Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center
General Thoracic
Member Since: 2011
Biography:
Director of the Institute of Thoracic Oncology at Fudan University, Chairman of Department of Thoracic Surgery at Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Team Head of the Thoracic Oncology MDT, Director of the Lung Cancer Prevention and Treatment Center.
He currently serves as the member of the AATS (2011-), Membership of the Development Committee (2016-2017, 2021-), Education Committee (2019-2022), and Thoracic Clinical Practice Standards Committee (2020-2023). He also served as the committee member of the International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer (IASLC) Staging and Prognostic Factors Group for the 10th Edition (2025-2031). International Director of the Society of Thoracic Surgeons (STS, 2016-2019). Member of the European Society of Thoracic Surgeons (ESTS, 2015-) and Council member of the Asian Society for Cardiovascular and Thoracic Surgery (ASCVTS, 2016-2019). Fellow of the Royal College of Surgeon of England (2022). Editorial Board Member of J THORAC CARDIOV SUR and ANNALS OF SUGERICAL ONCOLOGY, Deputy Editor-in-Chief of the J CANCER RES CLIN, and Associate Editor of J CANCER RES CLIN and JTO CRR.
He uncovered that young, never-smoking, females in China as high-detection rate population of ground-glass opacity (GGO) featured lung cancer, reshaping the epidemiological perspective, and proposed a novel "low-age, low-frequency" early detection strategy for traditional non-high-risk population in China. He discovered that GGO featured lung cancer is a special clinical subtype and early stage during its natural evolution, and proposed the concept of "Curative Time Window for Early-Stage Lung Cancer" to avoid over-diagnosis and over-treatment. He pioneered "frozen section pathology-guided sublobar resection", "selective mediastinal lymph node dissection” and individualized postoperative follow-up strategies for lung cancer, establishing the "Minimally Invasive Thoracic Surgery 3.0" paradigm which integrating organ preservation, incision minimization, and systemic optimization to improve both survival and quality of life.
From 2013-2025, he was invited to give presentations at the AATS annual meetings or AATS Focus/Summit for 13 consecutive years. He was also invited to deliver presentations at the ESTS, European Association for Cardio-Thoracic Surgery (EACTS), World Conference on Lung Cancer (WCLC), Alliance for Global Lung Cancer Early Detection (AGILE), and Japanese Association for Chest Surgery (JACS), the Royal College of Surgeon of England (2022). In 2016, he co-chaired the Skills Course at the 96th AATS Annual Meeting, and chaired AATS Focus on Thoracic Surgery: CHINA. In 2016, he was the vice-chair of the 9th Asian Thoracic Surgery Club (ATSC) and Korean Association of Thoracic Surgical Oncology (KATSO) Joint Meeting. Since 2008, he has been invited numerous times to give Grand Round Lectures or lectures at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Massachusetts General Hospital of Harvard University, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSKCC), Vanderbilt University Medical Center, University Hospital Zurich, and the University of Leuven, Japan National Cancer Center, the Chinese University of Hong Kong, Central Chest Institute of Thailand, and so on. In 2021 and 2024, he was invited as Gerald and Elaine Schuster Distinguished Lectureship and David J. Sugarbaker Lectureship at Brigham and Women's Hospital of Harvard University. He was also nominated for the Robert J. Ginsberg Lectureship Award for Surgery by the IASLC in 2025. In 2023, he formulated the AATS Expert Consensus on GGO Management as the leading co-chair, and the 2025 AATS Expert Consensus Document on NSCLC N2 Disease as the member. As the corresponding or first author, he has published over 280 peer-reviewed papers in leading academic journals such as Cancer Cell, JCO, JTO, NC, CCR, Ann Surg, JTCVS, and BJS, including seven ESI highly cited papers. He has been invited to write 19 editorials or commentaries for JTCVS, JTO, and ASO. As of 2024, 34 of his papers and innovative achievements have been cited 42 times in 18 international lung cancer diagnosis, treatment, and molecular testing guidelines by ASCO, ESMO, IASLC, ACCP, and others. Two of his papers were included in the internationally renowned evidence-based medicine database UpToDate. His research, driven by clinical issues, has changed clinical practice and achieved the goals of prolonging patient survival and improving quality of life.
What Does the AATS Mean To You:
AATS is the guardian of thoracic surgery’s century-old legacy, where pioneers laid foundations we now advance. Its history from early debates on pneumonectomy to minimally invasive surgery innovations teaches that progress honors the past. It’s where knowledge gets passed down through journals, meetings, and mentorships. Being a member reminds me that every new technique I use stands on the work of those who came before. The Association isn’t just about cutting-edge tools; it’s about keeping the human values of surgery alive, the curiosity, teamwork, and dedication that have defined thoracic surgery for over centuries.
My First Experience with AATS:
My first AATS meeting in 2005 was held in San Francisco. The theme "Innovation Through Collaboration" resonated deeply as I witnessed pioneers debating minimally invasive techniques, still controversial then. Walking past posters on early robotic applications, I realized how much thoracic surgery was about to change. The Golden Gate Bridge backdrop felt symbolic: just as engineers once redefined boundaries, we were learning to bridge traditional skills with emerging technologies. That week taught me progress demands both bold ideas and respect for surgical heritage.
