Brain Glioma

1. Disease Overview

Glioma arises from the glial cells that support and protect neurons. It ranges from slow-growing, low-grade tumors to the aggressive Glioblastoma (GBM), the most common malignant primary brain cancer in adults.

Globally, approximately 300,000 new cases are diagnosed annually. Unlike cancers that spread from elsewhere, glioma grows within the brain itself—making every millimeter of preserved function precious.

China sees a substantial patient volume. At Fosun Health, this has built deep expertise in what matters most to patients: removing the tumor without removing who you are, and keeping the cancer dormant for as long as humanly possible. "The more we treat, the more precisely we protect your brain—and your self."

2. Core Strengths: Why Choose Fosun Health?

Every glioma program has surgery, radiation, and temozolomide. Here is what makes ours different:

Capability 1: Surgery That Preserves the Person

"Will I wake up unable to speak? Will I be paralyzed? Will I still be me?"

The challenge: Gliomas often infiltrate the brain's most critical real estate—motor cortex, speech centers, memory circuits. The traditional approach: remove as much as possible and hope. The result: too often, patients survive the surgery but lose the essence of who they are.

Our answer: Maximal safe resection with functional preservation:

• Awake Craniotomy with Cortical Mapping: For tumors near speech or motor areas, the patient is awakened during surgery. We map language and motor function in real time—stimulating the cortex while the patient names objects or moves fingers. The boundary between tumor and function is identified millimeter by millimeter. We remove the cancer. We leave the person intact.

• 5-ALA Fluorescence-Guided Resection: The patient drinks a fluorescent solution preoperatively. Under a special microscope, malignant glioma cells glow pink-red while normal brain tissue appears blue—allowing the surgeon to see tumor infiltration invisible to the naked eye. Resection completeness improves significantly.

• Intraoperative MRI (iMRI): Real-time imaging during surgery reveals residual tumor immediately—before the skull is closed—allowing further removal in the same session.

• Neuronavigation & Tractography: Preoperative mapping of white matter tracts (corticospinal, arcuate fasciculus) guides the surgical corridor—avoiding the brain's information highways.

What this means for you: We do not choose between "safe but incomplete" and "aggressive but disabling." With awake surgery, fluorescence, and real-time imaging, we pursue both: remove as much tumor as possible while you remain fully yourself.

Capability 2: The "Electric Cap" That Fights Cancer 24/7

"I have heard about a cap that uses electricity to fight GBM. It sounds like science fiction. Does it actually work? And can I get it here?"

The challenge: Even after surgery and chemoradiation, GBM cells left behind continue to divide. Traditional therapies cannot patrol the brain 24 hours a day. Patients feel defenseless between treatment cycles.

Our answer: Tumor Treating Fields (TTF / Optune)—a physical, continuous anti-mitotic therapy:

TTF is not "electrocuting" the tumor. It is a completely different mechanism. The device delivers low-intensity, intermediate-frequency alternating electric fields through arrays of transducers worn on the scalp. These fields physically interfere with the polar proteins (tubulin) that form the mitotic spindle—preventing cancer cells from dividing. Healthy neurons, which do not divide, are unaffected.

• Proven Survival Benefit: In newly diagnosed GBM, TTF plus temozolomide extends median survival beyond chemotherapy alone. In recurrent GBM, TTF monotherapy matches or exceeds second-line chemotherapy—with far better quality of life.

• Worn Continuously: To be effective, TTF must be worn at least 18 hours per day—for months or years. It becomes part of life: at home, at work, during sleep. Our team provides comprehensive training, scalp care protocols, and ongoing compliance support.

• Integrated with Standard Therapy: TTF is used concurrently with adjuvant temozolomide and can be continued through subsequent lines of therapy. It is not a replacement—it is a continuous background attack on dividing tumor cells.

• Available in China: The Optune device and transducer arrays are commercially available in China. Because the device is manufactured and serviced within China's integrated healthcare system, the comprehensive cost is significantly lower than in Europe or the US—with identical technology and clinical support.

