Editor’s Note: From November 6–9, 2025, the China Congress of Holistic Integrative Oncology (CCHIO 2025) took place in Kunming. The conference was hosted by the China Anti-Cancer Association (CACA) and the Tengchong Scientist Forum Organizing Committee, co-organized by the World Association of Integrative Oncology (WAIO) and the China Academy of Integrative Medicine, and jointly undertaken by Yunnan Cancer Hospital, Kunming Medical University, and the Yunnan Anti-Cancer Association. As urologic cancers remain among the world’s most common malignancies, advances in this field garnered significant attention at CCHIO 2025. Oncology Frontier – Urology Frontier invited Prof. Gang Zhu, Chair of the CACA Committee on Integrative Rehabilitation for Genitourinary Tumors and Professor at Beijing United Family Hospital and Clinics, to discuss the clinical value of holographic imaging in robotic surgery, its integration with systemic therapies, and his perspectives on training young surgeons. 

01 — Interview with Oncology Frontier – Urology Frontier

Holographic imaging is often described as giving robotic surgery a “clairvoyant eye.” In your view, how do holographic navigation and intraoperative image fusion advance precision in robotic surgery for urologic cancers?

Prof. Gang Zhu: Holographic imaging remains a new concept for many people. Simply put, it uses artificial intelligence to convert 2D CT or MRI scans into 3D holographic models. Although the technology only emerged in the past decade, I began using it in 2017 and have since expanded its applications in patient communication, medical education, and surgical practice.

Enhancing doctor–patient communication

Traditional CT-based explanations often confuse patients. Holography presents tumor shape, size, and location in intuitive 3D form, enabling patients to truly understand their disease and treatment options, improving trust and reducing misunderstandings.

Improving medical education and training

Holography surpasses textbooks and cadaver-based anatomy by showing organs from any angle, layer, or orientation. Young surgeons benefit greatly—they no longer need years of experience to mentally reconstruct anatomy from 2D images.

Optimizing preoperative planning

Holography clarifies tumor–organ relationships and vascular structures, helping surgeons design safer, more precise surgical strategies.

Intraoperative navigation

The technology’s most transformative value lies in surgical navigation. Holograms can be overlaid on the robotic view, giving surgeons a “transparent” perspective to locate tumors and critical vessels without interrupting the operation.

Evaluating therapeutic response and prognosis

Work is underway to integrate holography with PET-CT to visualize metabolic activity in real time. This will be valuable for monitoring treatment response and predicting postoperative recovery.

Enabling telemedicine

China is now a global leader in telemedicine. As holographic equipment becomes more affordable, its role in remote surgical assistance, teaching, and multidisciplinary consultation will grow rapidly.

02 — Interview with Oncology Frontier – Urology Frontier

With rapid advances in ADCs and immunotherapies, how can robotic surgery be integrated with systemic treatments to build unified strategies for advanced or complex urologic cancers?

Prof. Gang Zhu: This is a major focus in current clinical discussions. For decades, muscle-invasive bladder cancer (MIBC) was treated with radical cystectomy. Today, bladder-preservation strategies are increasingly viable.

Bladder preservation in the immunotherapy/ADC era

Earlier bladder-preservation therapy (TMT) required extensive TURBT plus chemoradiotherapy. Now, immune checkpoint inhibitors and ADCs have changed expectations:

• PURE-01: Pembrolizumab achieved 42% pCR.

• Combined regimens improved outcomes further.

• EV-303: Enfortumab vedotin + pembrolizumab dramatically improved EFS and pCR.

This suggests many patients once destined for cystectomy may safely retain their bladder—greatly improving quality of life.

Why robotic surgery remains indispensable

About 30% of patients will still relapse or progress after bladder-preservation therapy. These patients require radical cystectomy, where robotic surgery provides the best precision, minimal trauma, and superior recovery.

Toward multimodal, personalized therapy

Optimal cancer care now relies on combining systemic therapy and surgery at the right time. This integrative strategy maximizes survival while preserving patient quality of life.

03 — Interview with Oncology Frontier – Urology Frontier

Holography and robotics require surgeons to master anatomy, imaging interpretation, and instrumentation simultaneously. What advice do you have for young surgeons adopting these technologies?

Prof. Gang Zhu: A useful principle is: if many solutions exist, the problem is difficult; if few people can perform a technique, the technique is difficult; but if a technique helps many people perform well, then the difficulty of the underlying problem decreases.

Traditional 2D imaging demands strong spatial reasoning. Holography removes this barrier by making anatomy intuitive and transparent.

Why holography is transformative for young clinicians

• Enhances preoperative understanding and intraoperative safety.

• Improves communication with patients.

• Reduces the learning curve for complex cases.

As AI advances, holography has become far more affordable, increasing its accessibility and expanding its clinical impact.

Future expectations

Holographic imaging is poised to reshape surgical planning, real-time navigation, educational training, remote medicine, and outcome prediction. With widespread adoption, surgeries will become safer, tumor control will improve, and patients will experience faster recovery.

Expert Profile

Prof. Gang Zhu Chair, CACA Committee on Integrative Rehabilitation for Genitourinary Tumors Professor, Beijing United Family Hospital Expert in robotic surgery and integrative urologic oncology