Colorectal Cancer Diagnosis and Treatment Center

Department overview: The Colorectal Cancer Diagnosis and Treatment Center specializes in function-preserving minimally invasive colorectal cancer surgery using laparoscopy and the da Vinci robot. Its development direction is to build a research-oriented department, advance clinical practice and research in parallel, and establish a specialized model for colorectal cancer diagnosis and treatment. It is a leading or deputy-leading unit of the relevant Guangdong and Chinese colorectal, anal-function, robotic-surgery, complication-management, and NOSES organizations. The department has 72 open beds and is headed by Professor Han Fanghai; its staff includes 1 professor/chief physician, 2 associate researchers/associate chief physicians, 2 attending physicians/assistant researchers, and 2 physicians.

Medical specialties: The Center covers colorectal cancer screening; interruption of precancerous disease progression; early diagnosis; endoscopic treatment; surgery, including 3D laparoscopic and da Vinci robotic radical surgery; comprehensive treatment of advanced tumors; basic research; new-drug development; and clinical trials, integrating medical care, education, and research in a one-stop precision-focused center. Professor Han Fanghai leads the establishment and promotion in Guangzhou of a precise function-preservation system for laparoscopic/robot-assisted radical rectal-cancer surgery. He has performed more than 5,000 colorectal cancer operations and was among the earliest Guangdong experts to perform membrane-anatomy-based radical surgery. He proposed full-course network preservation of the abdominopelvic autonomic nerves, micro-space dissection, protective resection, physiological detachment, and linear separation. He specializes in anus-preserving surgery for low rectal cancer, especially ultra-low anterior resection and ISR, and has extensive experience with combined-organ resection and para-aortic lymph-node dissection for advanced recurrent colorectal cancer.

The complete MDT team comprises gastrointestinal surgery, gastroenterology, medical oncology, radiation oncology, radiology, and pathology. The Center has a colorectal-cancer biobank, standardized diagnosis-and-treatment protocols, and a follow-up system; its overall technical level is nationally leading. It is equipped with a fourth-generation da Vinci Xi platform and 3D+4K ultra-high-definition laparoscopy. Routine procedures: 1. laparoscopic or robot-assisted colon-cancer CME+D3; 2. laparoscopic or robot-assisted extended radical surgery for left colon cancer; 3. laparoscopic or robot-assisted rectal-cancer TME+ANP; 4. ultra-low anterior resection for low rectal cancer; 5. intersphincteric resection; 6. pull-through surgery; 7. colonic pouch–rectal (anal-canal) anastomosis; 8. combined laparoscopic and proctoscopic TaTME; 9. transabdominal or transanal single-port radical rectal-cancer surgery; 10. transanal single-port local excision of rectal tumors; 11. NOSES surgery for colon and rectal cancer; 12. total colectomy with ileal pouch–transrectal muscular-cuff anal-canal anastomosis; 13. laparoscopic or robot-assisted lateral lymph-node dissection; 14. right-colon CME+D3 combined with pancreaticoduodenectomy; 15. combined pelvic-organ resection; 16. total pelvic exenteration (TPE); 17. surgery for recurrent colorectal cancer in the pelvis or abdomen; 18. laparoscopic radical colorectal-cancer surgery with standardized resection of liver metastases; 19. combined resection of pulmonary metastases; 20. robotic or laparoscopic ELAP; 21. left-colon surgery combined with distal pancreatectomy and splenectomy; 22. para-aortic lymph-node dissection combined with internal iliac-artery resection; 23. surgical treatment of chronic anastomotic leakage and stenosis; 24. ESD for early colorectal cancer; 25. laparoscopic endoscopic cooperative surgery (LECS) for early colorectal cancer; 26. resection of giant abdominopelvic masses; 27. surgery for colorectal stromal tumors; 28. surgery and reconstruction for perianal malignant tumors; 29. subtotal colectomy for multiple colorectal polyposis; 30. surgical treatment of obstructive colorectal cancer.

Education and training: The Center leads and hosts the international Lingnan Gastrointestinal Tumor Summit Forum, which has become a signature event, and regularly holds advanced gastrointestinal-tumor courses. It maintains exchange and cooperation with gastrointestinal-surgery institutions in Japan, Europe, and the United States; develops research-oriented gastrointestinal-surgery professionals; provides standardized education for visiting gastrointestinal-tumor physicians from inside and outside Guangdong; and promotes minimally invasive gastrointestinal-tumor treatment.

Research achievements: More than 100 Chinese- and English-language papers, including more than 50 SCI papers; more than 10 edited, co-edited, or translated books; leadership or participation in more than 30 guidelines and expert consensuses; and more than 20 projects, including National Natural Science Foundation of China, Guangdong Natural Science Foundation, Guangzhou characteristic-technology, and Guangzhou clinical high-tech and major-technology projects.

