KUMA hospital
Kuma Hospital (Japanese: 隈病院, Kuma Byōin)is a private specialized hospital in Kobe, Hyōgo Prefecture, Japan. It is internationally recognized as a center of excellence for the diagnosis and treatment of thyroid and parathyroid diseases.[1]
Medical Contribution
The hospital is a pioneer in the conservative management of low-risk papillary thyroid cancer. Under the leadership of Dr. Akira Miyauchi, Kuma Hospital introduced "active surveillance" in the 1990s, a strategy that avoids immediate surgery for stable microcarcinomas. This approach has since been adopted by international clinical guidelines, including those of the American Thyroid Association.[2][3]
History
Kuma Hospital was established in 1932 by Dr. Shizuo Kuma in Kobe as a general surgery clinic. In 1966, under the leadership of Dr. Kanzi Kuma, the hospital transitioned into a specialized institution focused on thyroid care. In 2001, Dr. Akira Miyauchi—who later served as President of the International Association of Endocrine Surgeons (2022–2024)—was appointed as the third President and COO. In 2010, Natsuki Kuma became the third CEO, and in 2022, Dr. Takashi Akamizu, former Professor of the First Department of Internal Medicine at Wakayama Medical University, was appointed as the fourth President.[4]
Departments
Source:[5]
- Endocrinology
- Endocrine Surgery
- Breast surgery
References
- ^ "Invest Japan: Kobe City". JETRO. Retrieved 2026-02-24.
- ^ Miyauchi, Akira (2016). "Clinical Trials of Active Surveillance of Papillary Thyroid Microcarcinoma". World Journal of Surgery. 40 (3): 516–522. doi:10.1007/s00268-015-3392-y. PMID 26767934.
- ^ Haugen, Bryan R. (2016). "2015 American Thyroid Association Management Guidelines for Adult Patients with Thyroid Nodules and Differentiated Thyroid Cancer". Thyroid. 26 (1): 1–133. doi:10.1089/thy.2015.0020. PMC 4739132. PMID 26462967.
- ^ "KUMA HOSPITAL - About KUMA HOSPITAL". en.kuma-h.or.jp. Retrieved 2025-07-12.
- ^ "KUMA HOSPITAL - For Patients". en.kuma-h.or.jp. Retrieved 2025-07-06.