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뇌종양 · Brain tumor · ICD-10 C71 / D32-D33 / D35.2
Brain tumor: treatment options in Korea
Korea started early in radiosurgery and precision radiotherapy for brain tumors: Asan Medical Center in Seoul introduced the Gamma Knife in 1990, the first in Asia, and in 2010 became the first in Korea to complete 5,000 cases; by September 2025 the proton therapy center at Samsung Medical Center had treated 676 brain tumor patients. On the surgical side, all five big hospitals perform microsurgical craniotomy and endonasal endoscopic skull base surgery.
Why consider Korea
- Asan Medical Center in Seoul introduced the Gamma Knife in 1990, the first in Asia, and in 2010 became the first in Korea to complete 5,000 Gamma Knife treatmentshospital or media claim[1]
- Samsung Medical Center's proton therapy center began operating at the end of 2015 and had treated 676 brain tumor patients by September 2025[2]
- Severance Hospital has a Brain Tumor Center, a Pituitary Tumor Center and a Skull Base Endoscopy Center[3]
- The Brain Tumor Team of Seoul National University Hospital performs awake craniotomy, fluorescence-guided surgery, brain function mapping and similar operations[4]
Treatments
Microsurgical tumor resection Surgery
The brain tumor is removed under a surgical microscope. When the tumor is close to language or motor areas, it can be removed with the patient awake while function is tested; fluorescence guidance helps tell tumor from normal brain tissue.Endoscopic endonasal skull base surgery Surgery
An endoscope is passed through the nostril to remove pituitary tumors and some skull-base tumors, without opening the scalp or skull. Severance Hospital has a Skull Base Endoscopy Center and a Pituitary Tumor Center, and Samsung Medical Center has a brain endoscopy and pituitary clinic.Gamma Knife radiosurgery Radiotherapy
Multiple gamma-ray beams are focused precisely on a small lesion in the brain, finishing in a single session with no open surgery. Often used for small lesions such as brain metastases, acoustic neuroma and meningioma. Asan Medical Center in Seoul introduced the Gamma Knife in 1990, the first in Asia, and in 2010 became the first in Korea to complete 5,000 cases.Proton therapy for brain tumors Radiotherapy
The proton beam releases its energy concentrated at the tumor with almost no radiation behind it, reducing the dose to surrounding healthy brain tissue. This matters especially for brain tumors in children and tumors near vital structures. By September 2025 the proton therapy center at Samsung Medical Center had treated 676 brain tumor patients.Hospitals
Asan Medical Center, Seoul 서울아산병원
First in Asia to introduce the Gamma Knife; first in Korea to complete 5,000 casesSamsung Medical Center 삼성서울병원
Proton therapy center; 676 brain tumor proton therapy cases; brain endoscopy and pituitary clinicSeoul National University Hospital 서울대학교병원
Brain Tumor Center; function-preserving surgery such as awake craniotomy and fluorescence guidanceSeverance Hospital, Yonsei University 세브란스병원
Brain Tumor Center, Pituitary Tumor Center and Skull Base Endoscopy CenterKorea University Anam Hospital 고려대학교 안암병원
Neurosurgery; performs endoscopic brain tumor surgeryDoctors
Chul-Kee Park 박철기 · Seoul National University Hospital
Specialties listed on the hospital website: brain tumor, glioblastoma, glioma, meningioma, fluorescence-guided surgery, brain function mapping surgery, awake craniotomy[4]Jin Wook Kim 김진욱 · Seoul National University Hospital
Specialties listed on the hospital website: meningioma, acoustic neuroma, skull base surgery, Gamma Knife, brain metastases[4]Young Hyun Cho 조영현 · Asan Medical Center, Seoul
Specialties listed on the hospital website: meningioma, schwannoma, pituitary tumor, malignant brain tumor, brain metastases, skull base tumors, Gamma Knife, CyberKnife[7]Sang Woo Song 송상우 · Asan Medical Center, Seoul
Specialties listed on the hospital website: glioblastoma, glioma, Gamma Knife, CyberKnife[7]Do-Hyun Nam 남도현 · Samsung Medical Center
Specialties listed on the hospital website: pituitary tumor, glioma, malignant brain tumor; belongs to the brain cancer clinic[8]Doo-Sik Kong 공두식 · Samsung Medical Center
Specialties listed on the hospital website: meningioma, glioma, cranial nerve tumors, endoscopic pituitary tumor surgery; belongs to the brain endoscopy and pituitary clinic[8]Jong Hee Chang 장종희 · Severance Hospital, Yonsei University
Specialties listed on the hospital website: brain tumor; belongs to the brain tumor center, pituitary tumor center and skull base endoscopy center[3]Seok-Gu Kang 강석구 · Severance Hospital, Yonsei University
Specialties listed on the hospital website: brain tumor (glioblastoma, glioma, brain metastases, meningioma and others)[3]Kyung Jae Park 박경재 · Korea University Anam Hospital
Specialties listed on the hospital website: brain tumor, endoscopic brain tumor surgery, hemifacial spasm, brain aneurysm, trigeminal neuralgia[9]Coming to Korea for treatment
Documents to prepare: Contrast-enhanced brain MRI (preferably the original imaging disc), Pathology report (if a biopsy or surgery was done), Previous radiotherapy records (dose and site), Pituitary tumors need hormone test results
Time in Korea: about 5~21 daysestimate, of which in hospital about 1~14 days
After returning home: After surgery, MRI follow-up is done regularly as your doctor directs; radiotherapy and chemotherapy for malignant tumors can be discussed with the Korean doctor about continuing at home. Proton therapy usually needs daily treatment for several weeks in a row, so allow time for it.
FAQ
- Can Gamma Knife replace open brain surgery?
- Only suitable for smaller lesions (such as some brain metastases, acoustic neuroma and meningioma). When the tumor is large, needs a pathology diagnosis or causes obvious compression, surgery is still needed.
- Which brain tumors is proton therapy suited to?
- Proton therapy irradiates less of the healthy brain around the tumor, so brain tumors in children and tumors near vital structures such as the optic nerve and brainstem benefit more. Whether it suits you is assessed by a radiation oncologist. By September 2025 Samsung Medical Center had treated 676 brain tumor patients.[2]
- Why is there no survival comparison on this page?
- The survival table by cancer type published by the National Cancer Center Korea does not list brain tumors, so a like-for-like comparison with China (37.7%) is not possible for now.[5][6]