Breaking monopolies, establishing standards, benefiting the globe! China achieves overtaking in hea

Breaking monopolies, establishing standards, benefiting the globe! China achieves overtaking in

heavy-ion technology

—China Heavy-ion High-Quality Development and Green Healthcare Model Promotion Conference successfully held in Shenyang,

Liaoning Province

On September 4, the China Heavy-ion High-Quality Development and Green Healthcare Model Promotion Conference was successfully held in Shenyang, Liaoning Province.

The conference was chaired by Nie Peng, Vice President of Gansu Wuwei Cancer Hospital. During the event, all attendees watched a short introductory video on heavy-ion technology. Professor Yu Hong, Chief Physician and Director of the Radiotherapy Department at Liaoning Cancer Hospital (Liaoning Cancer Research Institute), delivered an opening speech. Dong Weijun, a member of the management team of China Southern Air Holding Culture and Media Co., Ltd., represented Southern Airlines Media in delivering a speech. Jiang Wei, project lead of China Life's "Million Medical + Heavy-ion Green Life Channel" initiative (Wuwei Branch), provided a detailed introduction to the "Million Medical Heavy-ion Treatment Green Channel" project. Chen Suhua, National Sales Director of China Southern Air Holding Culture and Media Co., Ltd., presented the "Green Healthcare Aviation High-Quality Service" project. Ye Yancheng, President of Gansu Wuwei Cancer Hospital, delivered a keynote report titled "Five Years of Heavy-ion Construction and Clinical Application," comprehensively sharing the achievements in heavy-ion treatment technology, clinical application practices, and key breakthroughs in breaking international monopolies and establishing technical standards.

The conference was chaired by Nie Peng, Vice President of Gansu Wuwei Cancer Hospital.

Professor Yu Hong, Chief Physician at Liaoning Cancer Hospital (Liaoning Cancer Research Institute), Director of the Radiotherapy Department, Director of the Third Radiotherapy Department, and Master's Supervisor, delivered a speech.

Dong Weijun, a member of the management team of China Southern Air Holding Culture and Media Co., Ltd., represented Southern Airlines Media in delivering a speech.

Jiang Wei, Project Lead of China Life's "Million Medical + Heavy-Ion Green Life Channel" Initiative (Wuwei Branch), provided a detailed introduction to the "Million Medical Heavy-Ion Treatment Green Channel" project.

Chen Suhua, National Sales Director of China Southern Air Holding Culture and Media Co., Ltd., introduced the "Green Healthcare Aviation High-Quality Service" project.

Ye Yancheng, President of Gansu Wuwei Cancer Hospital, delivered a keynote report titled "Five Years of Heavy-Ion Construction and Clinical Application: Current Status."

Expert Q&A Session
Press Q&A Session

For a long time, heavy-ion treatment technology was monopolized by a few developed countries, with core equipment and diagnostic standards heavily reliant on foreign sources. In recent years, through independent research and clinical innovation, China has achieved an overtaking in heavy-ion treatment technology, transitioning from "following" to "keeping pace" and then to "leading." This breakthrough not only shattered international technological and equipment monopolies but also led to the establishment of an independent technical standard system. This achievement, hailed as the "cutting-edge technology of 21st-century cancer treatment," has become the "Chinese solution" in the global cancer treatment field, offering new hope to patients worldwide.

As a core practice platform in China's heavy-ion treatment field, the Gansu Wuwei Cancer Hospital Heavy-ion Center has achieved dual breakthroughs in breaking monopolies and setting standards after ten years of construction and five years of clinical practice. On one hand, it successfully operates China's first and second heavy-ion tumor treatment systems supported by independent technology, making it the only hospital globally running two heavy-ion treatment systems and completely eliminating reliance on foreign equipment. On the other hand, through technological innovation, it has established multiple independent diagnostic and treatment standards, pioneering globally in precision heavy-ion treatment under respiratory machine control, bladder cancer treatment under precise bladder capacity management, and single-session treatment with surgical isolation pads between organs and tumors. The related technical specifications have filled domestic gaps and become industry reference standards. The center also developed China's first 360-degree rotating and adjustable ion radiotherapy chair and globally completed the first cases of cardiac tumor heavy-ion treatment and implemented heavy-ion treatment combined with comprehensive lifelong physical and mental health management. These advancements further expand the application boundaries and efficacy standards of heavy-ion treatment, driving China's heavy-ion technology from "existence" to "excellence" and then to "strength."

