HEAVY-ION medical accelerators developed by Chinese researchers entered clinical testing for cancer patients in northwestern China’s Gansu Province, researchers said.

Cancer radiation treatments employing heavy-ion accelerators bombard a target with high-energy electrons to kill cancer cells.

Xiao Guoqing, head of the Institute of Modern Physics under the Chinese Academy of Sciences, said it is widely considered the most effective way to fight tumors.

Compared to traditional therapies using radiation, the properties of heavy-ion treatment are considered more balanced leading to less healthy cells being affected by radiation. The treatment period is shorter and the therapy could be more effective at controlling cancer cells.

The institute, based in Lanzhou, capital of Gansu Province, developed the accelerators in 2015. It took two years of medical equipment testing before registration was completed in April so that clinical tests on the accelerator could begin.

Currently, the institute has produced two sets of the cancer treatment equipment. One is in Lanzhou, and the other is in Wuwei City, which has a high rate of stomach cancer.

To ensure the safety of the tests, 36 leading cancer doctors were assigned to oversee them.

Xiao said the domestically developed equipment marks the end of China’s dependence on imports. The institute started basic research into the technology in 1993.

A report published by the National Cancer Center in 2017 showed that China accounted for nearly 25 percent of the world’s new cancer cases. Every year, there are 2 million cancer-induced deaths. Lung, breast and stomach cancers are the most common. (Xinhua)