Heavy Ion Technology Benefits the Globe – First Korean Patient Successfully Treated at Lanzhou Heavy Ion Center​

Recently, the Lanzhou Heavy Ion Center of Gansu Wuwei Cancer Hospital welcomed its first Korean patient, who is also the first international patient since the center's opening. After precise evaluation and the implementation of a personalized plan by our hospital's multidisciplinary team of experts, Mr. SON DUK HO has successfully commenced his first heavy ion treatment. This not only marks a new stage in the Lanzhou Heavy Ion Center's international medical service capabilities but also signals the accelerated formation of a transnational cancer treatment network with broader coverage and more comprehensive services, leveraging the advantages of heavy ion technology to bring hope for life across borders to global cancer patients.

Mr. SON DUK HO was diagnosed with malignant pancreatic tumor due to jaundice in May 2025. After two cycles of chemotherapy, he came to our hospital for carbon ion therapy. Seeking a more precise treatment plan, he, while doing business in China, researched online and learned about the significant advantages of heavy ion technology in the field of cancer treatment. Based on trust in advanced radiotherapy technology and the professional reputation of the Lanzhou Heavy Ion Center in this field, particularly the expert team led by Professor Wang Junjie, he firmly chose to go to Lanzhou for further heavy ion treatment.

Mr. SON DUK HO: "The treatment plan here is very professional and detailed, the environment is quite satisfactory, and the medical staff are very patient, which gives me great confidence to undergo further treatment here."

Working in tandem with the first Chinese heavy ion treatment system, the second Chinese heavy ion tumor treatment system commenced clinical operations at the Lanzhou Heavy Ion Center on November 15, 2024. To date, the center has completed photon and heavy ion treatment for over 300 patients, covering cancer types such as lung cancer, pancreatic cancer, liver cancer, and glioblastoma. The clinical treatment efficiency benchmarks against top international medical institutions, while the treatment cost offers more universal advantages. This dual path of "technological leadership + universal healthcare" makes the Lanzhou Heavy Ion Center a new choice for global cancer patients seeking treatment across borders, further accelerating the shift of heavy ion therapy from "high-end medical care accessible to a few" towards a "health resource benefiting cancer patients worldwide."

For a long time, the Lanzhou Heavy Ion Center has consistently maintained an open attitude, absorbing top-tier medical expertise. It has successively appointed Professor Tatsuaki Kanai from the University of Gunma Faculty of Medicine, Japan; Professor Hirohiko Tsujii, former President of the National Institute of Radiological Sciences (NIRS), Japan; Professor Jörg Hauffe, former Director of the RPTC Munich Proton Therapy Center, Germany; Professor Olga; Professor Yi-Min Jen, former Chairman of the Taiwanese Society of Therapeutic Radiation Oncology; Professor Chia-Ming Wu, a renowned radiation physicist from Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Taiwan, China, and other international authoritative experts. Through technical exchanges, it promotes the alignment of Chinese standards with international standards. Recently, it further introduced Professor Yasuo Yoshioka from the Department of Radiation Oncology at the Japanese Foundation for Cancer Research, and Professor György Kovács, Director of the Center for Brachytherapy Lübeck, Germany (also Director of Educational Programs at the Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Italy), for long-term residency. This has built an expert think tank covering the entire chain of heavy ion therapy and integrating Eastern and Western wisdom, establishing a two-way talent system of "bringing in" and "going global." This not only promotes Chinese heavy ion technology standards internationally but also injects the Chinese wisdom of "extensive consultation, joint contribution, and shared benefits" into global health governance.

The successful diagnosis and treatment of the first Korean patient provides a vivid footnote to the internationalized services of the Lanzhou Heavy Ion Center, and marks a brand new beginning. As a "Western Window" for Chinese heavy ion technology to the world, the hospital always adheres to the mission of "Gathering Global Cutting-Edge Technology for the Benefit of Cancer Patients Worldwide" and the vision of "Becoming the Destination for Global Cancer Patients to Overcome Cancer." It aims to make heavy ion technology, this high-end technology, an invisible bridge connecting the global health community, demonstrating the responsibility and commitment of Chinese healthcare in promoting the balanced development of the global cancer prevention and treatment cause.

Lanzhou Heavy Ion Center​

Gansu Wuwei Cancer Hospital is a state-owned public Grade-A tumor specialized hospital. The Lanzhou Heavy Ion Center is the second heavy ion clinical application center in China with independent intellectual property rights, operated by Gansu Wuwei Cancer Hospital. Working in tandem with the first Chinese heavy ion treatment system, the second Chinese heavy ion tumor treatment system commenced clinical operations at the Lanzhou Heavy Ion Center on November 15, 2024. To date, the center has completed photon and heavy ion treatment for over 300 patients, covering cancer types such as lung cancer, pancreatic cancer, liver cancer, and glioblastoma.

The Lanzhou Heavy Ion Center has established an elite talent system, setting up expert workstations led by 50 top authorities in the industry, including Professor Shen Wenjiang, Lifetime Honorary Professor of the Department of Radiation Oncology of Peking University Health Science Center, and Professor Xu Bo, Standing Committee Member of the Society of Radiotherapy of the Chinese Medical Association. Professor Wang Junjie, Chairman of the Society of Radiation Oncology of the Chinese Medical Association, serves as the Dean, providing strong technical support for heavy ion therapy.

Simultaneously, the hospital area is equipped with a series of cutting-edge medical equipment such as the Varian VitalBeam medical linear accelerator, Elekta Infinity 4D image-guided linear accelerator, 3.0T simulation positioning MRI, GE 256-slice high-end CT, Varian Iridium-192 imported afterloader, etc. These hardware facilities lay a solid foundation for heavy ion therapy, ensuring the efficiency and precision of the treatment process.

Aiming to build a comprehensive, whole-life-cycle cancer treatment system, the hospital has established departments including Radiation Oncology, Medical Oncology/Hematology, Surgical Oncology, Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine Oncology Rehabilitation, Intensive Care Medicine, Digestive Endoscopy Center, Imaging Department, Laboratory Medicine, Ultrasound Medicine, Blood Bank, Hematology Center Laboratory, etc. It provides comprehensive treatments including photon radiotherapy, chemotherapy, heavy ion therapy, internal medicine, surgical comprehensive therapy, as well as imaging, laboratory tests, ultrasound, bone marrow cell morphology examinations, etc.