What this means for you: While you sleep, work, and live, a physical field is continuously preventing your cancer cells from dividing. It is not chemotherapy. It is not radiation. It is a third pillar of GBM treatment—and it is available to you here.

Capability 3: When Surgery Cannot Reach — Radiosurgery as Scalpel

"The surgeon said the tumor sits too deep, or in my speech area—operating would paralyze or silence me. Is there a way to destroy it without opening my skull?"

The challenge: Some gliomas sit in the thalamus, brainstem, or eloquent cortex where surgical resection risks catastrophic neurological deficit. Others recur after initial surgery and full-dose radiotherapy, leaving patients told "we cannot operate again, and we cannot radiate again." The tumor grows. Options seem exhausted.

Our answer: CyberKnife M6 stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS)—a non-invasive scalpel that reaches where steel cannot:

• For Inoperable Deep or Eloquent Tumors: CyberKnife delivers 0.1mm sub-millimeter ablative radiation to tumors in the thalamus, insula, or motor/speech cortex. The robotic system tracks patient movement in real time and converges thousands of beams from hundreds of angles—destroying the tumor while the surrounding eloquent brain receives near-zero dose. No incision. No anesthesia. No rehabilitation ward.

• For Residual or Recurrent Disease After Standard Therapy: After surgery + IMRT/VMAT + temozolomide, small focal recurrences or residual enhancing nodules are treated with CyberKnife SRS boost—delivering a highly focused ablative dose to the exact tumor bed while sparing surrounding brain that has already received full-dose radiation. This extends progression-free survival without re-irradiating the whole brain.

• For Patients Unfit for Surgery: Elderly patients, those with multiple comorbidities, or patients on anticoagulants who cannot safely undergo craniotomy receive curative-intent radiosurgery as their primary treatment—controlling tumor growth and preserving neurological function without ever entering an operating room.

• Integration with TTF: For GBM patients on Optune TTF, CyberKnife SRS can be delivered without interrupting the continuous electric field therapy—maintaining 24/7 anti-mitotic pressure while the radiation delivers its ablative punch.

What this means for you: If the tumor is in a place no surgeon can safely reach, or if you have already received full-dose radiation and face recurrence, CyberKnife offers a genuine alternative—a non-invasive scalpel that destroys the tumor while your brain's vital functions remain untouched.

Capability 4: When Standard Therapy Runs Out — IDH, Clinical Trials & Beyond

"I have completed surgery, radiation, temozolomide, and TTF. The tumor is growing again. Is there anything beyond the standard playbook?"

The challenge: GBM and high-grade glioma inevitably progress despite first-line therapy. When temozolomide and TTF are exhausted, patients in many regions face a void. Yet molecular profiling has opened targeted doors that did not exist a decade ago.

Our answer: Molecularly matched next-line therapy and rapid clinical trial access:

• IDH-Mutant Gliomas: For the ~10% of GBM and ~70% of lower-grade gliomas with IDH1/2 mutations, ivosidenib (IDH1 inhibitor) and vorasidenib offer genuine disease control by blocking the oncometabolite that drives tumor growth. These oral agents can shrink or stabilize tumors for extended periods.

• MGMT-Guided Strategy: Tumors with unmethylated MGMT promoters resist temozolomide but may respond to alternative alkylating agents or be candidates for more aggressive experimental protocols. Tumors with methylated MGMT may benefit from dose-dense temozolomide regimens.

• Bevacizumab for Symptom Control: While not curative, anti-VEGF therapy rapidly reduces peritumoral edema and mass effect—restoring function and buying time for subsequent therapies.

• Phase III Clinical Trial Fast-Track: China maintains active portfolios in oncolytic virus therapy (G47Δ), CAR-T for glioma, personalized neoantigen vaccines, next-generation IDH inhibitors, and novel TTF array configurations—typically 3–5 years ahead of availability elsewhere. Our dedicated neuro-oncology research team conducts rapid eligibility screening.

Guided by NGS-based molecular profiling and physicians who have managed thousands of glioma cases through multiple lines.

What this means for you: "Out of standard options" does not mean "out of options." Your IDH, MGMT, or EGFR status maps to drugs and trials that are available here—now—extending survival and preserving quality of life.

