Book an appointment

Thoracic oncology · 2026

Lung cancer treatment,
robotic surgery + NMPA targeted therapy.

VATS / robotic lobectomy from $9,500. NMPA-approved EGFR / ALK / ROS1 / RET / KRAS-G12C / MET targeted therapy. PD-1 / PD-L1 immunotherapy combinations. Proton therapy available. MDT review at flagship centres.

Get a written quote Top thoracic centres

$9,500–18k

VATS / robotic lobectomy

vs $30,000–80,000 in the US

Partner clinic quotes 2024

NMPA

Targeted approvals

Osimertinib, alectinib, lorlatinib, sotorasib, capmatinib, selpercatinib

NMPA approvals

PD-1 / PD-L1

Domestic + imports

Tislelizumab, sintilimab, pembrolizumab, atezolizumab

NMPA listings

Proton therapy

Available

Cancer Hospital of CAMS + Shanghai Proton Heavy Ion Center

Centre programs

MDT

Standard pathway

Thoracic surgery + medical onc + radiation onc + pulmonology

Standard at Class A

Bilingual

Pathology + NGS

Comprehensive panel with germline + tumour profiling

Service standard

Tiers & pricing

Six tiers, transparent pricing.

Workup

Diagnostic + staging

PET-CT, brain MRI, EBUS / mediastinoscopy, biopsy with NGS panel.

$2,500–4,500

Standard surgery

VATS lobectomy

Video-assisted lobectomy + mediastinal lymph node dissection. 5–7 day stay.

$9,500–14,500

Robotic

Robotic lobectomy

da Vinci platform. Outcomes equivalent to VATS in routine cases.

$13,500–18,500

Driver+

Targeted therapy

EGFR / ALK / ROS1 / BRAF / MET / RET / KRAS-G12C / NTRK at NMPA pricing.

$280–2,800 / month

PD-1 / PD-L1

Immunotherapy

Mono- or in combination with chemotherapy or targeted therapy.

$650–2,400 / cycle

Specialist RT

Proton therapy

For specific anatomies (apical, mediastinal, re-irradiation). Limited availability.

$45,000–80,000 / course

Top hospitals

Six centres
open to international patients.

Shanghai

Shanghai Chest Hospital 上海市胸科医院

China's leading thoracic specialty hospital · MDT lung cancer · large surgery volume

Beijing

Cancer Hospital of CAMS Thoracic 中国医学科学院肿瘤医院

National cancer reference · proton therapy · MDT thoracic oncology

Shanghai

Fudan Shanghai Cancer Center 复旦大学附属肿瘤医院

Class A · MDT lung cancer · large adjuvant volume · trial site

Guangzhou

Guangdong Lung Cancer Institute 广东省肺癌研究所

Specialty institute · trial leadership · EGFR + ALK research depth

Shanghai

Shanghai Proton Heavy Ion Center 上海质子重离子医院

Proton + heavy-ion therapy · for specific lung cancer indications

Tianjin

Tianjin Medical University Cancer Hospital 天津医科大学肿瘤医院

Class A specialty · large thoracic oncology · trial site

Cost comparison

China vs US vs UK,
real pricing.

China
United States
United Kingdom
VATS lobectomy
$9,500–$14,500
$30,000–$60,000
£12,000–£22,000
Robotic lobectomy
$13,500–$18,500
$45,000–$80,000
£18,000–£32,000
Osimertinib (monthly)
$2,200–$3,800
$15,000–$18,000
£5,000–£8,500
Pembrolizumab (cycle)
$1,800–$2,800
$10,000–$13,000
£3,500–£5,500
Proton therapy course
$45,000–$80,000
$120,000–$250,000
£90,000–£180,000

Sources: NCCN-aligned pricing, CMS HCUP 2023, NHS specialist commissioning 2024, NMPA-listed pricing, partner-hospital itemized quotes 2024–2025. Indicative; oncology pricing is highly case-specific.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions.

