Baiyun District has a permanent resident population of 3.74 million, making it the most populous district in Guangzhou. The demand for oncology services is consequently very high. Ensuring that patients in Baiyun District can access high-quality cancer diagnosis and treatment services close to home is an urgent issue that needs to be addressed. It was against this backdrop that the Oncology Branch of the Guangzhou Baiyun District Medical Association was established on the morning of February 25th. The inauguration ceremony and the first Southern Summit on Tumor Immunotherapy, Targeted Therapy, and Minimally Invasive Treatment were held at the Third Affiliated Hospital of Guangdong Pharmaceutical University.
According to statistics, in 2020, cancer mortality accounted for 23.87% of all causes of death in China, meaning that roughly one out of every five deaths was due to cancer. Lung cancer mortality has increased nearly ninefold over the past 50 years, and breast cancer mortality among women has shown a clear upward trend in recent years. Mortality rates for lung, liver, and stomach cancers have shifted from being higher in urban areas to now being higher in rural areas.
Wang Jian, Chair of the Oncology Branch of the Guangzhou Baiyun District Medical Association and Director of the Fifth Oncology Department at Guangdong Pharmaceutical University Guangzhou Fosun Chancheng Hospital, explained that the establishment of the Oncology Branch will provide a convenient platform for oncology specialists within the district to exchange knowledge, learn from each other, and make collective progress. It aims to foster positive interaction and trust among medical institutions, thereby offering more treatment options for cancer patients. Additionally, oncology experts will have the opportunity to engage with local communities to普及 (popularize) knowledge on cancer prevention and control, benefiting the district's population.
Establishing an Interconnected Multidisciplinary Consultation Model within the District
Following the inauguration ceremony of the Oncology Branch, academic presentations were delivered by experts including Dr. Ding Ya from Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Dr. Yang Jun from Foshan Fosun Chancheng Hospital, and Chief Physician Wang Jian from Guangdong Pharmaceutical University Guangzhou Fosun Chancheng Hospital. The topics covered included "Management of Adverse Reactions to Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors," "Clinical Application of CyberKnife," and "Case Studies in Comprehensive Cancer Treatment."
Wang Jian noted that beyond academic lectures like these, future activities would include on-site observation and learning sessions. Through the analysis of typical cases, they aim to promote the application and普及 (popularization) of new technologies and therapies. He added that there will be diverse formats for oncology specialists in the district to communicate and learn, including the establishment of an oncology expert network and an interconnected multidisciplinary team (MDT) consultation model within the district. This will facilitate resource sharing and provide solutions for complex cases, ultimately benefiting patients.
To enhance the core competitiveness of cancer diagnosis and treatment in Baiyun District, relying solely on a few large hospitals is insufficient. It is understood that the newly established Oncology Branch of the Guangzhou Baiyun District Medical Association currently has over 190 registered members, primarily physicians, from tertiary, secondary, and primary hospitals within Baiyun District. "We specifically included grassroots medical staff from community hospitals as members. They serve as the health gatekeepers for community residents, and improving their awareness of cancer prevention and control is crucial for early diagnosis and treatment," Wang Jian explained.
It is noted that minimally invasive interventional oncology is a key focus area for Guangdong Pharmaceutical University Guangzhou Fosun Chancheng Hospital. The hospital has established and matured five advanced treatment technologies in this field. On October 13, 2022, the "Luo Pengfei Programmatic Interventional Oncology Therapy," innovatively developed by the Luo Pengfei · Wang Jian Programmatic Interventional Oncology Research Team, was granted a patent by the Luxembourg Intellectual Property Office. This marks the first intellectual property from China's interventional oncology sector to receive foreign patent authorization.
"Since last year, we have accelerated the implementation of the MDT model. This has not only greatly benefited our medical staff but also provided better diagnostic and treatment services for our patients," stated Chen Wenming, President of Guangdong Pharmaceutical University Guangzhou Fosun Chancheng Hospital. He explained that the Oncology department is one of the key specialties being developed by the hospital, currently offering 200 beds across five wards. By attracting renowned physicians and acquiring new equipment, the hospital has significantly diversified its cancer treatment capabilities. It is now well-equipped to perform surgeries and provide treatment for conditions such as lung cancer, esophageal cancer, liver cancer, metastatic lung tumors, glioma, and meningioma.
