Editor’s Note: With China’s rapidly aging population, cancer prevention and treatment face new challenges and opportunities. As the birthplace of modern oncology in China, Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital has both witnessed and driven the discipline’s growth. On the occasion of the inaugural Cancer Biology & Medicine Young Scholars Forum, Oncology Frontier interviewed the conference chair, Academician Xishan Hao, Director of the National Clinical Research Center for Cancer and President of Tianjin Cancer Institute. As a leading authority in Chinese oncology and Editor-in-Chief of both Chinese Clinical Oncology and Cancer Biology & Medicine, Academician Hao reflected on the development of oncology in China, the mission of academic publishing, and the importance of nurturing young scholars.Oncology Frontier: Having witnessed the evolution of oncology research in China, how do you view the past, present, and future of this discipline?
Academician Xishan Hao:Oncology is both an ancient and modern discipline, its trajectory inseparable from the overall progress of medicine. Historically, tumors have been recognized for centuries. As early as the Song Dynasty, Chinese medical texts documented cancer-like diseases. In ancient Greece more than 2,000 years ago, the term “crab” was used to describe tumor morphology, which is the origin of the modern word “cancer.”
In terms of treatment philosophy, oncology has advanced from empirical medicine to evidence-based medicine, and now to precision medicine. This evolution has paralleled the development of medical publishing. The founding of The Lancet in the early 19th century, for example, allowed medical experience to be widely disseminated, accelerating the arrival of the evidence-based era.
The growth of oncology in China can be clearly traced through the development of Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital. In the 1950s, my mentor Professor Xianzai Jin presented groundbreaking work on radical mastectomy at the World Cancer Congress in Moscow. His research received international recognition and opened the door for Chinese surgical oncology to gain global standing.
Take breast cancer as an example. In the past, radical mastectomy was the prevailing approach. Today, breast-conserving surgery combined with radiotherapy has become mainstream, with breast reconstruction also increasingly adopted. This shift reflects not only advances in surgical technology but also a fundamental transformation in treatment philosophy—from focusing solely on survival to balancing survival with quality of life.
At present, two features stand out in China’s cancer prevention and control efforts. First, the incidence of cancer is rising significantly with population aging. Second, thanks to screening programs and improved public awareness, early diagnosis rates have risen sharply. In breast cancer, the five-year survival rate has increased from below 50 percent in the past to 70–80 percent today. This progress stems not only from advances in diagnosis and treatment but also from the steady improvement of China’s cancer control system.
Looking forward, we have entered the era of molecular medicine and digital medicine. Multi-omics research—spanning genomics, proteomics, metabolomics—is generating vast datasets, while artificial intelligence is enhancing precision diagnosis and treatment. The young scholars’ forum showcased cutting-edge work in therapeutic cancer vaccines, molecular targeted therapies, and other promising fields, highlighting the direction of future innovation.
Oncology Frontier: As Editor-in-Chief of Chinese Clinical Oncology and Cancer Biology & Medicine, how do you see the role of these journals in advancing the discipline?
Academician Xishan Hao:Chinese Clinical Oncology, founded in 1963 by Professor Xianzai Jin—the “father of Chinese oncology”—was China’s first oncology journal. For over 60 years, we have adhered to the guiding principles of innovation, clinical relevance, and practicality.
As a semimonthly journal for clinicians, we emphasize usability. With sections such as “Frontiers in Technology,” “New Drug Clinical Research,” and “Multidisciplinary Case Discussions,” the journal highlights developments across the field while presenting detailed clinical cases that sharpen physicians’ diagnostic and therapeutic thinking.
These efforts have made the journal a standard reference for oncologists across China. It is indexed in both the Peking University Core and the Chinese Science and Technology Core Journals, and has been repeatedly selected for the “China Association for Science and Technology Top 50 High-Quality Journals” and “China Excellent Science Journals.” This year, it was also included in the National Capacity-Building Program for Science and Technology Journals, further underscoring its academic impact.
Cancer Biology & Medicine, launched in 2004, is designed as an international platform bridging basic research and clinical application. Since its founding, we have focused on three priorities. First, we emphasize studies that integrate basic science with clinical relevance, favoring research that can generate new insights or methods for clinical practice. This orientation has become a defining feature of the journal. Second, we enforce strict standards of academic integrity, requiring data availability statements and employing advanced image-checking technologies to safeguard against misconduct. Third, we have strengthened our international editorial board by appointing prominent global experts and establishing collaborations with peer journals, including editorial exchanges and manuscript sharing, to raise international visibility.
Today, Cancer Biology & Medicine is indexed in SCIE, MEDLINE, and Scopus, and is part of China’s Excellence Action Plan for Science and Technology Journals (Phase I and II) as well as the CAST High-Quality Journal Tier 1 Directory. Going forward, the journal will continue to act as a bridge, facilitating international exchange while providing a platform for young scholars.
Oncology Frontier: Tianjin is the birthplace of Chinese oncology, and this forum created a platform for young scholars. What role do the journals play in nurturing the next generation?
Academician Xishan Hao:The future of oncology rests with young scholars, and we have taken several steps to support them. Cancer Biology & Medicine has established a Young Editorial Board composed entirely of outstanding researchers under 45. We regularly organize training in academic publishing, study design, and peer review, enabling young scholars to sharpen their skills and showcase their work.
This year’s forum, for example, invited two Young Editorial Board members to serve as sub-forum chairs: Professor Dongsheng Yue, an expert in lung cancer, and Professor Pengfei Qiu, an expert in breast cancer—both recipients of the National Excellent Young Physician Award. The intent is to provide young scholars with leadership opportunities that accelerate their growth.
We have also introduced more interactive formats such as “Academic Debates,” encouraging young participants to engage in open discussion on frontier topics. Compared to traditional unidirectional lectures, this approach stimulates creative thinking and boosts engagement. At the same time, we are expanding international collaborations, inviting overseas editorial board members to lecture and exchange ideas, giving young Chinese scholars greater opportunities for dialogue with leading international experts.
Finally, we place great importance on instilling academic integrity. The rigorous and honest scholarship of previous generations, exemplified by Professor Xianzai Jin, remains our most valuable legacy. We expect young scholars to innovate boldly while maintaining academic honesty, as both are critical to long-term growth.
Cancer prevention and treatment remains an immense task. By building platforms for dialogue and fostering new talent, Chinese oncology will continue to produce outstanding researchers and contribute significantly to the global fight against cancer. We believe and expect that the next generation will carry the torch forward and propel Chinese oncology to the forefront of international research.
Academician Xishan Hao
Member of the Chinese Academy of Engineering
