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Backed by major philanthropic support, including significant donations from Terry Gou and the Yonglin Foundation, the National Taiwan University Cancer Center (NTUCC) has swiftly established itself as one of Asia’s most advanced hubs for cancer care. The landmark welcoming corridor and hall of NTUCC is now home to more than 1,100 staff, including 120 full-time doctors and around 300 affiliated specialists. NTUCC received more than 4,000 new cancer patients annually, 90% of whom remain with the center throughout their treatment journey.
From the beginning, NTUCC has set its sights on offering not just hope, but cutting-edge treatment. “We don’t consider our job done until patients can continue living their lives as if they weren’t patients at all,” said Dr. James Chih-Hsin Yang, Superintendent of NTUCC. “Our aim is to improve survival and reduce the physical and emotional burden of cancer.” NTUCC’s vision is “to exhaust all possible resources to meet cancer patient’s total health needs”.
A hallmark of NTUCC’s approach is its investment in world-class equipment. It is the home of the country’s most advanced diagnostic, radiation and isotope therapy facilities. The computerized tomography equipped bronchoscopy room is one the first design in the world for invasive lung nodule diagnosis and treatment. The center’s proton therapy system, sourced from Varian, is among the most precise cancer treatment tools available in the world. Though not yet reimbursed under Taiwan’s national insurance, its value for treating pediatric, prostate, head-and-neck, and liver cancers is already evident.
The clinical strength of NTUCC lies in its multidisciplinary model, combining oncologists, pulmonologist, gastroenterologists, radiologists, and surgeon oncologists with what Dr. Yang describes as “the most efficient pathology lab in Taiwan.” NTUCC’s surgeons perform minimally invasive, highly precise procedures, including single-port thoracoscopic lung surgery, with over 70% of lung cancer cases diagnosed at stage one, well above global averages. In fact, NTUCC treats more lung cancer patients annually than any other centers in Taiwan. Our strength is combined care and “togetherness”. We see the same patients in the same clinic on the same date and make treatment decisions together with the patient and family in one afternoon.
Internationally, NTUCC has positioned itself as a key partner in early-stage drug development. The center leads over 50 clinical trials and its physicians serve as global advisors to top pharmaceutical companies. It also hosts three major annual conferences, including the Asia Taiwan Phase I Oncology Conference, International Symposium for Lung Cancer Research and Spacial Multi-omic Workshop/Conference which gathers the region’s leading cancer researchers.
“Our doors are open,” Dr. Yang emphasized. “Whether for partnerships in clinical trials or to welcome patients from across Asia, Europe or North America, we want to be a global resource for precision oncology.”
