On October 19-21, 2018, the First China Union Colorectal Cancer Summit & Laparoscopic Surgery Advanced Class was held in Beijing. The event was hosted by the Chinese Medical Association Publishing House and organized by PUMCH, Fujian Medical University Union Hospital and Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology. This was the first time that three “Union” hospitals got together and experts from across the country brought latest developments in clinical fields.

The event took various forms, including themed speeches, clinical discussions, basic topic lectures, multi-disciplinary consultation of difficult cases, surgery video presentations and demonstration of different surgical methods.

Professor Zheng Minhua from Shanghai Ruijin Hospital, in his humorous language, talked about the development and future of laparoscopic colorectal cancer surgery. Professor Zhang Zhongtao from Beijing Friendship Hospital pointed out that surgeons should pay attention to the construction of data bank and clinical research. Professor Chi Pan and Professor Kang Liang from Zhongshan University Affiliated No.6 Hospital gave respective reports on important issues in TME and TaTME. Professor Du Xiaohui from 301 Hospital gave an introduction of robot assisted surgery, and also stressed that such surgery should be used in a rational, moderate manner.

Regarding the many unsettled questions in clinical fields, Professor Xiao Yi shared his experience and thoughts on laparoscopic surgery for carcinoma of transverse colon. Professor Tao Kaixiong talked about disputes and thoughts in the treatment of vessels. Professor Ye Shengwei from Hubei Cancer Hospital shared his views on recurring cancer.

Anatomical and surgical skills are essential for any surgeon. At lunch time, Professor Xiao Yi and Professor Liu Qian from Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences gave respective lectures on laparoscopic anatomy of superior mesenteric vessels and its distributaries and lateral lymph node dissection in low rectal cancer.

Clinical study has in recent years gained more attention from Chinese surgeons. Professor Xiao Yi shared experience on building basic platform of clinical research. Professor Li Wei from Medical Research & Biometrics Center, National Center for Cardiovascular Diseases shared on the statistical treatment of errors in studies. Professor Liu Gaifen from Beijing Tiantan Hospital gave an introduction on the construction and application of clinical data bank. Professor Jiang Weizhong from Fujian Medical University Union Hospital, Professor Yao Hongwei from Beijing Friendship Hospital and Attending Surgeon Lu Junyang from PUMCH summed up their respective experiences on LASRE, COLOR III China and RELARC studies.

Surgical video presentation is another must. This was done by six professors (Guan Guoxian from Fujian Medical University Union Hospital, Feng Bo from Shanghai Ruijin Hospital, Gao Jinbo, Shuai Xiaoming from Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, and Wu Bin, Lin Guole from PUMCH), covering intersphincteric resection (ISR), laparoscopic surgery of low rectal cancer retaining left colic artery, right hemicolectomy-hybrid medial approach (HMA) CME, laparoscopic right hemicolectomy surgery, TEM-based TaTME, and laparoscopic left hemicolectomy surgery.

At the multi-disciplinary sub-conference, Professor Yang Dongdong from the Fourth Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Professor Xue Huadan from Radiology, PUMCH, Associate Professor Zhou Weixun from Pathology, PUMCH and Associate Professor Zhao Lin from Oncology, PUMCH gave lectures on basic clinical topics including pelvic anatomy, rectal MRI, colorectal cancer pathology and molecular classification, and 2018 ASCO and NCCN developments. Based on that, Professor Wu Aiwen from Beijing Cancer Hospital shared strategies on clinical remission of neoadjunctive therapy for rectal cancer. MDT from the three Union hospitals also carried out discussions on difficult cases.

On the 21st, professors from the three Union hospitals, Qiu Huizhong, Xiao Yi, Chi Pan and Tao Kaixiong gave demonstrations of TaTME, laparoscopic right hemicolectomy surgery, laparoscopic surgery for rectal cancer and laparoscopic surgery for carcinoma of transverse colon.

The conference attracted surgeons from across the country. The event was broadcast live and received more than 2,000 views, and the surgery demonstrations received more than 5,000 hits.

Opening ceremony

Participants from three Union hospitals