North-South Collaboration Sketches New Blueprint for Cancer Treatment with National Key Technology

North-South Collaboration Sketches New Blueprint for Cancer Treatment with National Key Technology

— Dongguan People’s Hospital Party Secretary Cai Limin and Delegation Visit Wuwei Heavy Ion Center

Three years ago, the same episode of CCTV’s “Economic Half-Hour” reported on two national key technologies in cancer treatment: Dongguan’s Boron Neutron Capture Therapy (BNCT) and Wuwei’s heavy ion therapy. Today, the management teams of these two projects gathered in Wuwei to discuss collaborative development and joint efforts in advancing cancer treatment. A delegation led by Cai Limin, Party Secretary of Dongguan People’s Hospital, visited the Wuwei Heavy Ion Center on October 21 to study its advanced experiences and innovative models in heavy ion therapy and clinical research.

The delegation first toured the facilities and equipment of the Wuwei Heavy Ion Center at Gansu Wuwei Cancer Hospital, gaining in-depth understanding of the principles and operational processes of heavy ion therapy. Subsequently, the two parties held a symposium in the center’s conference room, where they engaged in detailed discussions on the combined application of BNCT and heavy ion therapy, as well as future research directions. Both sides agreed that the integrated use of these two technologies holds broad development prospects. They also shared their respective experiences and research findings on medical technology issues.

Boron Neutron Capture Therapy is an innovative cancer treatment method. It involves injecting boron-10 isotopes into the patient’s body and then irradiating the tumor site with neutron beams to achieve precise targeting of cancer cells. According to current clinical research results, it has shown relatively good efficacy in treating locally aggressive malignant tumors such as melanoma, glioma, and recurrent head and neck cancers.

The Wuwei Heavy Ion Center is the first clinical application site for China’s domestically developed heavy ion system. It officially began clinical operations on March 26, 2020, and has since treated 959 patients. The treated conditions include more than 50 types of cancers such as lung cancer, pancreatic cancer, liver cancer, and glioma. Patients have come from all provinces and cities across China, including Beijing, Shanghai, Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Macao, as well as from overseas countries such as Belgium.

This inspection visit not only strengthened the cooperative relationship between the two medical institutions but also injected new momentum into their technological development. In the future, the two sides will enhance collaboration, jointly advancing the integrated application of heavy ion therapy and BNCT to bring more benefits to cancer patients.

Academician Bai Chunli conducts a research visit at the Wuwei Heavy Ion Center of Gansu Wuwei Cancer Hospital

The collaboration reflects the vision expressed by Academician Bai Chunli during a lecture titled “How Science and Technology Achieve Self-Reliance and Self-Improvement, as Seen from National Key Technologies,” broadcast on China Economic Channel on September 24, 2023. He emphasized that China is currently in a critical period of accelerating high-level technological self-reliance and building a strong scientific nation. Heavy ion accelerators and spallation neutron sources are typical examples of national key technologies and important symbols of China’s advancements in high-end science and technology. The management teams of the two projects will continue in-depth discussions, promote joint development, and advance the application of national key technologies in cancer treatment, contributing to the elevation of China’s cancer treatment standards.

Preliminary Review: Zhang Lihong  

Final Review: Zhang Jie