for gastric cancer, 92.6% for rectal cancer, and 87.7% for lung cancer, contributing significantly to improving overall cancer care outcomes in Korea. In addition, Asan Medical Center has taken the lead in advancing cancer care systems by implementing initiatives such as a multidisciplinary integrated care system, a fast-track program for cancer patients, and the Cancer Patient Life Care Center.

Vice President & Chief Medical Officer (CMO) Je-Hwan Lee of Asan Medical Center graduated from Seoul National University College of Medicine in 1987 and has been serving as a Professor of the Division of Hematology at Asan Medical Center since 1999. Since 2021, he has held the position of Vice President & Chief Medical Officer (CMO), where he has focused on enhancing survival rates and improving the quality of life for cancer patients by refining care processes centered on critically ill patients and strengthening the multidisciplinary care system.

In particular, Vice President & Chief Medical Officer (CMO) Je-Hwan Lee has been a leading authority in the field of hematologic malignancies for the past 31 years, treating patients with a wide range of blood cancers, including acute leukemia, lymphoma, and multiple myeloma, while actively engaging in research. He has published approximately 250 papers in international journals, spanning clinical studies on overcoming resistance to anticancer therapies as well as basic research elucidating the genetic mechanisms underlying hematologic malignancies specific to Korean populations, thereby contributing to enhancing the global standing of Korea’s blood cancer research.

President Si Yeol Song of AMC Cancer Institute was recognized for establishing a patient-centered care system by operating a multidisciplinary integrated care model, in which specialists from multiple departments collaborate to treat cancer patients. More than 5,800 cancer patients utilize this integrated care system each year, and patient surveys have reported a satisfaction rate of 98%, positioning it as one of the exemplary models of cancer care in Korea.

In addition, President Si Yeol Song of AMC Cancer Institute is leading the introduction of a cutting-edge heavy ion therapy system as Head of the Asan Medical Center Heavy-ion Therapy Implementation Development. Asan Medical Center is preparing to build Korea’s largest heavy ion therapy equipment, with the goal of commencing patient treatment by 2031. The therapy is expected to provide an optimal treatment option for patients with refractory cancers, as it can be applied not only to prostate, pancreatic, and liver cancers, but also to lung cancer, sarcoma, kidney cancer, and recurrent cancers that are resistant to conventional treatments.

Professor Jun Hyuk Hong of the Department of Urology at Asan Medical Center was recognized for his contributions to advancing the field of robotic surgery by establishing a Robotic Surgery Center at Asan Medical Center and providing training in prostate cancer robotic surgery to medical professionals both in Korea and abroad. He has also demonstrated long-standing dedication to patients with prostate cancer by leading prevention campaigns while serving as President of the Korean Urological Association and the Korean Prostate Society.

Vice President & Chief Medical Officer (CMO) Je-Hwan Lee of Asan Medical Center stated, “I believe this honor represents not only a personal achievement, but also recognition on behalf of all medical staff who have devoted themselves to cancer care with a strong sense of mission. We will continue to strive to bring hope to patients with serious cancers, including hematologic malignancies.”