Making Cutting-edge Technology Accessible to All

—— Wuwei and Lanzhou Heavy Ion Centers Bring Advanced Healthcare to the Public

After ten years of construction and five years of operational practice, the Heavy Ion Center at Gansu Wuwei Cancer Hospital has successfully deployed and operated its first and second China-made heavy ion tumor treatment systems. Under the "15th Five-Year Plan," the hospital has anchored its core values in "compassion, harmony, and health," with the mission of "gathering cutting-edge global technologies to benefit cancer patients worldwide" and the vision of "becoming a global destination for patients to conquer cancer." By making advanced technologies accessible to the public as the practical core of its mission and vision, the hospital aims to truly integrate heavy ion therapy into people's lives through optimized pricing models.

Today, both centers have implemented affordable pricing standards: the first treatment costs 49,500 yuan, with subsequent sessions priced at 16,500 yuan each, and a maximum of 150,000 yuan per treatment course. For patients requiring multiple-site treatments, only the standard fee for the first site applies. Patients covered by heavy ion therapy-specific insurance policies from major national insurance providers can claim reimbursements at both the Wuwei and Lanzhou Heavy Ion Centers. The hospital is actively promoting the establishment of multi-channel reimbursement methods to further alleviate patients' financial burdens. This pricing adjustment has broken the high-cost barrier of premium medical services, transforming heavy ion therapy—which previously required expensive overseas treatment costing millions—into an affordable public welfare benefit accessible to all.

Looking back at its development journey, the Wuwei Heavy Ion Demonstration Project was launched in the Gobi Desert in 2012. Amidst international technological blockades, the builders achieved breakthrough innovations. In 2015, China's first domestically produced heavy ion accelerator successfully generated its beam, shattering the global monopoly with over 60 patented technologies. After years of dedicated efforts, the center has completed heavy ion therapy for more than 2,000 patients, treating over 50 types of cancers. It has also led the development of the world's first internationally recognized International Consensus on Heavy Ion Radiotherapy for Recurrent Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma and published the China Heavy Ion: A New Hope for Life series, filling critical gaps in industry standards. Additionally, the center has initiated and funded clinical research for seven types of cancers, supporting investigators in advancing treatment innovation.

Upholding its founding mission to make cutting-edge technology accessible to all, the Wuwei and Lanzhou Heavy Ion Centers have taken optimized pricing models as a key entry point for public benefit, supported by continuous technological innovation. This transformation has turned once-unattainable heavy ion therapy into an affordable reality, delivering a modern solution to high-end medical services for the people across the land of Longyuan.