Wuwei Heavy Ion Center

Introduction

The Wuwei Heavy Ion Center in Gansu Province is equipped and technically supported by the Institute of Modern Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, with clinical operations managed by Gansu Wuwei Tumor Hospital. The project covers an area of 2,465 mu (approx. 164.3 hectares) with a total floor area of 213,180 square meters, comprising a heavy ion therapy cancer center and a supporting oncology hospital with 1,600 beds. Construction began in May 2012 with a total investment of 3.2 billion RMB. The Wuwei heavy ion therapy system obtained its registration license from the National Medical Products Administration on September 29, 2019, and the carbon-ion radiotherapy system configuration license was approved by the National Health Commission on November 29, 2019. Professional technical staff have received advanced training in Germany, the United States, Japan, and the Shanghai Proton and Heavy Ion Center, mastering the latest knowledge in heavy ion therapy. Gansu Wuwei Tumor Hospital has established medical alliances with multiple domestic cancer hospitals. Carbon-ion beams feature heavier particles, resulting in a more favorable dose distribution within the human body compared to X-rays and proton beams, enabling tumor treatment without damaging other critical normal tissues. Moreover, carbon-ion beams exhibit superior biological effectiveness, proving effective even against tumors resistant to X-rays and protons. The center is simultaneously developing precision nuclear medicine diagnostics and therapy, building a dual-pathway precision tumor treatment system combining external heavy ion irradiation and targeted internal radionuclide therapy. Leveraging the characteristics of carbon-ion beams, the center aims to achieve higher precision in tumor control while minimizing side effects, allowing patients to quickly return to normal life after treatment. The Wuwei Heavy Ion Center is committed to becoming a nationally leading, internationally advanced center integrating heavy ion basic research, talent cultivation, and clinical treatment into a comprehensive production, education, and research oncology center. In the future, heavy ion therapy will carry even greater expectations, providing cancer patients with the best possible radiation treatment.