Why I became an AATS member:
I joined AATS because it represents the gold standard in thoracic surgery. With rigorous peer-reviewed research and guidelines shaping global practice, its authority is unmatched. Attending forums where legends like Pearson debate surgical frontiers, I saw how membership means access to vetted innovations, not just trends. Being part of AATS isn’t just a credential; it’s aligning with a century of surgical excellence that pushes me to meet its uncompromising standards in every operation.
The most impactful presentation I have seen at an AATS meeting:
Matthew Bott’s 2022 presentation on early-stage lung cancer changed how we approach treatment. His team’s consensus unified global standards cutting debate on "gray areas." Seeing data from 5,000+ cases convinced me to adopt their risk-stratified follow-up protocols. AATS backing gave these guidelines instant authority, now cited in NCCN recommendations.
The first presentation I gave is:
My first presentation was at the 2016 AATS Focus on Thoracic Surgery in Boston, presenting "Minimally Invasive Lung Surgery 3.0". This paradigm integrates organ preservation, incision minimization, and systemic optimization to improve both patients survival and quality of life.
The first paper I had published is:
My first publication in the current organization was "Anterior Versus Posterior Routes of Reconstruction After Esophagectomy: A Comparative Anatomic Study" in The Annals of Thoracic Surgery (2009). Sixty consecutive and nonselected patients with thoracic esophageal cancer were accrued in this prospective study. And we found the anterior (retrosternal) route is the shorter passage for the reconstruction of the alimentary tract using the stomach after esophagectomy.
I plan on becoming more involved in the organization through:
In 2023, as a co-chaire I formulated the AATS Expert Consensus on GGO Management. Currently, I am actively contributing as a member to the AATS Expert Consensus Document on NSCLC N2 Disease. Moving forward, I plan to deepen my engagement with AATS through academic conference presentations, participation in expert consensus guideline development, and academic exchange initiatives to further advance collaborative efforts within the organization.
My First Experience with AATS:
My first AATS meeting in 2005 was held in San Francisco. The theme "Innovation Through Collaboration" resonated deeply as I witnessed pioneers debating minimally invasive techniques, still controversial then. Walking past posters on early robotic applications, I realized how much thoracic surgery was about to change. The Golden Gate Bridge backdrop felt symbolic: just as engineers once redefined boundaries, we were learning to bridge traditional skills with emerging technologies. That week taught me progress demands both bold ideas and respect for surgical heritage."
My career in CT Surgery was inspired by:
During the late 20th century, the high prevalence of lung cancer among male smokers in China imposed significant life-threatening risks and substantial economic burdens on patients. The lack of effective screening modalities lead that a substantial proportion of patients were ineligible for curative tumor resection at diagnosis. Concurrently, the field of thoracic surgery was undergoing rapid technological advancements and paradigm shifts, which fueled my passionate commitment to pursuing specialized training and research in cardiothoracic surgical oncology.
A significant case/patient interaction that impacted my career is:
A pivotal case involved a patient with a persistent GGO lung nodule. Despite three years of stable imaging surveillance, the nodule exhibited progression in the fourth year, prompting curative resection. Final pathology confirmed MIA. And over a decade of postoperative follow-up revealed no recurrence or metastasis for this patient. This case fundamentally reshaped my understanding of GGO nodule: these lesions demonstrate biological indolence with latent malignant potential, yet remain curable if resected during their curative time window prior to invasive transformation. It established critical evidence for active surveillance protocols while defining optimal timing for intervention in GGO-dominant lung cancer.
My mentor instilled the principle of “precision medicine”, balancing technical rigor with patient-centric ethics. During a complex sleeve lobectomy on a teenager, he demonstrated how preserving pulmonary function could protect both oncologic outcomes and life aspirations.
The topic most important to advancing the field of CT Surgery is:
The most critical driver for advancing cardiothoracic surgery lies in a synergistic framework integrating three pillars: technological innovation, multidisciplinary convergence, and dynamic precision medicine. Such an approach aligns with purpose on precision surgical oncology while addressing the escalating demand for biologically personalized intervention strategies in an era of escalating thoracic malignancy complexity.
The most pressing issues impacting CT surgery are:
The most pressing issues in CT surgery especially for lung cancer surgery center on optimizing resection paradigms. Key challenges include defining oncologic equivalence between sublobar resections and lobectomy for early-stage NSCLC, particularly with GGO-dominant tumors. And standardizing surgical quality metrics in VATS/RATS adoption despite heterogeneous training protocols. Also integrating neoadjuvant immunotherapy with surgical planning is another issue. Crucially, the field requires multicenter randomized trials to establish evidence-based guidelines for precision resection extent and minimally invasive approach selection.
Advice for Trainees:
Learn to identify scientific questions arising from clinical observations, address these questions through rigorous clinical evidence, and ultimately translate research findings into clinical applications that transform practice.