Seoul St. Mary`s Hospital performs 5,000th hematopoietic stem cell transplantation OCTOBER 11, 2013 05:40 Seoul St. Mary`s Hospital performs 5,000th hematopoietic stem cell transplantation . OCTOBER 11, 2013 05:40. . The Seoul St. Mary`s Hospital on Thursday became Asia`s first medical institution to perform 5,000 transplants of hematopoietic stem cells. Hematopoietic stem cell transplantation is a treatment involving the infusion of blood-forming stem cells into patients of blood tumors such as leukemia, malignant lymphoma and multiple myeloma.

The Seoul St. Mary`s Hospital has reached the milestone 30 years after it performed Korea`s first successful transplantation of hematopoietic stem cells between two brothers in 1983. In the number of such hematopoietic stem cell transplantations, the hospital ranks sixth in the world and first in Asia. In transplantations of allergenic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation, the hospital ranks the fourth in the world. It is also the country`s first hospital to successfully perform autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation, umbilical cord blood transplantation and nonmyeloablative stem cell transplantation.

The hospital`s 5,000th patient who underwent the hematopoietic stem cell transplant is an 18-year-old leukemic girl, who received bone marrows from her younger brother.

"An analysis shows that we are one of the best performers in the world, as the rate is 10 to 30 percent higher than in the United States, as the survival rate of our 5,000 transplantation surgeries is 20 to 30 percent higher than U.S. hospitals," said Dr. Lee Jong-wook, head of the hospital`s hematopoietic stem cell transplantation center. "There is no need to go overseas for leukemia treatments."

The Seoul St. Mary`s Hospital has reached the milestone 30 years after it performed Korea`s first successful transplantation of hematopoietic stem cells between two brothers in 1983. In the number of such hematopoietic stem cell transplantations, the hospital ranks sixth in the world and first in Asia. In transplantations of allergenic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation, the hospital ranks the fourth in the world. It is also the country`s first hospital to successfully perform autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation, umbilical cord blood transplantation and nonmyeloablative stem cell transplantation.

The hospital`s 5,000th patient who underwent the hematopoietic stem cell transplant is an 18-year-old leukemic girl, who received bone marrows from her younger brother.

"An analysis shows that we are one of the best performers in the world, as the rate is 10 to 30 percent higher than in the United States, as the survival rate of our 5,000 transplantation surgeries is 20 to 30 percent higher than U.S. hospitals," said Dr. Lee Jong-wook, head of the hospital`s hematopoietic stem cell transplantation center. "There is no need to go overseas for leukemia treatments."

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