A system for delivering and releasing a self-expanding stent to a treatment site in a patient's vasculature, said system comprising: a catheter having an inner lumen; a tubular self-expanding stent having an inner lumen, a proximal end, a distal end, and an intermediate portion located between said proximal end and said distal end, and an inner lumen, said tubular self-expanding stent having a compressed configuration dimensioned to fit within said inner lumen of said catheter and an expanded configuration, said tubular self-expanding stent being configured to be constrained from expanding when said tubular self-expanding stent contained within said catheter, and said tubular self-expanding stent including at least one anchor member (42,48,54) extending radially inwardly into said inner lumen; and a core advancement wire disposed within and extending through said lumen of said tubular stent, said core advancement wire having a proximal portion, a distal portion, an intermediate portion located between said proximal and distal portions of said core advancement wire, and said core advancement wire having at least one stop member (44,50,56) extending radially outwardly from said core advancement wire and configured to engage said at least one anchor member when said core advancement wire is translated longitudinally toward said at least one anchor member, whereby force applied longitudinally to said core advancement wire is transmitted through said at least anchor member to said tubular self-expanding stent and acts to move said tubular self-expanding stent through said catheter when said stent is constrained within said catheter wherein said at least one anchor member comprises at least one distal anchor member disposed at or near said distal end of said tubular self-expanding stent, and said at least one stop member comprises at least one distal stop member extending radially outwardly from said core advancement wire and configured to engage said at least one distal anchor member when said core advancement wire is translated distally longitudinally toward said at least one distal anchor member, characterized in that said at least one anchor member comprises at least one intermediate anchor member disposed at or near said intermediate portion of said tubular self-expanding stent, and said at least one stop member comprises at least one intermediate stop member (50a,50b) extending radially outwardly from said core advancement wire and configured to engage said at least one intermediate anchor member when said core advancement wire is translated longitudinally toward said at least one intermediate anchor member. a catheter having an inner lumen; a tubular self-expanding stent having an inner lumen, a proximal end, a distal end, and an intermediate portion located between said proximal end and said distal end, and an inner lumen, said tubular self-expanding stent having a compressed configuration dimensioned to fit within said inner lumen of said catheter and an expanded configuration, said tubular self-expanding stent being configured to be constrained from expanding when said tubular self-expanding stent contained within said catheter, and said tubular self-expanding stent including at least one anchor member (42,48,54) extending radially inwardly into said inner lumen; and a core advancement wire disposed within and extending through said lumen of said tubular stent, said core advancement wire having a proximal portion, a distal portion, an intermediate portion located between said proximal and distal portions of said core advancement wire, and said core advancement wire having at least one stop member (44,50,56) extending radially outwardly from said core advancement wire and configured to engage said at least one anchor member when said core advancement wire is translated longitudinally toward said at least one anchor member, whereby force applied longitudinally to said core advancement wire is transmitted through said at least anchor member to said tubular self-expanding stent and acts to move said tubular self-expanding stent through said catheter when said stent is constrained within said catheter wherein said at least one anchor member comprises at least one distal anchor member disposed at or near said distal end of said tubular self-expanding stent, and said at least one stop member comprises at least one distal stop member extending radially outwardly from said core advancement wire and configured to engage said at least one distal anchor member when said core advancement wire is translated distally longitudinally toward said at least one distal anchor member, characterized in that said at least one anchor member comprises at least one intermediate anchor member disposed at or near said intermediate portion of said tubular self-expanding stent, and said at least one stop member comprises at least one intermediate stop member (50a,50b) extending radially outwardly from said core advancement wire and configured to engage said at least one intermediate anchor member when said core advancement wire is translated longitudinally toward said at least one intermediate anchor member.