Gunma University Carbon Ion Therapy: How to Apply and Cost

Gunma University carbon ion therapy is the carbon-ion radiotherapy offered since March 2010 by the Gunma University Heavy Ion Medical Center (GHMC) in Maebashi, Japan. For overseas patients, the carbon ion therapy cost at Gunma is about 5 million yen per treatment course according to the center's English brochure (issued March 2025), and the fee is the same regardless of the number of sessions. The center had treated 4,561 patients by the end of 2020, and overseas patients apply only through eight designated medical coordinators. This article walks through the eight application steps, the common eligibility criteria, the cost structure, typical schedules and the treatment results published by the center. To check whether Gunma could accept your case, send your records for a Gunma eligibility and cost consultation.

What is the Gunma heavy ion cancer treatment center?

Gunma University began preparing to install a heavy ion system in 2001, started construction in 2006 as a joint project with Gunma Prefecture, and treated its first patient in March 2010. The center sits on a university hospital campus, so treatment plans that combine hormone therapy or chemotherapy can be discussed with other departments on site.

The building measures 45 m by 65 m and is 20 m high. According to the official English page, a synchrotron 20 m in diameter accelerates carbon ions to 70% of the speed of light, and patients are treated in three treatment rooms. The page describes it as the smallest facility of its kind in Japan. The principle of the therapy is explained in What Is Carbon Ion Therapy?, and other Japanese centers are listed in Japanese Institutions.

The 2020 annual report shows 740 patients treated that year: prostate 489, pancreas 51, liver 47, bone and soft tissue 44, lung 36, head and neck 34, lymph nodes 20 and post-operative rectal recurrence 12. Prostate cancer is clearly the center's largest field of experience.

How do overseas patients apply to Gunma?

Gunma does not take inquiries from overseas patients directly. They go to eight designated medical coordinator companies, five of which offer Korean-language support. Coordinators reply within five days and run a 24-hour English help line. The flow on the center's English page is as follows.

Steps 2 and 5 matter most. The preliminary opinion based on documents is not the final decision; the center formally accepts a patient only after examinations in Japan. The more complete the first set of records, the more accurate the preliminary opinion and the lower the chance of schedule changes in Japan. See our document checklist.

Not sure which coordinator to use, or whether your records are enough for the preliminary review? Contact us or call +82-2-517-5117.

What are Gunma's eligibility criteria?

Gunma's overseas-patient page lists four criteria common to all cancers, followed by cancer-specific conditions.

• A measurable tumor with a maximum diameter of 12 cm
• No extensive metastasis
• No tumor invasion into the digestive tract or spinal cord
• Performance status (PS) 0 to 2, meaning the patient can largely care for themselves

Head and neck tumors, skull base tumors, uterine cancer and lymph node metastases are also listed as treatment sites. These criteria are a starting point; the final decision is made by physicians after reviewing images and pathology. Compare with other centers in Carbon ion therapy eligibility.

How much does carbon ion therapy cost at Gunma?

Gunma's fee depends on whether the patient is enrolled in Japan's public health insurance. The table summarizes two brochures published by the center.

Most patients traveling from abroad fall into the first row. The roughly 5 million yen covers one course of irradiation, whether it is four sessions for liver cancer or sixteen for head and neck cancer. Initial consultation, CT and MRI, immobilization devices, hospitalization, lodging, interpreting and coordinator fees are added. The most reliable total is the estimate the center gives at the preliminary review. Fees at other Japanese centers are compared in Carbon ion therapy cost in Japan.

The schedule also affects cost. Gunma's English brochure lists typical regimens of 4 sessions (1 week), 12 sessions (3 weeks) and 16 sessions (4 weeks), with an average of about 3 weeks, compared with 6–7 weeks for conventional X-ray radiotherapy. See Carbon ion therapy treatment period for stay examples.

Treatment results published by Gunma

Gunma researchers have published prospective studies of their own patients. Two representative studies follow.

Prostate cancer, 304 patients, 5-year local control 98.4%

The GUNMA0702 study (BMC Cancer 2020) followed 304 patients with localized prostate cancer treated with 16 sessions over 4 weeks between June 2010 and August 2013, with hormone therapy by risk group. Median follow-up was 60 months. The 5-year biochemical relapse-free rate was 92.7% (low risk 91.7%, intermediate 93.4%, high 92.0%), 5-year local control 98.4% and 5-year overall survival 96.6%. No acute grade 3 or higher toxicity occurred, and late grade 3 genitourinary toxicity was 0.3%.

Hepatocellular carcinoma in 4 sessions, 2-year local control 92.6%

In a prospective study (Liver Cancer 2021), 35 patients with hepatocellular carcinoma received 4 sessions between October 2010 and May 2016. Local control was 92.6% at 2 years; overall survival was 82.8% at 2 years and 69.4% at 4 years. There was no grade 4 or 5 toxicity, and liver function markers such as albumin and bilirubin did not deteriorate significantly. Treatment finishes within a week, which keeps the stay short for overseas patients.

Both studies reflect patients who met eligibility criteria, so whether similar results can be expected in your case should be discussed with physicians who review your records. Skin or mucosal inflammation may occur depending on the site and is managed until it settles. See Carbon ion therapy side effects.

Frequently asked questions

Can I email Gunma directly?

Gunma asks overseas patients to contact one of its eight designated medical coordinators, who send the records to the center and relay its preliminary opinion and cost estimate.

Does the Gunma fee depend on the number of sessions?

No. The overseas fee of about 5 million yen covers one course regardless of sessions (English brochure, March 2025). Consultation, tests, hospitalization and travel are extra.

Is Korean or other language interpreting available?

Five of the eight coordinators offer Korean, and others cover Chinese, English, Russian, Vietnamese and Mongolian. Medical interpreting, transport and phone rental can be arranged through the coordinator.

Why choose Gunma among Japan's carbon ion centers?

Extensive prostate cancer experience, a university hospital setting for multidisciplinary care, and published overseas application steps and fees. The best center still depends on cancer type and schedule, so comparing several is worthwhile.

How long should I plan to stay?

About 3 weeks of irradiation on average, plus time for the first visit, tests and preparation. The exact plan comes with the center's schedule at the preliminary review.

Sources

• Gunma University Heavy Ion Medical Center — Heavy Ion Radiotherapy for Overseas Patients
• Gunma University Heavy Ion Medical Center — English brochure (issued March 2025)
• Gunma University Heavy Ion Medical Center brochure, August 2024 (Japanese)
• Gunma University Heavy Ion Medical Center — Overview and history
• GHMC Annual Report 2020 (Japanese)
• Kawamura H, et al. Moderately hypofractionated carbon ion radiotherapy for prostate cancer; GUNMA0702. BMC Cancer 2020
• Shibuya K, et al. Efficacy and Safety of 4 Fractions of Carbon-Ion Radiation Therapy for Hepatocellular Carcinoma. Liver Cancer 2021

General information based on public sources; not a substitute for diagnosis or treatment. Eligibility is decided by the treating physicians. Written by the FTH editorial team.