Samsung Seoul Hospital is joining hands with Europe's largest cancer research network to improve the quality of life for cancer patients.
Samsung Seoul Hospital's Cancer Center announced Wednesday that it signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) as the official Korean partner for Patient-Reported Outcomes (PRO). The Cancer Center will oversee the entire process of standardization and quality control of EORTC's Korean-language PRO tools.
EORTC is a nonprofit academic organization established in 1962 and headquartered in Brussels, Belgium. It operates a multinational clinical research network involving institutions across 30 European countries and hundreds of organizations worldwide, and has set international standards in cancer patient quality of life and patient-centered outcomes research.
PRO is a metric through which patients directly report their own health status. Beyond physical and psychological symptoms such as nausea, pain, fatigue, anxiety and depression, it quantifies changes in daily functioning and health conditions actually experienced by patients. The data is used to support treatment planning, evaluation of treatment efficacy and communication with medical staff. This marks the first time EORTC has entered into an official collaboration with an Asian country with PRO as a single core subject.
Samsung Seoul Hospital has managed patient experience and quality of life as core elements of treatment outcomes since the early days of its Cancer Center, alongside clinical results. The hospital explained that this patient-centered care approach and PRO-based research capability aligned with EORTC's needs. The rising international stature of Korean hospitals in cancer treatment in recent years and expanding research and investment in cancer patient quality of life were also cited as key factors behind the partnership.
Samsung Seoul Hospital's Cancer Center ranked third globally in the world's best cancer hospitals ranking published by U.S. news magazine Newsweek last year. In 2024, the center opened a "Cancer Patient Quality of Life Research Institute" together with Samsung Fire & Marine Insurance to develop research and support programs aimed at improving quality of life across the entire lifespan of cancer patients. It has also maintained a collaborative relationship with Germany's Charité Hospital, widely regarded as Europe's top hospital, holding joint PRO-related seminars on a bimonthly basis since 2024. The latest partnership is expected to expand opportunities for participation in large-scale multinational clinical trials and strengthen the role and voice of Korean hospitals in international joint research.
"The MOU with EORTC, the world's foremost authority in cancer PRO research, signifies that the global perspective on Korea has fundamentally changed," said Kim Hee-cheol, director of the Cancer Center and professor of colorectal surgery. "Using this partnership as a stepping stone, we will contribute to solidifying Korean medicine's standing on the global stage and enhancing competitiveness in new drug development and clinical research."