Union Hospital Proton Therapy Center officially began operation on Dec 19, as three proton therapeutic chambers were activated simultaneously. The center is among the first of its kind nationwide, the largest proton therapy facility in Central China, and one of the most advanced and largest proton centers in the country.

The ProBeam 360-degree proton therapy system features high-precision pencil beam scanning technology, enabling the comprehensive targeting of tumors. With sub-millimeter positioning accuracy exceeding international standards, the system can track and lock onto tumors even as they move with breathing, delivering ultra-high dose rates to tumors while maximizing protection of surrounding healthy tissue.

To underscore its public-service mission, Wuhan Union Hospital also announced a dedicated investment of 2 million yuan ($280,000) to support pediatric oncology care. The fund will benefit 100 children with cancer, reducing treatment costs by 20,000 yuan per patient.

Compared with a single therapeutic chamber setup, the three-chamber model multiplies treatment capacity, shortens average treatment time to under 15 minutes per session, and allows up to 150 patients to be treated each day. Patient waiting times are expected to be reduced to less than three days. The first group of patients treated at the center includes three children aged between four and 10.

Proton therapy takes advantage of the unique Bragg peak effect, in which the proton beam releases minimal energy before reaching the tumor, delivers its maximum energy precisely at the target, and then rapidly drops to zero.

This allows clinicians to eradicate tumors with pinpoint accuracy while protecting critical organs such as the hippocampus and spinal cord, which are still developing in children. As a result, risks to growth, development, and secondary cancers are significantly reduced.

Proton therapy is recommended by the (US) National Comprehensive Cancer Network as a preferred option for pediatric brain tumors and solid tumors, due to its high precision and well-controlled radiation dose. The opening of the Union Hospital Proton Therapy Center addresses the long-standing need for some pediatric patients in China to seek treatment overseas.

Source: Wuhan Union Hospital of Tongji Medical College of HUST