Edited or translated monographs: 1. China Guidelines for Integrated Cancer Diagnosis and Treatment Technology (CACA): NOSES Technology, Tianjin Science and Technology Press, 2023; chief editor Fan Daiming; editors Wang Xishan, Han Fanghai, Xing Nianzeng, Wang Danbo, Wang Guiyu, Guan Xu. 2. Prevention and Management of Complications in the Diagnosis and Treatment of Colorectal Tumors, People’s Medical Publishing House, 2022; editors Wang Xishan, Han Fanghai, Dai Yong; associate editors Wang Guiyu, Chen Ying, Gang Yunhong, Qian Xiaoping, Yang Bin. 3. Anus-Preserving Surgery for Rectal Cancer, People’s Medical Publishing House, 2009; editors Han Fanghai, Zhang Zhaoda, Zhan Wenhua. 4. Gastric Cancer Surgery, People’s Medical Publishing House, 2014; editor Zhan Wenhua; associate editors He Yulong, Xu Huimian, Han Fanghai. 5. Radical Gastrectomy Under Laparoscopy, edited by Yamaguchi Toshiharu; translated by Han Fanghai, Wan Jin, Ju Yongle; People’s Medical Publishing House, 2015. 6. Radical Surgery for Colorectal Cancer, by Takahashi Takashi (Japan); translated by Han Fanghai, Tang Zong, Jiang Chenlisheng, and Zhou Zongguang; People’s Medical Publishing House, 2003. 7. Radical Gastrectomy Under Laparoscopy, People’s Medical Publishing House, 2015. 8. Atlas of Radical Gastrectomy, edited by Sasako Mitsuru; translated by Han Fanghai; proofread by Zhan Wenhua and Zhang Zhaoda; People’s Medical Publishing House, 2009. 9. Strategies and Practice of Laparoscopic Colon Cancer Surgery, edited by Matsumura Naoki; translated by Han Fanghai, Chen Ruixin, Yang Bin; Guangdong Science and Technology Press, 2021. 10. Training Manual for Laparoscopic Radical Gastrectomy, translated by Han Fanghai and Yang Bin; proofread by Zhang Zhongtao; People’s Medical Publishing House, 2023.

Guidelines and consensuses led or co-developed: 1. Chinese Expert Consensus on Recommended Terminology for Pelvic Membrane Anatomy (2023 edition), Chinese Journal of Practical Surgery, 2023, 43(10): 1081-1099. 2. Chinese Expert Consensus on Definitions and Names of Colorectal Mesentery, Fascia and Spaces (2023 edition), Chinese Journal of Gastrointestinal Surgery, 2023, 26(6): 529-535. 3. Chinese Expert Consensus on Targeted Therapy for Colorectal Cancer, Chinese Archives of General Surgery (Electronic Edition), 2023, 17(01): 1-8. 4. Chinese Expert Consensus on Prevention and Treatment of Complications of Intraperitoneal Perfusion Chemotherapy for Gastrointestinal Tumors (2022 edition) (lead), Chinese Journal of Gastrointestinal Surgery, 2022, 25(11): 947-954. 5. Chinese Expert Consensus on Prophylactic Enterostomy in Mid- and Low-Rectal Cancer Surgery (2022 edition), Chinese Journal of Gastrointestinal Surgery, 2022, 25(6): 471-478. 6. Chinese Expert Consensus on Radical Rectal Cancer Surgery with Preservation of the Left Colic Artery (2021 edition), Chinese Journal of Gastrointestinal Surgery, 2021, 24(11): 950-955. 7. Chinese guideline for the application of rectal cancer staging recognition systems based on artificial intelligence platforms (2021 edition). Chin Med J (Engl). 2021 Apr 28; 134(11): 1261-1263. 8. Chinese Expert Consensus on Pelvic Organ Function Preservation in Rectal Cancer Surgery, Chinese Journal of Gastrointestinal Surgery, 2021, 24(4): 283-290. 9. Chinese Expert Consensus on Total Mesorectal Excision Preserving Denonvilliers’ Fascia (iTME) (2021 edition), Chinese Journal of Gastrointestinal Surgery, 2021, 24(6): 467-472. 10. Chinese Expert Consensus on Diagnosis and Treatment of Ovarian Metastases from Colorectal Cancer (2020 edition), Chinese Journal of Colorectal Diseases (Electronic Edition), 2020, 9(2): 115-121. 11. Chinese Expert Consensus on Robotic Colorectal Cancer Surgery (2020 edition), Chinese Journal of Practical Surgery, 2021, 41(01): 12-19. 12. Expert Consensus on Diagnosis and Treatment of Presacral Recurrence of Rectal Cancer, Chinese Journal of Gastrointestinal Surgery, 2020, 23(5): 438-444. 13. Chinese Expert Consensus on Diagnosis and Treatment of Lateral Lymph-Node Metastasis in Rectal Cancer (2019 edition), Chinese Journal of Gastrointestinal Surgery, 2019, 22(10): 901-912. 14. Chinese Expert Consensus on Perioperative Nutritional Therapy for Colorectal Cancer (2019 edition), Chinese Journal of Practical Surgery, 2019, 39(6): 533-537. 15. Chinese Expert Consensus on Prevention and Treatment of Peritoneal Metastasis of Colorectal Cancer and Intraperitoneal Medication (Ⅴ2019), Chinese Journal of Colorectal Diseases (Electronic Edition), 2019, 8(4): 329-335. 16. International consensus on natural orifice specimen extraction surgery (NOSES) for gastric cancer (2019). Gastroenterol Rep (Oxf). 2020 Jan 24; 8(1): 5-10. 17. Chinese Expert Consensus on Diagnosis, Prevention and Management of Anastomotic Leakage after Rectal Cancer Surgery (2019 edition), Chinese Journal of Gastrointestinal Surgery, 2019, 22(3): 201-206.

Scientific and technological awards: 1. Basic and Clinical Research to Improve the Clinical Efficacy of Gastric Cancer, Second Prize of the 2005 Chinese Medical Science and Technology Award, certificate no. 2005022114P1006. 2. Basic and Clinical Research to Improve the Clinical Efficacy of Gastric Cancer, Second Prize of the 2005 Guangdong Science and Technology Progress Award, certificate no. 2005-医-2-005-R06. 3. Clinical Application Research on Minimally Invasive Anus-Preserving Surgery with Total Mesorectal Excision for Rectal Cancer and Tumor Micrometastasis, Second Prize of the National Science and Technology Progress Award, certificate no. 2006-J-233-2-12-R10. 4. Clinical Series Research on Anus-Preserving Surgery for Rectal Cancer, Second Prize of the 2013 Chengdu Science and Technology Progress Award.