Updated: 18 hours ago
Medically Reviewed by Dr .Wang team ChinaCureLink
If you’re looking for a melanoma hospital in China, start with Peking University Cancer Hospital in Beijing, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, and Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center in Guangzhou. The right choice depends on where your melanoma started, whether it can be removed, and what treatments you’ve already had.
Key Takeaways |
• Match the hospital to the melanoma subtype and stage. • Compare three documented melanoma teams in Beijing, Shanghai, and Guangzhou. • China has an approved toripalimab indication. LM103 cell therapy is still being studied. • Confirm hospital acceptance, costs, and follow-up before travel. |
Table of Contents
What to Look For in a Melanoma Hospital
Start with the subtype and stage. Cutaneous melanoma starts in the skin. Acral melanoma is a form that starts on the palms, soles, or under a nail. Mucosal melanoma starts in a lining such as the nose or rectum. Melanoma of the eye has a separate care pathway. A hospital that can explain the pathology and tailor the plan to the subtype is more useful than a general cancer ranking.
For localized cutaneous melanoma, surgery is usually central to care. Ask whether sentinel lymph node staging is appropriate. For advanced disease, the team should review prior immunotherapy and check whether BRAF V600 testing or other subtype-specific testing could change treatment. A BRAF V600 result can open a targeted treatment option. ESMO melanoma guidelines
A melanoma team can explain whether a mutation opens a treatment option and where targeted therapy in China fits alongside surgery or immunotherapy.
Use the broader guide to cancer treatment in China to compare how hospitals coordinate care.
Approved Treatment and Emerging Research in China
Toripalimab is an approved option for certain patients in China. In April 2025, China approved this PD-1 immunotherapy as first-line treatment for unresectable or metastatic melanoma. In the 255-patient randomized phase III study cited by the sponsor, median progression-free survival was 2.3 months with toripalimab and 2.1 months with dacarbazine. The trial compared it with chemotherapy, so it cannot tell patients how toripalimab compares with a modern checkpoint inhibitor combination. China approval and phase III results
LM103 TIL therapy remains investigational. TIL stands for tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes, immune cells taken from a patient’s tumor and multiplied in a lab. In an October 2026 Chinese phase I study of 14 patients with metastatic melanoma resistant to standard treatment, 5 responded (35.7%), and median progression-free survival was 4.5 months. All patients experienced capillary leak syndrome and suppression of blood cell production. Severe neutropenia occurred in 78.6%. The study had no control group. Published LM103 phase I study
The U.S. FDA granted accelerated approval to a different TIL product, lifileucel, for certain adults with unresectable or metastatic melanoma after PD-1 treatment and, if BRAF V600 positive, appropriate BRAF-targeted treatment. Ask which option is actually available where you live and whether a Chinese site can screen you before travel. FDA lifileucel decision
Three Public Melanoma Centers to Compare
The shortlist is based on documented melanoma departments, research, and care pathways. General oncology rankings describe institutional reputation and do not measure melanoma-specific outcomes. Confirm which team handles your subtype, who will review your case, and where you would receive care.
Peking University Cancer Hospital — Beijing
The hospital has a dedicated melanoma and sarcoma medical oncology team and led research on LM103. Consider it for an advanced melanoma second opinion, especially after prior immunotherapy.
For local planning, compare Beijing hospitals for international patients.
Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center — Shanghai
Its melanoma center is based in Bone and Soft Tissue Surgery. The hospital helped lead a Chinese surgical consensus for cutaneous and acral melanoma. Consider it for an opinion on surgery or staging for an acral primary.
For local planning, compare Shanghai hospitals for international patients.
Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center — Guangzhou
The hospital lists a dedicated melanoma and sarcoma ward within its Biotherapy Center. Consider it for a medical oncology review of recurrent or advanced melanoma.
Private Cancer Hospitals in Guangzhou
Fuda Cancer Hospital and Modern Cancer Hospital Guangzhou describe minimally invasive oncology services. Guangzhou Concord Cancer Center lists medical oncology and radiotherapy, including proton therapy. RoyalLee Cancer Center emphasizes international patient services. Compare these practical strengths with the public centers’ documented melanoma teams. Before agreeing to a private plan, ask who will review your pathology, whether the proposed treatment is standard for your subtype, and who manages serious side effects. Fuda · Modern · Concord · RoyalLee
Costs, Eligibility, and Care After Travel
Get the treatment plan in writing before booking flights. For a drug, ask for its exact name, approved indication, expected schedule and whether the hospital accepts international patients for that treatment. If you are comparing cancer clinical trials in China, ask the site to review your prior treatments, current health, and any brain metastases against the trial rules.
Three common barriers are sending biopsy material across borders, confirming whether a trial can screen patients from abroad, and arranging care for delayed side effects once home. Ask for an itemized estimate covering tests, drugs, admission, supportive care and follow-up. The guide to cancer treatment costs in China explains what to compare.
Independent Guidance Before Travel
ChinaCureLink, a Medebound HEALTH company, can review your pathology, biomarkers, scans and treatment history, then help identify which specialists to ask. The initial advisory call and hospital matching are free. A specialist video second opinion is a paid consultation, with the fee confirmed before booking.
A Published TIL Case From Tianjin
A 2026 case report described a patient with stage IV nasal mucosal melanoma that had progressed after several immunotherapy treatments. After the first investigational LM103 infusion, imaging showed a partial response at six weeks and a complete response at 12 weeks. The cancer returned seven months later. A third infusion produced another partial response. Outcomes vary, and a specialist can help you weigh the risks before you travel. Published case report
Practical Next Steps
Send your pathology report, original scans, mutation results and treatment timeline for review. Compare written recommendations and clarify whether each option is approved care or a trial. Before you travel to China for medical treatment, confirm fees, the earliest appointment, and who will manage side effects and follow-up.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which melanoma hospital in China should I contact first?
For advanced disease, Peking University Cancer Hospital is a starting point for a systemic treatment review. Fudan is worth comparing for acral surgery, and Sun Yat-sen has a dedicated melanoma medical team. Send the same records to each team for a meaningful comparison.
Can international patients receive TIL therapy in China?
Access depends on the specific product, protocol, site, and eligibility rules. Ask for the trial ID, recruitment status, eligibility criteria and written confirmation that international patients can be screened before booking travel.
What records should I send for a second opinion?
Send the biopsy and pathology reports, scan reports and image files, mutation results, treatment dates, best response and any serious side effects. Ask whether the hospital needs slides or a tissue block.
How much does melanoma treatment in China cost?
Request a written, itemized estimate. Ask whether it covers pathology review, molecular testing, drugs, hospital stays, supportive care, complications and follow-up. Research-related costs and routine care can be billed differently.
Bottom Line
The best melanoma hospital in China for your case is the one that can explain how your subtype, stage and past treatment shape the next decision. Get an individualized specialist opinion before you travel.
