Taipei, July 25, 2008 (CENS)--Taiwan-based Evergreen Group recently decided to pour US$300 million to introduce from Japan the most advanced heavy-ion cancer therapy system to Taiwan, as well as set up a heavy-ion research center and hospital targeted at cancer treatment.

Chang Yung-fa, chairman of Evergreen, claimed that related projects are expected to continue without official intervention.

The chairman pointed out that Japan has been engaged in heavy-ion treatment technology for over 10 years and have succeeded clinical trials. Heavy-ion therapy is three-times as effective as proton-beam counterpart, he said, and it is pain-free and without side-effects. Heavy-ion treatments have achieved high recovery rates in brain, lung, liver cancers, while related research and trials for gastric and colon cancers are underway.

Evergreen has signed a cooperation agreement with a heavy-ion research institute in Japan, Chang said, and would exchange technology breakthroughs.

Evergreen will recruit doctors skilled in such treatment at high pay, Chang stressed, and welcomes interested medical personnel to join its heavy-ion treatment team.

Vicent Hsiao, Taiwan`s Vice President, said, during Evergreen`s announcement, that cancer is currently the No. 1 killer in Taiwan and the development of heavy-ion cancer treatment on the island would bear many benefits, and promised that the government would help to promote such project.

Chang explained that Evergreen would recruit three groups of professionals in the first stage and dispatch them to Japan to study new technologies, including physical, medical, and radiation engineering. The Japanese partner would also offer technological training to local personnel. The chairman stressed that Evergreen would open the heavy-ion cancer treatment hospital only after succeeding clinical-tests.
(by Quincy Liang)