3. Continuous Care & Frontier Access

Clinical Trial Fast-Track

When standard therapies reach their limit, we provide rapid access to China's full portfolio of Phase III clinical trials—therapies typically 3–5 years ahead of availability elsewhere. For glioma specifically, this includes trials of oncolytic viruses, CAR-T cell therapy targeting EGFRvIII or IL13Rα2, personalized neoantigen vaccines, next-generation IDH inhibitors, and novel TTF combinations. NGS-based molecular matching identifies trials targeting your specific driver mutation. Every enrollment is ethics-approved with full medical supervision.

Integrative Oncology & TCM

Our TCM program runs alongside your primary treatment as a "neurological function and vitality optimizer":

Toxicity Reduction: Herbal formulations help manage peritumoral edema and related headache, reduce temozolomide-induced fatigue and nausea, support immune function during TTF therapy, and mitigate steroid-dependent side effects (mood changes, elevated blood sugar, muscle wasting).

Efficacy Enhancement: Selected preparations may improve treatment tolerance and support cognitive function during long-term disease management.

Acupuncture provides additional support for headache, dizziness, post-treatment cognitive fatigue, and cancer-related insomnia. The goal: protect your clarity of mind, reduce neurological symptom burden, and keep you strong enough to sustain the marathon that glioma treatment requires.

4. Multidisciplinary Decision-Making

Every glioma case is reviewed by a panel comprising neurosurgery (awake surgery/fluorescence), radiation oncology (IMRT/VMAT/TTF coordination), neuro-oncology (chemotherapy/targeted therapy), neuroradiology (advanced MRI/PET/MRS), pathology/molecular diagnostics (IDH/MGMT/1p19q), and neuro-rehabilitation. Glioma decisions are uniquely complex: extent of resection versus functional preservation; TTF initiation timing and compliance support; pseudoprogression versus true recurrence; and sequencing through multiple lines of therapy.

The MDT convenes within 48 hours of complete documentation. Your plan is a consensus decision optimized for your tumor location, molecular profile, performance status, and your life priorities.

5. Patient Case

Diagnosis:
Brainstem Glioma

Treatment Plan:
Based on the tumor location and clinical characteristics, fractionated CyberKnife radiosurgery was selected using specialized treatment planning and technical expertise.

The lesion involved both the pons and midbrain and demonstrated central necrosis on contrast-enhanced MRI.

Following treatment, standard anti-edema therapy was administered, and no worsening of neurological symptoms occurred.

Outcome:
One month after treatment, the patient's family reported gradual improvement in sensory symptoms, including numbness.

Two months after CyberKnife treatment, neurological symptoms had completely resolved. Follow-up MRI demonstrated approximately 70% reduction in tumor volume.

The degree of radiographic response was considered highly favorable by local neurosurgical specialists.

After significant tumor shrinkage, a second course of CyberKnife treatment was administered. The patient currently maintains a good quality of life and continues routine follow-up.

6. About Fosun

Fosun Oncology Center

Led by Dr. Yang Jun, Prof. Luo Pengfei, and Prof. Chen Tao, the Fosun Oncology Center brings together more than 20 world-class medical experts, each with over a decade of extensive oncology experience. Supported by a comprehensive range of advanced therapies — including robotic surgery, precision radiotherapy, minimally invasive intervention, CAR-T cell therapy, and Tumor Treating Fields (TTFields) — the center delivers one-stop, integrated cancer care designed to make treatment more accessible, efficient, and high-quality for every patient.

