China and US Deepen Medical Cooperation to Tackle Rising Cancer Burden

Beijing (GNP): One in five people will develop cancer during their lifetime, according to estimates from the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) and the American Cancer Society. In 2024 alone, 20.6 million people were diagnosed with cancer and 9.8 million died from the disease, with cancer incidence projected to reach 34.4 million cases by 2050, a 67 per cent increase over 2024.

As the global cancer burden continues to mount, the medical communities of China and the United States are confronting these shared challenges through pragmatic cooperation across research, clinical care and medical education.

The China-US Anti-Cancer Summit, hosted annually by the China Anti-Cancer Association and the US China Anti-Cancer Association, brings together leading figures in cancer diagnosis and treatment from both countries to share advances, discuss differences in care, and provide guidance on clinical practice.

Cooperation has also deepened at the clinical level, with the First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University in Guangzhou establishing a five-year strategic partnership with Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, a teaching hospital of Harvard Medical School.

Since the collaboration launched in 2021, seven clinical specialties have been involved, with more than 100 American experts engaged in joint projects, combining the Chinese hospital’s clinical resources and regional experience with Dana-Farber’s strengths in precision oncology research.

Xiao Haipeng, president of the Guangzhou hospital, said the collaboration unites anti-cancer forces and lights the way forward for a healthier future, a view echoed by Jeffrey Meyerhardt, professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School, who affirmed the results of the partnership at a joint symposium in March 2026.

Access to care has also expanded through new institutional partnerships. In May 2026, United Family Healthcare and City of Hope, a US cancer research and treatment institution, opened International Patient Services offices at Guangzhou United Family Hospital and Shenzhen New Frontier United Family Hospital.

These offices serve as a platform for international oncology collaboration, joint case management and continuous patient support, focusing on complex cancer cases, multidisciplinary treatment and the integration of international expertise with local Chinese medical practice.

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In April 2026, Chinese company Concord Medical signed a deepened cooperation agreement with Mayo Clinic, extending their collaboration beyond cancer treatment technology to disease prevention, screening, rehabilitation and long-term health management across the full life cycle of care.

Medical education has formed another pillar of cooperation, with Peking Union Medical College Hospital renewing its third five-year memorandum with the China Medical Board in September 2026, building on work carried out since their first agreement in 2016.

Roger Glass, president of the China Medical Board, said the renewed agreement would deepen cooperation in medical education, academic exchange and technological innovation, aiming to cultivate the next generation of medical leaders.

Zhang Shuyang, president of Peking Union Medical College Hospital, proposed strengthening cross-border exchange and joint training of young medical talent, alongside deeper collaboration in digital medicine and emergency medical capacity building.

Xiao Haipeng said, “This collaboration not only unites anti-cancer forces but also lights the way forward for all humanity toward a healthier, more hopeful future.”