Gansu Wuwei Heavy Ion has officially been put into clinical treatment.

China Report (reported by Zhang Hongzhen and Cai Kexin) - On June 6, 2020, a press conference titled "The First Domestically Developed Heavy Ion Therapy System in China Officially Put into Clinical Treatment in Wuwei" was held in Xi'an, Shaanxi Province. The event was attended by relevant leaders and experts, including Su Xing, Deputy Director of the Medical Administration Division of the Xi'an Health Commission, Xiao Guoqing, Director of the Lanzhou Branch of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, and Yang Qingchun, Deputy Director of the Xi'an Branch of the Chinese Academy of Sciences.

The Wuwei Heavy Ion Center is equipped with China's first domestically developed heavy ion therapy system. After years of construction, the center obtained a Class I Radiation Safety License in August 2017. The Wuwei Heavy Ion Therapy System received its registration license on September 29, 2019. The Wuwei Cancer Hospital obtained a configuration license for the heavy ion radiotherapy system on November 29, 2019, a heavy ion radiation treatment license on January 20, 2020, a heavy ion medical fee license on January 21, 2020, and officially opened for treatment on April 1, 2020. The successful completion of this project has realized the localization of the world's largest medical device, making China the fourth country globally, after Japan, Germany, and the United States, to achieve heavy ion cancer treatment. It has broken the foreign monopoly on heavy ion technology for many years and marked a historic breakthrough in China's clinical application of the largest medical equipment.

Heavy ion therapy is characterized by minimal side effects, short treatment courses, and good efficacy. It is highly effective for most solid tumors, especially those that are unsuitable for surgery, insensitive to conventional radiation, or recurrent after conventional radiation therapy. It is praised as a precise, efficient, and safe advanced radiotherapy method. The indications for heavy ion therapy include central nervous system tumors, skull base tumors, head and neck tumors, thoracic and abdominal tumors, pelvic tumors, bone tumors, and soft tissue sarcomas. In February 2019, the Wuwei Heavy Ion Center completed clinical trial treatments for 46 patients, with all subjects achieving satisfactory results, proving that the domestically developed heavy ion therapy system meets national standards in terms of effectiveness and safety.

As of now, over 1,000 patients have inquired about heavy ion therapy, with 33 patients admitted to the Wuwei Heavy Ion Center. Fourteen patients have completed treatment, nine are currently undergoing treatment, five are waiting or preparing for treatment, and another 20 patients have preliminary indications for heavy ion therapy, pending further consultation by the provincial expert team before determining whether to proceed with treatment. For patients who have completed treatment, some have experienced significant tumor reduction and a decrease in tumor markers compared to pre-treatment levels, while others have shown improvement in clinical symptoms despite no immediate reduction in tumor size. No acute related toxic or side effects have been observed in any of the treated patients, and patient tolerance has been good.

Looking ahead, the domestically developed heavy ion therapy system will serve as a platform to further promote a heavy ion medical industry chain integrating precision cancer treatment, high-end equipment manufacturing, and operation and maintenance services, forming an industrial cluster. This "national treasure" will benefit society and meet the health needs of the people.

Editor-in-charge: Cai Kexin