Meanwhile, the clinical capabilities and standard implementation of the Wuwei Heavy-ion Center continue to advance. From treating 7 types of diseases during the 2018 clinical trial period to now addressing over 50 types of tumors with precision treatment, each disease category has established diagnostic and treatment standards tailored to Chinese patients. The annual treatment volume has surged from 200 cases to nearly 1,000 cases, with an average annual growth rate of 17.5%. Both treatment efficiency and efficacy have reached international advanced levels. To date, the center has successfully treated over 2,200 patients, covering all provinces and cities in China (including Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Macau) as well as countries such as Belgium, Australia, South Korea, Canada, Malaysia, Thailand, and Vietnam. The international recognition and standard influence of China's heavy-ion technology continue to grow.

To consolidate technological advantages and improve the standard system, Gansu Wuwei Cancer Hospital has long built an international expert collaboration platform, introducing global top medical expertise while actively exporting Chinese standards. The hospital has appointed internationally renowned experts such as Professor Tatsuaki Kanai from Gunma University, Japan; Professor Hirohiko Tsujii, former President of the National Institute of Radiological Sciences; Professor Jörg Hauffe, former Director of the Munich Proton Therapy Center (RPTC) in Germany; Professor Olga, and Professor Yi-Min Jen, former Chairman of the Taiwan Radiation Oncology Association. These experts facilitate technical exchanges to align Chinese standards with international practices. Recently, the hospital further introduced Professor Yasuo Yoshioka from the Japanese Foundation for Cancer Research and Professor György Kovács, Director of the Lubeck Brachytherapy Center in Germany (and Education Program Director at the University of the Sacred Heart in Italy), to work long-term at the hospital. Their clinical teaching and technical guidance integrate Chinese diagnostic and treatment standards, laying a solid foundation for building an internationally competitive cancer treatment system and standard export platform.

To address the challenge of "high costs of advanced medical treatment" and ensure that independent technological and standard achievements truly benefit the public, the hospital innovatively established a "medical + insurance" safeguard model and an "aviation + healthcare" service system. In collaboration with insurance companies like China Life, it launched the "Million Medical + Heavy-ion Green Channel" project. Policyholders who fall ill and undergo heavy-ion treatment and other comprehensive therapies can enjoy total coverage of 5.55 million yuan (4.05 million yuan for comprehensive medical insurance and 1.5 million yuan for heavy-ion medical insurance), with the insurance company providing one-stop medical expense reimbursement. This initiative has already benefited a large number of patients. Partnering with China Southern Air Holding Culture and Media Co., Ltd., the hospital created the "Green Healthcare Aviation High-Quality Service" to address transportation convenience for patients seeking cross-regional medical care, ensuring that even those in remote areas can efficiently access cutting-edge medical resources that meet Chinese standards.

The conference was attended by Professor Gao Song, Chief Physician and Medical Doctor of Shengjing Hospital Affiliated to China Medical University; Professor Yu Hong, Chief Physician and Director of the Radiotherapy Department at Liaoning Cancer Hospital; Professor Jia Mingxuan, Chief Physicist of Shengjing Hospital Affiliated to China Medical University; Professor Zhang Zhenyong, Director of the Radiotherapy Department at Shengjing Hospital Affiliated to China Medical University; Professor Gu Xiaohu, Chief Physician and Medical Doctor of the Gastric Surgery Department at Liaoning Cancer Hospital; Professor Chi Da, Chief Physician of the Imaging Department at Liaoning Cancer Hospital; Professor Huang Yan, Deputy Chief Physician of the Urology Department at Liaoning Cancer Hospital; Professor Wang Nan, Deputy Chief Physician of the Anesthesiology Department at Liaoning Cancer Hospital; and other experts in radiotherapy and oncology from various hospitals in Liaoning Province. Also present were Dong Weijun, management team member of China Southern Air Holding Culture and Media Co., Ltd.; Chen Suhua, Sales Director; Jiang Wei, General Manager of China Life's "Million Medical + Heavy-ion Green Channel" project (Wuwei Branch); Ye Yancheng, President of Gansu Wuwei Cancer Hospital; and related project leads. Additionally, 20 mainstream media outlets, including Liaoning Metropolitan Daily, Liaoning Times, Shenyang Morning Post, Sina.com, NetEase.com, and Liaoning Hot News Network, provided full coverage of the event.

From breaking international monopolies to establishing independent standards, and from technological breakthroughs to building a comprehensive people's livelihood safeguard system, China's overtaking in heavy-ion treatment technology is not only a reflection of high-end medical innovation but also demonstrates a "patient-centered" development philosophy and the strength of "Chinese standards going global." In the future, this Chinese achievement will continue to expand its application boundaries and standard influence, allowing the seeds of "new hope for life" to take root in broader lands and contributing more Chinese strength to global cancer prevention and treatment efforts.

Conference Highlights

Preliminary Review: Zhang Lihong      Final Review: Zhang Jie