Since the establishment in 1978, the Division of Hematology and Medical Oncology (HMO) in the Department of Internal Medicine at Seoul National University Hospital has been a pioneer in the diagnosis, medical treatment, research, and education of various cancers. The HMO Division is composed of two fields: Hematology, which deals with blood-related cancers and benign hematologic disorders (such as anemia, hemostatic thrombosis, and etc.), and Medical Oncology, which deals with the medical treatment of solid tumors.
In the field of hematology, since 1985, a total of 3,200 hematopoietic stem cell transplantations have been achieved, including autologous, HLA-matched sibling or unrelated donor transplants as well as high-complexity transplants such as secondary hematopoietic stem cell transplantation, haploidentical transplantation, umbilical cord blood transplantation, and cell separation transplantation. We collaborate with the Department of Laboratory Medicine and the Division of Infectious Diseases for more effective and integrated diagnosis and treatment. In the field of medical oncology, we approach cancer treatment through multidisciplinary cooperation with related departments, resulting in higher cure rates and treatment outcomes. We lead molecular-targeted therapies and genomics-based precision medicine through translational research and have recently been using immuno-oncology agents to extend patients’ survival times and improve their quality of life. Moreover, the HMO Division at Seoul National University Hospital is an institution that leads international clinical trials, providing patients with diverse opportunities to receive cutting-edge treatments, including chimeric antigen receptor T (CAR-T) cell therapy, which has been applied actively since 2022.
In the fields of basic research, various studies on tumors and blood disorders are being conducted at the Seoul National University Cancer Research Institute. In the field of hematology, research is being carried out on the genomics of blood cancer, the microenvironment and drug resistance in blood cancer, and the functional improvement of hematopoietic stem cells. In the field of medical oncology, research is being conducted on cancer cell growth factors and intracellular signaling pathways, the anti-tumor effects and resistance mechanisms of anticancer drugs, genomics, and the immunological characteristics of cancer patients.