Peking University Cancer Hospital

Overview

Founded in 1976, Peking University Cancer Hospital (PKUCH) / Beijing Cancer Hospital—incorporating the Beijing Institute for Cancer Research and the Peking University School of Oncology—is a preeminent, research-driven academic medical center at the vanguard of oncology innovation in China. As a Grade A Tertiary specialized hospital affiliated with Peking University and co-administered by the Beijing Municipal Health Commission, PKUCH seamlessly integrates clinical care, medical education, scientific research, and cancer prevention. The hospital also serves as Beijing’s sole designated center for cancer registration and survival statistics, contributing essential data to national health registries and the World Health Organization (WHO) to support cancer control efforts both domestically and globally. 

PKUCH maintains a comprehensive clinical and research infrastructure, comprising 36 clinical departments, 14 medical technology departments, and 15 basic research laboratories and supporting facilities. With 848 operational beds, the hospital recorded approximately 910,000 outpatient visits, 130,000 inpatient discharges, and over 17,000 surgical procedures in 2025. As a leading national hub for clinical innovation, PKUCH currently oversees around 1,200 ongoing clinical trials, enrolling more than 3,600 patients annually. Over the past five years, the hospital has led or participated in clinical trials for over 160 (70%) newly launched drugs in China. 

Guided by a talent-driven development strategy, PKUCH is home to a distinguished faculty that includes two Members of the Chinese Academy of Engineering, an International Member of the U.S. National Academy of Medicine, and two Members of the Academic Advisory Committee of the Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences. In addition, more than 400 staff members have been selected for prestigious talent programs at the national, ministerial, and municipal levels. This concentration of top-tier professionals ensures that PKUCH remains at the forefront of both clinical excellence and scientific innovation. 

Clinical Excellence

Aligned with the Healthy China Initiative, PKUCH has established two flagship, academician-led centers—the Gastrointestinal (GI) Cancer Center and the Thoracic Cancer Center—to spearhead high-quality development across all oncology disciplines. The hospital provides patient-centered, standardized, and comprehensive care for a broad spectrum of malignancies, including gastric, lung, breast, colorectal, esophageal, liver, pancreatic, urological, gynecological, head and neck, and bone and soft tissue cancers, as well as lymphoma and malignant melanoma. Treatment strategies integrate advanced modalities such as surgery, chemotherapy, radiotherapy, immunotherapy, and targeted therapy. As a pioneer of the Multidisciplinary Team (MDT) model in China, PKUCH was designated by the National Health Commission as one of the country’s first pilot institutions. This sustained commitment to collaborative, evidence-based care continuously optimizes clinical outcomes and enhances the overall patient experience. 

Education and Training

Adhering to its core mission of nurturing well-rounded medical professionals, PKUCH has established a comprehensive education system offering nine academic and five professional doctoral programs across multiple disciplines. The hospital serves as a National Standardized Residency Training Base across five specialties, a municipal pilot institution pioneering integrated medical and surgical oncology training, and a fellowship training base for Peking University Health Science Center covering ten specialties. Supported by a faculty of 101 doctoral supervisors and 70 master’s supervisors, PKUCH has mentored over 1,500 postgraduate alumni. Our commitment to advancing global medicine is further reflected in our continuing medical education (CME) programs, which have trained more than 600 medical professionals from across China and around the world. 

Research and Innovation

The hospital’s foundation is built upon the Beijing Institute for Cancer Research, an institution of significant historical prestige whose name was personally inscribed in 1975 by Zhu De, then Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress. Since its inception, the Institute has remained at the forefront of oncology innovation, maintaining leadership in basic cancer theory, advanced diagnostics and therapeutics, and population-based interventions. The legacy of prevention is exemplified by the long-term operation of two high-incidence field sites dedicated to large-scale epidemiological research and prevention efforts targeting gastric and esophageal cancers. 

PKUCH’s research sector operates within a systematically integrated framework, comprising 11 basic research laboratories and 4 centralized platform facilities, including China’s earliest and most extensive cancer biobank. Supported by a dedicated team of over 120 high‑level scientific and technical professionals, the hospital drives a robust research strategy focused on gastrointestinal, lung, and breast cancers, as well as lymphoma and malignant melanoma. Its scientific roadmap spans the full continuum of cancer science, prioritizing etiology and primary prevention, pathogenesis, diagnostic and therapeutic innovation, and clinical translation. 

To date, PKUCH research teams have undertaken more than 860 national and 550 provincial/ministerial projects, won more than 240 prestigious awards, and secured nearly 500 national patents. The hospital has executed approximately 30 major technology transfer agreements with a cumulative value exceeding RMB 225 million, evidencing a robust innovation ecosystem that effectively translates scientific discovery into global health impact. PKUCH scholars have published more than 9,000 papers in leading domestic and international journals, including over 4,100 SCI-indexed articles, with many landmark studies featured in the world’s most prestigious medical and scientific publications, such as The New England Journal of Medicine, The Lancet, BMJ, JAMA, Science, Nature, and Cell, as well as top-tier specialty journals including The Lancet Oncology, Nature Medicine, Cancer Cell, Annals of Oncology, and the Journal of Clinical Oncology. 

Platforms and Designations

PKUCH is home to the National Key Discipline of Oncology and serves as a cornerstone of Peking University’s “Double First-Class” initiative in Clinical and Basic Medicine. The hospital also hosts two National Key Clinical Specialties in Oncology and Pathology, and a Beijing Municipal Key Clinical Specialty in Medical Oncology. Its advanced research ecosystem is anchored by an elite array of national and ministerial platforms, including:

• National Key Laboratories

- Integrated Prevention and Treatment of GI Cancers

- Molecular Oncology

• Ministry of Education Platforms

- Key Laboratory for Carcinogenesis and Translational Research

- Frontiers Science Center for Cancer Integrative Multi-Omics

• Beijing Municipal Key Laboratories

- Cell and Gene Therapy for Solid Tumors

- Radiopharmaceutical Research and Evaluation

• Beijing Engineering Research Center

- R&D of Novel Anticancer Drugs and Technologies

• China Atomic Energy Authority R&D Center for Nuclear Technology

- Radiopharmaceutical R&D and Clinical Application

• National Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine Laboratory

- Grade III Laboratory of Traditional Chinese Medicine Pharmacology (Oncology)

• Beijing International Science and Technology Cooperation

- Gastrointestinal Cancers

• Ministry of Science and Technology Information Platform

- Evaluation of Efficacy and Safety of Novel Anticancer Drugs 

Furthermore, PKUCH was designated as one of China’s inaugural National Pilot Sites for the clinical application of high-throughput gene sequencing in cancer diagnosis and treatment, as well as one of Beijing’s first Exemplary Research Wards, and Demonstration and Promotion Centers for Clinical Application of Innovative Drugs and Medical Devices, with a special focus on medical oncology and surgical robotics. PKUCH further extends its influence as the permanent secretariat and supporting entity for the Beijing Cancer Association and the Beijing Cancer Rehabilitation Society. 

A Vision for the Future

As Peking University Cancer Hospital celebrates 50 years of clinical and academic excellence, it enters a new era of transformative growth. Upholding an unwavering commitment to public service and academic advancement, the hospital remains steadfast in its vision of becoming a world-renowned oncology group and a trusted international destination for cancer care. In doing so, PKUCH strives to make a lasting contribution to the Healthy China Initiative and the shared well-being of humanity.