Gansu Tour: Wuwei Heavy Ion Center Advances 5-Year High-Quality Development

High-Quality Development Gansu Tour｜Wuwei Heavy Ion Center’s Five-Year High-Quality Development Initiatives Deepened

Universal Fee Model for Heavy Ion Therapy Fully Implemented

Editor’s Note: Co-hosted by the Cyberspace Social Work Bureau of the Central Cyberspace Affairs Commission, the China Internet Development Foundation, and the Cyberspace Affairs Office of the Gansu Provincial Committee, and organized by the Silk Road China Channel of China.org.cn, with support from the Cyberspace Affairs Offices of Jiayuguan, Jiuquan, Zhangye, Jinchang, and Wuwei, the Political, Legal, and Social Work Department of Lanzhou New Area, and the Gansu Internet Development Promotion Association, the 2025 "High-Quality Development China Tour · Striving Gansu" thematic event entered the Wuwei Heavy Ion Center at Gansu Wuwei Cancer Hospital on July 19. The event showcased the center’s strides and outstanding achievements in high-quality development. On the fifth anniversary of the first clinical application of China’s heavy ion technology, the hospital, through its participation in the Gansu Provincial Government Quality Award evaluation, refined and elevated its cultural values of "Benevolence, Harmony, and Health." The hospital’s mission is now defined as "Gathering Global Cutting-Edge Technologies to Benefit Cancer Patients Worldwide," and its vision is to "Become a Global Destination for Patients to Conquer Cancer."

On the edge of the Tengger Desert, a modern structure stands at the eastern end of the Hexi Corridor—this is the Wuwei Heavy Ion Center.

Inside the central control room of the facility, a large monitoring screen displays the real-time operational status of the heavy ion accelerator’s components: the ion source, cyclotron, synchrotron, and four treatment terminals work in seamless coordination.

"This facility is currently one of the largest medical devices in the country. Since its completion, it has treated over 2,000 cancer patients," said Nie Peng, Vice President of Gansu Wuwei Cancer Hospital.

It is reported that China’s first domestically produced heavy ion tumor treatment system was developed and manufactured by the Institute of Modern Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences. In March 2020, the first clinical application base for China’s heavy ion treatment system—the Wuwei Heavy Ion Center—officially began treating patients. Over the past five years, this medical center in the northwestern Gobi Desert has grown into the only hospital in the world operating two heavy ion treatment systems.

Behind this technological breakthrough lies the ingenuity of China’s independent innovation in research. While breaking international monopolies, the Wuwei Heavy Ion Center has achieved eight "world and domestic firsts."

"On the fifth anniversary of the heavy ion system’s operation, to further make this advanced medical technology accessible to more patients, the hospital has once again optimized its fee model. The fee structures at the Wuwei and Lanzhou Heavy Ion Centers have been unified: the first treatment costs 49,500 yuan, each subsequent treatment costs 16,500 yuan, with a maximum of 150,000 yuan per course. For additional treatment sites, only the initial treatment fee is charged. Patients covered by major insurance companies’ heavy ion-specific policies can claim reimbursement at both the Wuwei and Lanzhou Heavy Ion Centers. The hospital is actively advocating for multi-channel reimbursement methods to alleviate the financial burden on patients," explained Vice President Nie Peng.

Over the past five years, the center has pioneered several globally innovative technologies, such as carbon ion radiotherapy under high-frequency oscillatory ventilation for respiratory suppression, precise bladder capacity management for bladder cancer treatment, and the "heavy ion surgical technique" (single-session treatment) combined with organ motion control.

Currently, the center has established nine provincial-level platforms, including the "Gansu Provincial Heavy Ion Cancer Treatment Talent and Intelligence Base" and the "Heavy Ion Treatment Industry Technology Center." It has gathered top-tier talent and technological resources and partnered with the National Engineering Research Center for Biochips to set up a Gansu branch, earning approval as a "National Drug Clinical Trial Institution."

High-Frequency Oscillatory Ventilation for Precision Heavy Ion Therapy

360° Rotating and Adjustable Ion Radiotherapy Chair

"These platforms attract high-end medical talent from home and abroad, creating a talent aggregation effect that provides intellectual support for the high-end medical industry chain and drives innovation across all sectors. At the same time, collaborations with universities and research institutions for talent training and scientific projects enhance Gansu’s research capabilities and innovation in high-end medical industries," said Vice President Nie Peng. He added that in the future, the hospital will strive to build a national hub for heavy ion talent, academia, and research, aiming to establish the most comprehensive heavy ion radiotherapy national regional medical center in western China.

Professor Tatsuaki Kanai, Gunma University Graduate School of Medicine, Japan

Professor Hirohiko Tsujii, former Director of the National Institute of Radiological Sciences, Japan

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

Professor Kohei Takizawa, renowned gastroenterologist and Director of the Cancer Center at Kanagawa Prefectural Hospital,

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

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

Professor Yee-Min Jen, former Chairman of the Taiwan Society for Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology, and Professor Jia-Ming Wu, renowned radiotherapist at Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Taiwan

Professor Junjie Wang, Chairman of the Chinese Society of Radiation Oncology

From breaking monopolies to setting global treatment records, from the coordinated layout of the "Lanzhou-Wuwei Dual Centers" to the implementation of a patient-friendly fee model, every step aligns with the core of "high-quality development"—ensuring technological innovation truly serves life and health. This model, which integrates cutting-edge technology with public health needs, is not only a highlight of Gansu’s medical sector but also a vivid example of China’s path to independent medical innovation. It perfectly embodies Wuwei’s development strategy of "Two Engines Leading, Five Poles Thriving," demonstrating the weight of "putting life first" with tangible achievements.