Why China for lung cancer?
Three reasons: (1) Volume — China has the world's largest lung cancer patient population (~750,000 new diagnoses per year) and Class A thoracic centres operate at scale unmatched globally; (2) Drug access and cost — NMPA-approved targeted therapy (osimertinib, alectinib, lorlatinib, sotorasib, capmatinib, selpercatinib, repotrectinib) and immunotherapy (tislelizumab, sintilimab, pembrolizumab) at 30–60% off US prices, with deep generic and biosimilar availability; (3) Trial access — China leads globally on next-generation EGFR inhibitors, novel ALK/ROS1 agents, KRAS-G12C combinations and bispecific antibodies.
What does the standard pathway look like?
Diagnostic — biopsy with comprehensive NGS panel (EGFR, ALK, ROS1, RET, BRAF, MET, KRAS, NTRK, ERBB2 minimum); imaging staging (chest CT, PET-CT, brain MRI); EBUS / mediastinoscopy for nodal staging if appropriate. Treatment — driver-mutation-positive disease starts targeted therapy; oligometastatic disease gets local treatment + systemic; resectable stage I–IIIA undergoes neoadjuvant + surgery + adjuvant; advanced disease gets IO + chemo or IO + targeted combinations. Top centres run weekly MDT.
What about driver-mutation-specific care?
EGFR: 1L osimertinib (Tagrisso) is NMPA-approved and listed at substantially lower cost than US; first-gen and second-gen TKIs widely available. ALK: alectinib (Alecensa), lorlatinib (Lorbrena), brigatinib widely available; first-line ensartinib also approved. ROS1: entrectinib, repotrectinib, lorlatinib. RET: selpercatinib (Retsevmo), pralsetinib. KRAS-G12C: sotorasib (Lumakras), divarasib in trials. MET exon 14: capmatinib (Tabrecta), tepotinib. NTRK: larotrectinib, entrectinib. NMPA-listed pricing 30–60% below US for most.
What about proton therapy for lung cancer?
Proton therapy reduces normal-tissue dose for selected lung cancer geometries (apical, mediastinal, re-irradiation) where conventional photon radiation has dose-volume constraint issues. Available at Cancer Hospital of CAMS (Beijing) and Shanghai Proton Heavy Ion Center. Indicative cost $45,000–$80,000 per course in China vs $120,000–$250,000 in the US. Patient selection is case-specific — proton is not better for all lung cancers and routine treatment with photon IMRT remains the standard for most.
Will my home oncologist accept the report?
We design the bilingual MDT report to be acceptable to Western oncology teams: explicit reference to NCCN / ESMO guidelines, clear staging by AJCC 8, comprehensive NGS results presented in standard format, named regimen with cycle / day-of breakdown, named clinical-trial-pipeline alternatives. We have not had a US, UK, EU, Australian or Canadian oncologist decline to review such a report. Peer-to-peer call between operating surgeon / treating medical oncologist and your home team is offered free.
What if I need long-term targeted therapy?
Long-term targeted therapy and immunotherapy continuity requires home-physician handover. Options: (1) get the prescription continued at home with the same agent (most are globally approved); (2) maintain prescription via Chinese partner and import to home country (varies by jurisdiction — confirm with home regulator); (3) shift to NMPA-only-approved agent and continue medical tourism via 3–6 month return visits. We coordinate the handover and discuss long-term continuity before treatment commences.

Related guides

Cancer Treatment Hub

All oncology pathways in China.

Read the guide

Proton Therapy

When proton therapy adds value over photon IMRT.

Read the guide

Second Opinion

Independent thoracic oncology second opinion from $250.

Read the guide

Clinical Trials

Lung cancer trial screening — NGS-driven trial matching.

Read the guide

Records Translation

Bilingual NGS, pathology and imaging.

Read the guide

Medical Companion

Bilingual companions for chemotherapy infusions and clinic visits.

Read the guide

Send your records
for an MDT lung review.

Upload pathology, NGS, imaging and treatment history. We coordinate a written MDT review at a partner thoracic centre with treatment plan, indicative cost and trial-eligibility shortlist within 7 business days.

Request a quote Cancer treatment overview

This page is for general information only and does not constitute medical advice. Lung cancer treatment depends on histology, stage, biomarkers and individual factors. We do not guarantee outcomes.