SNQ Quality Mark

SNQ is built on evidence-based standards, setting trusted quality and safety benchmarks for healthcare, biomedical, health, and animal care services and products.

  • 9F, No. 508, Sec. 7, Zhongxiao E. Rd., Nangang Dist., Taipei City, Taiwan
  • +886 2 2655 7888
  • snq@snq.com.tw

About the National Quality Mark

  • Vision & Mission
  • Review Committee
  • Certification Schedule

Certification Methods

  • Medical Service
  • Biomedical Product
  • Health Product
  • Animal Care & Products

SNQ Certified

  • Certified Services & Products
  • Certified Organizations
  • Quality Award Winners

International Certification

  • ICHOM PROMs
  • NSF Certification

Quality Focus

  • Apply for Certification →
Organized by|Research Center for Biotechnology and Medicine PolicyOperated by|Kuanglu International Quality Standards Co., Ltd.© 2026 Kuanglu International Quality Standards Co., Ltd. All rights reserved.Privacy Policy
SNQ Quality Mark
繁中
/
EN

Target Population

  • Osteosarcoma, Chondrosarcoma, Ewing's sarcoma and other bone cancers

  • Treat over 60% of primary malignant bone cancer patients in Taiwan

  • International patients seeking cross-border treatment


Description

TVGH's Musculoskeletal Tumor Treatment and Research Center has accumulated 537 osteosarcoma cases since 1984, caring for over 60% of Taiwan's primary malignant bone cancer patients. Guided by the core philosophy of "Seamless Cooperation, Continuous Innovation, and Holistic Care," the center utilizes a multidisciplinary approach integrating orthopedics, pediatrics/oncology, radiology, radiation oncology, nuclear medicine, pathology, and basic research.

After adopting the Mayo Clinic's chemotherapy protocols in 1999, the center improved its five-year survival rate from 48.8% to 70.1%. For patients without pulmonary metastasis treated between 2004 and 2011, this rate reached an outstanding 90.4%. Furthermore, the center maintains a limb-salvage rate exceeding 95%, keeping the amputation rate below 5%.

The team is globally recognized for its surgical innovations. It performed Taiwan's first extracorporeal high-dose irradiation for autograft reconstruction in 1991, now ranking among the world's highest with over 100 cases. It also globally pioneered hemicortical resection and reconstruction, and its liquid nitrogen freezing for autograft devitalization (over 90 cases) surpasses Kanazawa University in volume. Additionally, the team published the world's first clinical evidence that traditional massage (Tui Na) may promote osteosarcoma metastasis, actively driving public health awareness and the continuing education of traditional Chinese medicine practitioners.

 


Key Highlights

  • Mayo Clinic chemotherapy protocol adopted (1999): significantly improved survival

  • Extracorporeal irradiation autograft reconstruction: Taiwan's first (1991), 100+ cases, globally leading

  • Hemicortical resection with biological reconstruction: world-first (presented ISOLS 2009)

  • Liquid nitrogen frozen autograft: 90+ cases, surpassing Kanazawa University, Japan

  • Biological reconstruction in 89% of cases: saves NHI resources and preserves bone stock

  • World-first clinical evidence that manipulation accelerates osteosarcoma metastasis

Service Data

  • Accumulated Cases: A total of 537 osteosarcoma cases (1984-2014), accounting for over 60% of the total cases in Taiwan.

  • Reconstruction Volume: Ranks first in Taiwan and among the top globally for allograft or autograft reconstruction cases.

  • Cross-Border Medical Care: Served international bone tumor patients (e.g., from the USA, the Philippines, and Southeast Asia).

  • Patient Support: Established the Osteosarcoma Caring Association.


Featured Outcomes

  • 5-year survival pre/post chemotherapy protocol: 48.8% → 70.1%

  • 2004–2011 non-metastatic patient 5-year survival: 90.4%

  • 2004–2011 amputation rate: 4.3%; local recurrence rate: 6.8%

  • Manipulation vs. non-manipulation local recurrence: 30.6% vs. 6.3% (p=0.011)

  • Manipulation vs. non-manipulation 5-year survival: 56.2% vs. 92.0% (p=0.004)

  • Over 300 academic papers published by team members


Safety Outcomes

  • Biological reconstruction 89%, tumor prosthesis 11% (NHI resource saving)

  • Zero-loss intensive patient follow-up system

  • Routine dynamic MRI and PET for post-chemotherapy necrosis assessment

  • Clinical evidence prompted MOH Traditional Medicine Committee to revise manipulation guidelines


Satisfaction

  • Health education at 11 schools across Taiwan (2012–2015)

  • Ward 93 patient alumni sharing sessions; Make-A-Wish Foundation activities

  • ROC Osteosarcoma Caring Association Facebook community

  • Holiday ward care events; holistic patient support

  • Care package for newly diagnosed patient families


International Achievements

  • 50+ invited international lectures/demonstration surgeries since 2006

  • European Orthopaedic Society lecture (Madrid, 2010)

  • Keynote representing Asian surgeons at Mayo Clinic Franklin Sim retirement symposium (2010)

  • Japan Bone and Soft Tissue Tumor Society Annual Keynote (Tokyo, 2012)

  • JBJS-Br 2002 cited 121 times; hemicortical resection world-first at ISOLS 2009

  • Manipulation research: JBJS-Br 2010, PLOS ONE 2014


Benefits and Impacts

  • Established Taiwan's highest standard for osteosarcoma surgery and chemotherapy

  • Biological reconstruction techniques globally leading, saving NHI resources

  • Manipulation-metastasis evidence drove national policy reform and physician re-education

  • International patients attracted to TVGH, elevating Taiwan's medical visibility

  • ROC Osteosarcoma Caring Association provides comprehensive patient social support

  1. Home
  2. SNQ Certified
  3. Certified Services & Products
  4. Hospital
Specialized Medical ServicesNational Biotechnology and Medicine Care Quality Award: 2014 silver

Biological Reconstruction for Osteosarcoma

Taipei VGH treats over 60% of Taiwan's bone cancers. They pioneer biological reconstructions, discover osteosarcoma genes, and founded a care association providing holistic patient support.
Organization
Taipei Veterans General Hospital
Specialties/Units
Musculoskeletal Tumor Treatment and Research Center, Department of Orthopedics
Biological Reconstruction for Osteosarcoma
Taipei Veterans General Hospital

Other Certified Items

Integrated Migraine Care
Taipei Veterans General Hospital
>36,000
<3
Surgery of Drug-Resistant Epilepsy
Taipei Veterans General Hospital
100
6.3
Pancreas Transplant for Diabetes
Taipei Veterans General Hospital
200
98.3
Surgical Treatment for Cholesteatoma
Taipei Veterans General Hospital
>95
<5
Functional Reconstruction for Bone Tumor
Taipei Veterans General Hospital
>90.4
<5
Cardiovascular tissue bank
Taipei Veterans General Hospital
>11
>80
Robotic Pancreatic Surgery
Taipei Veterans General Hospital
1.5
99
Creative, Smart, Safe, Do our best (CSSD)-TOP in Asia
Taipei Veterans General Hospital
<1
100
Fabry Disease
Taipei Veterans General Hospital
>2,300
>98
Multidisciplinary team home care
Taipei Veterans General Hospital
>0.5
>50
Integrated Migraine Care
Taipei Veterans General Hospital
>36,000
<3
Surgery of Drug-Resistant Epilepsy
Taipei Veterans General Hospital
100
6.3