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Contact Us

Contact Us

East Japan Heavy Ion Center Office, Faculty of Medicine, Yamagata University 2-2-2 Iida Nishi Yamagata 990-9585, Japan
Telephone： +81-23-628-5404
Office hours: 9:00-17:00 (except Saturdays, Sundays, and national holidays)
Mail： yu-heavyion@jm.kj.yamagata-u.ac.jp

We do not accept consultations regarding specific indications for treatment.
Please consult with your primary physician regarding treatment details.

Please be sure to include your name, address, and e-mail address in your inquiry.If you do not provide this information, we may not be able to respond to your inquiry.

We may not be able to answer all inquiries.
In addition, depending on the inquiry, it may take several days to respond.
We will make every effort to protect the personal information provided to us when you make an inquiry. We will not use the information for any purpose other than to respond to your inquiry or provide it to any third party without your consent.

For patients living overseas who wish to have medical care at our hospital

*Medical Coordinators Connected with East Japan Heavy Ion Center

For patients from overseas who wish to have medical care at our hospital, if the patient is not covered by Japanese national health insurance, in order to provide smooth and safe medical care, all the procedures must be arranged through a medical coordinator.
Please kindly note that our hospital does not accept direct inquiries from patients living overseas who do not have Japanese national health insurance.

Name of Guarantor Emergency Assistance Japan Co., Ltd. (EAJ)
Inquiries https://www.eaj.ne.jp/maj/inquiry
Telephone +81-3-3811-8600 (English and Japanese)
+81-3-3811-8251 (Chinese / call to Japan)
+86-10-8592-7080 (Chinese / call to Beijing, 010-8592-7080 call inside China)
FAX +81-3-3811-8650
e-mail / HP mj-info@emergency.co.jp
http://maj.emergency.co.jp/
Languages English, Chinese, and others
Medical Coordination Services - Hospital arrangements (obtaining appointments)
- Support for obtaining a medical stay visa
- Payment intermediary services
- Medical interpretation and translation services
- Making initial appointment at the medical provider
- Accommodation and transportation arrangements
- Around-the-clock in English etc.
* For those who does not have Japanese national health insurance, you will be asked to pay 30 yen per 1 medical remuneration point.
* Medical coordination service fees have to be paid by patients.

Frequently Asked Questions

Frequently Asked Questions

About Treatment

Q 1 
How long does it take from the start of preparation to the start of treatment?
A 1 
It depends on the disease to be treated, but it takes about 2 to 4 weeks (1 to 6 months for prostate cancer, including the hormone treatment period). At the initial consultation, based on the results of the patient's various tests, we will diagnose whether the patient is eligible for carbon-ion radiotherapy. If the patient is eligible, fixation devices will be made and CT imaging will be performed to prepare for the treatment planning and to ensure accurate irradiation. However, the schedule may depend on the treatment slots.
Q 2 
Will I be hospitalized or will I receive treatment on an outpatient basis during the irradiation period?
A 2 
Carbon-ion radiotherapy requires a low physical burden and can be performed on an outpatient basis. Patients who live far from the hospital and have difficulty making each visit, please use accommodations in the area. Depending on the nature of the treatment, such as co-morbidities or the use of anticancer drugs, carbon-ion radiotherapy may be performed as an inpatient.
Q 3 
How long is one irradiation and how many irradiations are required?
A 3 
The time required for one irradiation varies depending on the area to be treated and ranges from a few minutes to several dozens of minutes. The time from entering the irradiation room to the end of treatment is about 15 to 30 minutes. The time may vary depending on the disease. The number of irradiations also varies depending on the disease, but irradiation is performed from 1 to 20 times.
Q 4 
What is the difference from surgery, chemotherapy, and immunotherapy?
A 4 
Carbon-ion radiotherapy is focused on the targeted lesion (localized therapy), so its purpose is similar to that of surgery. On the other hand, chemotherapy and immunotherapy treat cancer cells throughout the body. In practice, carbon-ion radiotherapy is sometimes combined with other therapies at various times to take advantage of the characteristics of each.
Q 5 
What is the difference from X-rays and proton beams?
A 5 
Carbon-ion radiotherapy allows pinpoint irradiation according to the size and depth of the cancer, so the irradiation can be concentrated on the cancer while minimizing the effect on normal tissue compared to X-rays. In addition, the cancer-killing effect is supposed to be about 2 to 3 times higher than that of X-rays and protons, so it is effective for cancers that do not respond well to radiation, and treatment can be performed with fewer irradiations.
Q 6 
What parts of the body are currently targeted for carbon-ion radiotherapy?
A 6 
Please refer to the "For Those Considering Carbon-ion Radiotherapy > Eligible Cancers" page on the Center's website.

Targeted Cancers
*For more detailed information on eligible diseases, please consult your doctor.

Q 7 
Are there any cases in which I cannot receive carbon-ion radiotherapy?
A 7 
Carbon-ion radiotherapy is only available for patients with a confirmed diagnosis of cancer without distant metastasis and whose lesions can be confirmed by imaging. However, even in cases of distant metastasis, treatment may be indicated if a long-term prognosis is expected. In addition, treatment may be difficult in areas close to the skin or organs such as the stomach and intestines. For more information, we recommend consulting with a radiation oncologist.
Q 8 
I have heard that I cannot receive carbon-ion radiotherapy if I have received radiotherapy before.
A 8 
There is a limit to the amount of irradiation to each organ that can be exposed to, and this is determined based on the type of treatment you have received in the past. Therefore, if you wish to receive carbon-ion radiotherapy, you should first consult with your primary physician or family physician. After that, a local medical institution will refer you to our hospital for treatment, and a decision will be made on an individual basis after your consultation.
Q 9 
Are there any other facilities that can provide carbon-ion radiotherapy?
A 9 
Currently, there are seven facilities in Japan that offer carbon-ion radiotherapy. Except for our hospital, carbon-ion radiotherapy is available at QST Hospital (former Hospital of the National Institute of Radiological Sciences) in Chiba, Gunma University Hospital Heavy Ion Medical Center, Kanagawa Cancer Center, Osaka Heavy Ion Therapy Center, Hyogo Ion Beam Medical Center, and Saga Heavy Ion Medical Accelerator in Tosu.
Q 10 
Can't I receive surgery after carbon-ion radiotherapy?
A 10 
Surgery may not be possible after radiation therapy, but there are cases in which surgery has been performed. Please consult with your doctor.
Q 11 
I have a pacemaker. Can I receive carbon-ion radiotherapy?
A 11 
If you have a pacemaker, a decision will be made as to whether or not carbon-ion radiotherapy can be performed depending on the location to be irradiated. In the case of prostate cancer, it is almost always indicated.
Q 12 
Are there any side effects associated with carbon-ion radiotherapy?
A 12 
You will not feel pain or heat during irradiation. Side effects may occur during and after the treatment period, but the symptoms vary depending on the irradiated area.
Q 13 
Can I stop treatment in the middle of treatment?
A 13 
If you stop the treatment in the middle of the treatment, the effect of the treatment will be greatly reduced.
If you cannot come to the hospital during the treatment period due to unavoidable circumstances, please consult with your doctor at the Center before starting the treatment. If you stop the treatment, we will conduct another examination and make a new decision about the treatment.
Q 14 
Can I smoke or drink alcohol during treatment?
A 14 
For head and neck cancer and lung cancer, smoking during radiotherapy is said to increase the side effects and decrease the effectiveness of treatment. Since the side effects in other cancers may also increase, we recommend that you quit smoking.
We may ask you to refrain from drinking alcohol, as it may increase the risk of worsening edema caused by the treatment.

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