China is home to the world’s largest patient population of nervous system tumors,with top-tier neurosurgical centers (e.g., Beijing Tiantan Hospital, Huashan Hospital of Fudan University, Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital) performing tens of thousands of NST surgeries annually. This massive clinical volume has fostered unparalleled surgical expertise, particularly in the treatment of complex and high-risk cases that are deemed unresectable in many Western centers, such as brainstem gliomas, deep thalamic tumors, complex skull base tumors, and intramedullary spinal cord tumors. Chinese neurosurgeons have pioneered and refined numerous minimally invasive and neuroprotective surgical techniques, with intraoperative multimodal monitoring (iMRI, IONM, fluorescence guidance) widely implemented in tertiary hospitals, achieving leading global outcomes in terms of gross total resection rate, perioperative safety, and long-term neurological function preservation.

China has rapidly expanded its access to cutting-edge radiotherapy technology, with over 40 proton and heavy ion treatment centers in operation or under construction (led by the Shanghai Proton and Heavy Ion Center, one of the world’s most advanced hadron therapy facilities). Precision radiotherapy modalities including SRS, IMRT, VMAT, and image-guided radiation therapy (IGRT) are widely available in tertiary hospitals across the country, with optimized treatment protocols tailored to Asian patient populations to maximize anti-tumor efficacy while minimizing acute and long-term toxicities. Notably, the cost of radiotherapy in China is only 1/3 to 1/5 of that in the United States and Western Europe, eliminating the financial barriers that limit access to advanced radiotherapy for many patients globally.

Top neuro-oncology centers in China have fully integrated and standardized MDT care models, bringing together specialists from neurosurgery, radiation oncology, neuro-oncology, neuropathology, neuroradiology, neurorehabilitation, and traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). This collaborative approach ensures that every patient receives a personalized, holistic treatment plan from diagnosis through post-treatment follow-up and rehabilitation, rather than fragmented single-specialty care. The MDT model is particularly effective for managing recurrent, refractory, and rare NSTs, where cross-specialty expertise is critical to optimizing survival outcomes and quality of life.

Compared to Western countries, China offers NST treatment of equal international standard at a fraction of the cost: the total cost of surgical resection, chemoradiotherapy, and comprehensive care is typically 1/5 to 1/3 of that in the U.S. and Western Europe. In addition, unlike many Western centers with long wait times for surgery and radiotherapy, top Chinese neuro-oncology centers offer rapid access to care, with minimal waiting periods for diagnostic workup, surgery, and adjuvant treatment, which is particularly critical for patients with aggressive, fast-growing malignant NSTs where timely intervention directly impacts survival outcomes.