Key Highlights

- Over 60,000 annual oncology patient admissions across Fosun’s major international hospitals in 2025

More than 17,000 cumulative TACE procedures completed between 2023 and 2025 at Fosun Hospital Guangzhou alone, with international patients accounting for over 10% of total cases

- More than 1,000 successful CyberKnife treatments performed, demonstrating world-class expertise in precision radiotherapy

- A 29.3% five-year survival rate achieved for Glioblastoma Multiforme (GBM) through combined TTFields therapy, representing a significant improvement over the 4.7% baseline

Core Services

- Robotic surgery

- Precision radiotherapy

- Minimally invasive intervention

- CAR-T cell therapy

- Tumor Treating Fields (TTFields)

- Medical oncology

- PET/CT imaging

- Pulmonary nodule diagnosis

- VIP inpatient wards

- Integrated oncology clinics

- Traditional Chinese medicine for oncology

- Cancer screening and early detection

- Genetic testing and counseling

Fosun & Fosun Health

Founded in 1992, Fosun has grown over the past three decades into a global innovation-driven consumer group. In 2007, Fosun International Limited was listed on the Main Board of the Hong Kong Stock Exchange (stock code: 00656.HK). As one of the few Chinese enterprises with strong global operational and investment capabilities, Fosun has developed substantial technological expertise and innovation capacity across multiple industries.

Established in 2010, Shanghai Fosun Health Technology is dedicated to building a world-renowned healthcare group in Asia. Today, the group operates 19 affiliated medical institutions across Foshan, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Zhuhai, Shanghai, and other major cities, with a total of 6,600 hospital beds and 9 Internet Hospital licenses. Fosun Health ranks No. 1 among China’s private comprehensive medical groups. Its flagship institution, Fosun Foshan Chancheng Hospital, has ranked first among private hospitals in China for eight consecutive years and was honored with the 2026 Global Health Asia-Pacific “Oncological Medical Service Provider of the Year” award.

Fosun Foshan Chancheng Hospital

As the flagship hospital of Fosun Health, Fosun Foshan Chancheng Hospital was founded in 1958. The hospital currently hosts 28 key specialty development programs, including 2 provincial-level, 13 municipal-level, and 13 district-level key specialties. Its services span 22 medical disciplines, including spinal orthopedics, traditional Chinese medicine gynecology, obstetrics and gynecology, cardiovascular medicine, clinical laboratory medicine, anesthesiology, pediatrics, critical care medicine, ultrasound medicine, rehabilitation medicine, general practice, general surgery, and urology.

The hospital is equipped with globally advanced medical technologies, including the CyberKnife system and the Da Vinci Surgical Robot. It has 1,750 approved hospital beds and a multidisciplinary team of more than 2,800 medical professionals. The hospital records nearly 3.19 million outpatient visits annually and more than 67,000 inpatient discharges each year.

Fosun Foshan Chancheng Hospital has received numerous prestigious recognitions, including:

Global Health Asia-Pacific “Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital of the Year”

Global Health China “Hospital of the Year”

No. 1 ranking on the GAHA Top 500 Private Hospitals in China list for eight consecutive years

The hospital has also been recognized as:

A National Model Unit for Improved Medical Services

A National Drug Clinical Trial Institution (GCP)

A National Standardized Residency Training Base

Guangzhou Fosun Chancheng Hospital (Guangzhou Xinshi Hospital)

Established in 2003, Guangzhou Fosun Chancheng Hospital specializes in cardiovascular medicine, oncology, and neurosciences. The hospital has established a National Chest Pain Center, Stroke Center, Trauma Center, and MDT Center, supporting the development of emergency medicine, obstetrics and gynecology, intensive care, anesthesiology, gastroenterology, general surgery, urology, and general practice.

The hospital operates more than 800 inpatient beds and 48 clinical and medical technology departments, supported by a team of over 880 healthcare professionals.

Guangzhou Fosun Chancheng Hospital has received several honors and industry recognitions, including:

EMBA Innovation Practice Base

Guangdong Private Medical Reform & Innovation Brand

Guangdong Private Medical Industry Pioneer Brand

Outstanding Brand Hospital for Medical Investment Contribution

Upload your contrast-enhanced brain MRI, prior pathology report, NGS/genetic sequencing results (IDH1/2, MGMT, 1p/19q, TERT), and treatment history. The Fosun Health Brain Glioma MDT Panel will conduct a comprehensive evaluation and deliver a personalized preliminary treatment plan—including awake surgery feasibility, TTF candidacy, and molecular-targeted options—within 48 hours.