Seoul National University Bundang Hospital Lung Cancer Center Surpasses 10,000 Cumulative Lung Cancer Surgeries

Seongnam, South Korea — December 14, 2025
Seoul National University Bundang Hospital (SNUBH), led by President Song Jeong-han, announced that its Lung Cancer Center has surpassed a milestone of 10,000 cumulative lung cancer surgeries, reaffirming its position as a global leader in lung cancer treatment.

Since performing its first lung cancer surgery in 2003, the center reached 5,000 cumulative cases in 2020 and exceeded 10,000 surgeries in November 2025. This achievement reflects rapid and sustained growth, with the center performing an average of more than 900 lung cancer surgeries annually since 2020.

Lung cancer remains the leading cause of cancer-related mortality in Korea and other developed countries. The overall five-year survival rate for lung cancer is 40.6%, significantly lower than the average five-year survival rate for all cancers (72.1%), largely due to late diagnosis, frequent recurrence, and metastasis.

To overcome these challenges, the SNUBH Lung Cancer Center has implemented a comprehensive, multidisciplinary treatment system involving close collaboration across multiple specialties. As a result, the center has achieved a five-year survival rate of 76.8% for stage I–III lung cancer patients, and 64.8% for stage IIIA patients, outcomes that are considered world-class.

The center is particularly recognized for its pioneering role in the adoption of minimally invasive thoracoscopic surgery. Thoracoscopic surgery involves small incisions between the ribs to perform procedures using endoscopic instruments, significantly reducing surgical trauma. In 2008, the center scientifically demonstrated the superiority of thoracoscopic surgery over conventional open thoracotomy in early-stage lung cancer, showing statistically significant improvements in survival rates, chest tube duration, and postoperative hospital stays.

Through continuous clinical research and innovation, the proportion of minimally invasive procedures has steadily increased. Today, 98.9% of lung cancer surgeries at the center are performed using thoracoscopic or robotic techniques, greatly enhancing postoperative recovery and patients’ quality of life.

In addition, the Department of Pathology at SNUBH conducted the world’s largest prospective study to identify spread through air spaces (STAS) of lung cancer cells as a significant risk factor for recurrence, contributing important insights to global lung cancer research.

Professor Kim Kwan-min, a globally recognized expert who has performed more than 10,000 thoracic surgeries including lung, esophageal, and thymic cancers, has played a key role in expanding the use of thoracoscopic surgery. His contributions have significantly improved long-term survival outcomes for lung cancer patients.

Seoul National University Bundang Hospital stated that it will continue to advance precision surgery, multidisciplinary care, and translational research to further improve lung cancer outcomes and set new global standards in cancer treatment.