China’s Heavy Ion Clinical Application Effects Attract Widespread Attention in Shaanxi’s Oncology Treatment Community

Editor’s Note: After ten years of construction and five years of clinical practice, the Heavy Ion Center of Gansu Wuwei Cancer Hospital has delivered an inspiring "Chinese answer sheet" in the field of malignant tumor treatment. Breakthroughs in clinical efficacy have been achieved: for refractory high-grade gliomas, the median progression-free survival of patients has nearly doubled compared to the internationally recognized photon Stupp study, while the median overall survival has increased by 13.4 months, reaching 28 months. For stage III locally advanced lung cancer, the 2-year overall survival rate has improved by 19.3% compared to the RTOG0617 photon chemoradiotherapy study, offering hope for long-term survival to advanced-stage patients. Even for the "king of cancers," pancreatic cancer, heavy ion therapy has shown significant advantages, extending patient survival by 8 months compared to traditional photon therapy. These achievements not only mark China’s heavy ion tumor treatment technology as internationally advanced but also open new pathways to life for global cancer patients, injecting strong momentum into the development of precision oncology treatment in China.

On September 13, the Second Academic Conference of the Tumor Radiotherapy Committee of the Shaanxi Health Promotion and Education Association in 2025 was held at the Xi’an Medical City, attended by authoritative experts in the field of tumor radiotherapy from Shaanxi Province and surrounding regions.

At the conference, Ye Yancheng, President of Gansu Wuwei Cancer Hospital, delivered a special report titled "New Advances in the Clinical Application of the First Domestic Heavy Ion System." The report systematically reviewed the hospital’s clinical data, technological breakthroughs, and patient efficacy feedback in heavy ion tumor treatment over the past five years. It comprehensively demonstrated the unique advantages of heavy ion technology in precisely destroying tumor cells and reducing damage to normal tissues, covering aspects such as the expansion of indications, optimization of treatment plans, and long-term follow-up results, providing valuable practical references for the industry.

Ye Yancheng, President of Gansu Wuwei Cancer Hospital, delivered a special report titled "New Advances in the Clinical Application of the First Domestic Heavy Ion System."

The Heavy Ion Center of Gansu Wuwei Cancer Hospital has achieved multiple "firsts domestically and internationally": successfully operating China’s first and second independent heavy ion tumor treatment systems, making it the only hospital globally with two operational devices, completely breaking free from dependence on foreign equipment and becoming the "Jinggangshan" of domestic heavy ion treatment; pioneering heavy ion precision therapy under ventilator control and heavy ion treatment for cardiac tumors, with related standards filling domestic gaps and becoming industry benchmarks; developing China’s first 360° rotating and lifting ion radiotherapy chair, elevating the precision and comfort of heavy ion treatment to new heights.

Today, the center’s clinical capabilities have achieved a qualitative leap: the range of treatable diseases has expanded from 7 during the 2018 clinical trial period to over 50, with each disease now having treatment protocols tailored to the characteristics of Chinese patients; the annual number of treatments has surged from 200 to nearly 1,000, with an average annual growth rate of 17.5%, achieving international advanced levels in both treatment efficiency and efficacy. To date, the center has brought hope to over 2,200 patients, serving all provinces and regions of China (including Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Macao) as well as countries such as Australia, Belgium, South Korea, Vietnam, Thailand, and Malaysia. The international recognition and standard influence of China’s heavy ion technology continue to rise, allowing the "Chinese solution" to emerge prominently in the global oncology treatment field.

To continuously consolidate technological advantages and improve the standard system, Gansu Wuwei Cancer Hospital has long been building an international expert collaboration platform, introducing global top-tier medical expertise while actively exporting Chinese standards: it has successively appointed Professor Tatsuaki Kanai of the Gunma University Faculty of Medicine, 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), Germany; Professor Olga; Professor Yee-Min Jen, former chairman of the Taiwan Radiation Oncology Association; and other internationally authoritative experts to promote the alignment of Chinese standards with international ones through technical exchanges. Recently, the hospital further invited Professor Yasuo Yoshioka of the Radiotherapy Department of the Japanese Foundation for Cancer Research and Professor György Kovács, Director of the Lübeck Brachytherapy Center, Germany (also Director of the Educational Program at the Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Italy), to work long-term at the hospital. By integrating Chinese diagnostic and treatment standards into clinical teaching and technical guidance, the hospital has laid a solid foundation for building an internationally competitive tumor treatment system and a platform for standard export.

Professor Wang Junjie, Tenth-term Chairman of the Radiotherapy Committee of the Chinese Medical Association and President of Lanzhou Heavy Ion Hospital

Professor Yee-Min Jen, former Chairman of the Taiwan Radiation Oncology Association, and Professor Jia-Ming Wu, renowned radiotherapy physicist at Taiwan Chang Gung Memorial Hospital

Professor Jörg Hauffe, former Director of the Munich Proton Therapy Center (RPTC), Germany, and Professor Olga

Professor György Kovács, Professor Emeritus of the University of Lübeck, Germany, and Director of the Educational Program at the Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Italy

Professor Tatsuaki Kanai of the Gunma University Faculty of Medicine, Japan, and Professor Hirohiko Tsujii, former President of the National Institute of Radiological Sciences

Professor Shiro Saito, Visiting Assistant Professor of the Department of Urology, Faculty of Medicine, University of the Ryukyus, Japan

Professor Yasuo Yoshioka, renowned Japanese expert in brachytherapy and radiation oncology

The exchange outcomes of this academic conference further confirm that China’s heavy ion clinical application has transitioned from the stage of technological exploration to high-quality development, forming comprehensive advantages in treatment efficacy, technological innovation, and industrial transformation. In the future, with the popularization and promotion of the technology, heavy ion therapy will provide more cancer patients with precise and efficient new treatment options, helping to elevate China’s level of cancer prevention and treatment to new heights.

Preliminary Review: Ma Shuqian

Final Review: Liu Wenyu