On March 21, 2026, the Academic Seminar on Clinical Practices of Colorectal Surgery was convened in Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province. Prof. Zhang Suzhan from the Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine attended the meeting and shared his insights on colorectal cancer screening, precision MDT management, and localized Chinese clinical solutions.

Prof. Zhang noted that colorectal cancer is the malignancy most strongly recommended by the World Health Organization for widespread screening, yet no preventive vaccine is available. To improve screening effectiveness in China, two key steps are essential: raising public acceptance through better science communication, and adopting more precise, non-invasive methods such as fecal DNA testing and blood ctDNA testing while reducing costs.

As an early advocate of MDT for colorectal cancer in China, Prof. Zhang emphasized that with the rapid development of targeted therapies and immunotherapies, traditional MDT should evolve into “precision MDT.” The prerequisite is accurate molecular profiling (e.g., dMMR/pMMR, BRAF, KRAS, HER2) before treatment begins. Only with diagnosis first can truly individualized care be achieved.

Regarding the rise of the “China solution,” Prof. Zhang attributed it to the robust growth of China’s pharmaceutical industry and its large patient population, enabling Chinese researchers to conduct innovative clinical trials on the international stage. However, he also cautioned that the wide gap between top-tier and grassroots hospitals poses a major challenge. Ensuring rapid and standardized implementation of advanced Chinese solutions at the primary care level remains a difficult task ahead.