A Beam of Light，Guarding the Journey of Life:
First Anniversary of Proton Center Operations
Since its official opening in December 2024, the Proton Therapy Center of Guangzhou Concord Cancer Center has been operating smoothly for one year. Over the past 365 days, precise proton beams have crossed the boundaries of age, geography, and language, safeguarding patients' life trajectories through a medical practice that balances science and warmth.
In the past year, the age range of patients treated at the Proton Therapy Center has continuously broken records—ranging from the oldest patient at 91 years old to the youngest at just 13 months.
A 91-year-old patient, upon completing treatment, said: "I am not here to fight aging; I just want to see more of this world."
At the same time, a young female patient in her 20s, upon finishing her treatment, started looking forward to the new chapter of her life. When leaving the treatment room, her thoughts were not focused on the disease but on the future—her wedding, her white dress, and the excitement of becoming the most beautiful bride.
From the continuation of life to the return to and rebuilding of living, proton therapy carries the same important meaning at different stages of life.
For pediatric patients, proton therapy provides a gentler and more effective treatment option with its high precision and low damage, offering hope for the early stages of life. A 1-year and 1-month-old child successfully completed the full treatment with the company of their parents, becoming a true representation of the safety and humanistic care offered by proton therapy.
In its first year of operation, the Proton Therapy Center at Guangzhou Concord Cancer Center has treated patients from over 20 countries and regions worldwide,covering Asia, Europe, Africa, and the Americas.
The farthest patient traveled from Panama, a country in Central America, flying over 10,000 kilometers across the Pacific Ocean to seek more precise treatment options.
Within mainland China, the Proton Therapy Center now serves patients from all 31 provincial-level administrative regions. In Guangdong Province alone, patients from 21 cities can access treatment closer to home, making advanced international cancer radiation therapy services available to more patients at their doorstep.
Built upon a high-standard technological framework and rigorous process management, the Proton Therapy Center of Guangzhou Concord Cancer Center has maintained stable and safe clinical operations throughout its first year. The center is now capable of delivering proton therapy for more than 40 tumor types, including complex malignancies such as central nervous system tumors, ocular tumors, head and neck cancers, and gastrointestinal tumors.
On July 11, 2025, the center successfully completed China’s first proton therapy treatment for malignant choroidal melanoma. While achieving effective tumor control, the treatment preserved both the ocular structure and visual function of the patient. This landmark case represents a major domestic breakthrough in the proton treatment of highly challenging ocular tumors and highlights the unique advantages of proton therapy in precise tumor eradication with maximal preservation of organ function.
The value of proton therapy is particularly evident in pediatric oncology. During the first year of operation, children under the age of 14 accounted for 10% of all patients, with the most common diagnoses including germinomas, medulloblastomas, rhabdomyosarcomas, and ependymomas.
Compared with conventional radiotherapy, proton therapy significantly reduces radiation exposure to healthy tissues, offering stronger protection for post-treatment growth and development, neurological function, and long-term quality of life in pediatric patients.
Behind every statistic is a family whose hope has been reignited.For these children, treatment is not only about controlling disease today—it is about safeguarding the quality of life for the decades to come.
Over the past year, the Guangzhou Concord Cancer Center has demonstrated a quiet yet steadfast commitment to both precision treatment and compassionate care.
The proton beam achieved a 99.2% operational stability rate, with 97.7% of patients completing their entire treatment course as scheduled. On average, approximately 50 patients receive proton therapy each working day.
From a technical perspective, the center comprehensively applies high-precision treatment planning systems, rigorous dose verification procedures, and multi-layered quality control mechanisms, ensuring that every treatment plan meets international standards.
In lung tumor treatments, nearly half of the patients benefit from respiratory gating technology. Through guided breathing training and real-time monitoring, respiratory motion–related positioning errors are significantly reduced, enabling more precise dose delivery.
From simulation and positioning to the completion of proton therapy, patients spend an average of 26.6 days at Guangzhou Concord Cancer Center. During this period, the most frequently expressed feelings are being valued, reassured, patiently informed, attentively cared for, and comfortably supported—each detail reflecting genuine respect and dedication to patient-centered care.
Radiotherapy adaptive planning resembles tactical adjustments on a battlefield. Nearly half of the patients underwent at least one plan adaptation, while some lung cancer patients experienced as many as nine finely tuned adjustments.
Behind these complex adjustments lies tangible evidence of the proton beam’s ability to precisely target tumors and achieve meaningful clinical outcomes.
All treatment plans (100%) utilize advanced IMPT (Intensity-Modulated Proton Therapy), combined with image verification frequencies well above industry standards, ensuring timely execution of adaptive plans. Every adjustment is grounded in scientific rigor and precision, maximizing therapeutic benefit for each patient.
At the one-year milestone, we celebrate not only technological excellence, but also the reassurance and trust of every patient. The Guangzhou Concord Cancer Center will continue to uphold professionalism, compassion, and precision, safeguarding hope for many more lives.
Each proton therapy session requires patients to spend an average of 25–30 minutes inside the treatment gantry.
During this quiet yet critical period, patients are never alone.Between 2 and 8 medical and technical professionals remain on standby outside the treatment room, providing constant oversight and a reassuring sense of safety.
Humanistic care is integrated throughout the entire treatment journey:
• 33% of patients received music therapy
• 43% of patients listened to music prior to treatment
• 71% of patients reported that disease control and treatment outcomes met or exceeded their expectations
• 75% of patients joyfully rang the “Drum of Hope” upon completing treatment, a symbolic act celebrating hope and new beginnings
A message left by a patient reads:
“The road here may have been difficult, but we will walk the road ahead together. Stay strong, my friend.”
Beyond clinical treatment, the Proton Therapy Center provides long-term, continuous support through a dedicated case management model.
Each case manager supports an average of 102 patients over a comprehensive 12-month care journey, encompassing pre-treatment consultation, multidisciplinary care coordination, and post-treatment follow-up, connecting every critical stage with professionalism and compassion.
Regarding costs and payment, the hospital offers structured insurance and financial counseling services. Nearly 30% of patients reported that their commercial insurance provided full or partial reimbursement for proton therapy treatment.
Within one year, the hospital assisted over 100 patients in preparing nearly 1,000 insurance claim documents, easing logistical burdens and allowing patients to focus more fully on their treatment and recovery.
“This past year, we have accomplished something truly remarkable together—fighting cancer. Now, it is time to enjoy the small moments of happiness you have long been looking forward to.”
These words, shared by our medical staff with patients, reflect the true spirit of the Proton Therapy Center’s work over the past year.
Guangzhou Concord Cancer Center remains committed to harnessing precision at the limits of physics to safeguard the limitless possibilities of life. While steadfastly upholding safety and quality, the hospital will continue to advance the field of precision radiation therapy—honoring every trust placed and every journey undertaken across mountains and seas.
