Taiwan’s first heavy ion cancer treatment center has opened at Taipei Veterans General Hospital. President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) attended a ceremony on Monday celebrating the launch. The technology was obtained through a deal with Japanese research centers, marking the first time Japan has exported its heavy ion equipment overseas.
The NT$4.5 billion facility required nearly 14 years to complete from planning to opening. The center is the first of its kind in Taiwan and only the 14th in the world. Heavy ion therapy is a non-invasive form of cancer radiotherapy, in which precise radiation is delivered to tumor sites. It typically has few side effects for non-cancerous tissue and requires fewer treatment days than other forms of therapy, such as proton or photon therapy.
President Tsai said in her speech that she believes this technology fills a major gap in Taiwan’s cancer treatment capabilities. She said it will not only benefit patients, but will also enhance Taiwan's international medical competitiveness.
Taipei Veterans Hospital Superintendent Chen Wei-ming (陳威明) said that the treatment center has attracted global attention. He says the Mayo Clinic in the United States has already sent several experts to the facility, and that the two medical centers have signed a letter of intent for future cooperation.
Beyond medical treatment, the advanced equipment can also be used to test radiation resistance for components used in space technologies such as satellites. The hospital has already been working with Taiwan’s National Space Center on projects such as the Fuwei 8 satellite which launched last August.