Which Chinese city offers the best liver treatment?

As an observer who has long tracked global healthcare trends, I've noticed a phenomenon in recent years: an increasing number of liver disease patients from Europe, America, Southeast Asia, and even the Middle East are turning their attention to China. Once viewed as a “country with a high incidence of liver disease,” China has quietly emerged as a “new global hub” for liver disease diagnosis and treatment. Whether it's antiviral therapy for hepatitis B/C, comprehensive management of cirrhosis, liver cancer surgery, or liver transplantation, multiple Chinese cities are gaining international recognition for their top-tier specialized expertise, innovative technologies, and global-standard services.

When asked, “Which Chinese city offers the best liver treatment?”, there may be no absolute “number one.” However, Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, and Chengdu each form a distinct “golden matrix” for liver disease treatment in China through their specialized strengths. Below, we break down the core competitiveness of these four cities based on the actual needs of foreign patients.

I. Beijing: The “National Team” for Complex Cases and a Research Hub

Beijing's liver treatment resources epitomize China's top-tier medical “national team” standards. Among these, the Fifth Medical Center of the PLA General Hospital (formerly 302 Hospital) garners the most international attention. This Class-A tertiary hospital, renowned for infectious disease expertise, boasts over 70 years of accumulated experience in hepatology. It maintains a nationally leading comprehensive success rate in treating complex cases such as severe hepatitis, liver failure, and autoimmune liver diseases. Its Hepatology Research Institute leads multiple national scientific projects under the 13th and 14th Five-Year Plans and has directly participated in global multi-center trials for hepatitis B functional cure medications.

For international patients, another major advantage of the Fifth Medical Center is its multidisciplinary team (MDT) approach. For complex conditions like liver cancer combined with hepatitis B or cirrhosis with portal hypertension, the hospital integrates specialists from infectious diseases, hepatobiliary surgery, interventional radiology, and imaging for collaborative diagnosis and treatment. This “one-stop” solution is particularly well-suited for international patients with challenging conditions. Additionally, the hospital has established an International Medical Department in recent years, offering services like English medical record translation and bilingual medical communication to alleviate language barriers for foreign patients.

II. Shanghai: A Benchmark for Precision Liver Cancer Treatment

Shanghai's liver treatment excellence lies in the precision and internationalization of its comprehensive liver cancer care. The Hepatobiliary Surgery Department at Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, ranks among the world's leading centers for liver cancer surgeries (performing over 3,000 procedures annually). Its integrated management system—spanning early diagnosis, minimally invasive resection, and postoperative recurrence prevention—has been incorporated into multiple national liver cancer treatment guidelines. Particularly in radiofrequency ablation for early-stage liver cancer and conversion therapy for advanced-stage liver cancer (surgery following tumor shrinkage via targeted + immunotherapy), Zhongshan Hospital's clinical data ranks among the world's top tier.

Another notable institution is Renji Hospital, affiliated with Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine. Its Hepatobiliary Surgery Department, in collaboration with the Shanghai Cancer Institute, leads global research on liver cancer metastasis mechanisms. These findings have been translated into novel targeted drugs (e.g., clinical trials for new liver cancer drugs targeting specific gene mutations). For international patients, Renji Hospital's International Outpatient Department directly accepts overseas health insurance, and some clinical trials enroll international participants—making it highly attractive for those seeking cutting-edge therapies.

III. Guangzhou: The “Double Champion” in Liver Transplant Efficiency and Volume

For patients requiring liver transplants, Guangzhou stands as nearly the optimal solution globally. The Liver Transplant Center at Nanfang Hospital of Southern Medical University has maintained China's highest annual transplant volume for 15 consecutive years (exceeding 600 procedures annually), with a three-year survival rate surpassing 85% (approaching top European and American standards). Crucially, donor allocation efficiency is exceptionally high here. Leveraging South China's dense population and mature organ donation network, patients typically wait only 2-4 weeks for transplantation (compared to over 6 months in Europe and America).

The Hepatology Department at The Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University offers “integrated pre- and post-transplant management.” From preoperative evaluation and postoperative anti-rejection therapy to long-term follow-up, its team has developed a combined prophylaxis regimen of “nucleoside analogues + hepatitis B immunoglobulin” specifically targeting the common recurrence of hepatitis B-related liver disease post-transplant in Asians. This approach has reduced recurrence rates to below 5%, a breakthrough featured in a special report by Hepatology, the top-tier journal in hepatology. For international patients, the International Transplant Center at Southern Hospital offers fully English-language medical record management and even supports remote donor compatibility assessments for some patients from the Middle East and Southeast Asia.

IV. Chengdu: The Emerging “Western Hepatology Treatment Center”

In recent years, Chengdu has emerged as a new hub for liver treatment in western China and across the nation, driven by the rise of West China Hospital of Sichuan University. The Infectious Diseases Center at West China Hospital is a nationally recognized key discipline, ranking among China's top tier in areas such as mother-to-child transmission prevention for hepatitis B and pan-genotypic treatment for hepatitis C. Its distinctive strength lies in a closed-loop “basic research-clinical translation” model. Leveraging the National Key Laboratory of Biotherapy at West China, multiple novel inhibitors targeting hepatitis B virus cccDNA (covalently closed circular DNA) have advanced to Phase II clinical trials, offering new possibilities for achieving a functional cure in hepatitis B.

For Southeast Asian patients, Chengdu's geographical advantage (serving Southeast Asia) and cost-effectiveness (medical expenses approximately 1/3 to 1/2 of those in Europe and America) are highly attractive. The International Medical Department at West China Hospital has established a “green referral channel” for patients arriving via direct flights from multiple Southeast Asian countries, completing initial assessments within just 3 days from arrival.

V. Advice for Foreign Patients: “Choose a City Based on Your Condition” for Greater Efficiency

China's liver treatment landscape is not characterized by a single dominant center but rather by specialized expertise:

• For severe hepatitis or autoimmune liver diseases, prioritize Beijing (Fifth Medical Center);

• For liver cancer (especially requiring surgery or translational therapy), Shanghai (Zhongshan Hospital, Renji Hospital) holds greater advantages;

• For liver transplants, Guangzhou (Southern Hospital) leads globally in efficiency and survival rates;

• For cutting-edge research like a functional cure for hepatitis B, Chengdu (West China Hospital) offers abundant clinical trial resources.

Conclusion: Why China Emerges as a “New Choice” for Liver Disease Treatment?

Feedback from international patients reveals that China's rise in liver care stems not only from technological advancements driven by its massive patient base (China once accounted for one-third of global HBV carriers, accelerating diagnostic and therapeutic improvements) but also from a triple engine of policy support, clinical innovation, and internationalized services. Today, China's top liver disease centers rank among the world's top five in terms of published papers, patents, and participation in international guidelines. Details like multilingual services, cross-border medical insurance coordination, and open clinical trials have elevated “Chinese treatment” from an ‘option’ to a “preferred choice.”

For global liver disease patients, China may not be the “only option,” but it is undoubtedly a “choice worth exploring in depth.” After all, on the battlefield against liver diseases, the doctors here possess both the hard power to treat major illnesses and the soft power to truly understand patients.

Document dated 2025-11-21 10:26 Modify