Editor’s Note:The 16th Yan Zhao Breast Cancer Forum was held in Shijiazhuang from August 27–31, 2025. The event was jointly organized by the Breast Cancer Committee of the Hebei Anti-Cancer Association and multiple specialty committees, co-organized by the Beijing Breast Disease Prevention and Treatment Society, and hosted by the Fourth Hospital of Hebei Medical University and the Hebei Breast Disease Diagnosis and Treatment Center. This year’s forum emphasized standardization and innovation in breast cancer diagnosis and treatment, with highlights including guideline roadshows and robotic surgery. During the meeting, Oncology Frontier interviewed the conference chair, Professor Cuizhi Geng of the Fourth Hospital of Hebei Medical University, who shared insights on the forum highlights, the role of guideline dissemination, strategies for regional treatment homogeneity, and the clinical application and challenges of robot-assisted breast surgery. A More Focused and Clinically-Oriented Forum
Oncology Frontier:As chair of this year’s forum, could you outline the program of the 16th Yan Zhao Breast Cancer Forum? Compared with past years, what innovations or breakthroughs were introduced in agenda design, academic exchange, or clinical orientation?
Professor Cuizhi Geng:Building on the experience of the previous 15 sessions, this year’s forum incorporated broad feedback and made certain adjustments. While we retained a rich and comprehensive set of topics—no fewer than in past years—we optimized the schedule to be more concentrated, with sessions designed around precise themes and lectures more directly focused on clinical issues.
We also broadened participation. In addition to surgeons, we included colleagues from nursing, pathology, radiation oncology, and other related specialties. This enables attendees to gain a comprehensive understanding of advances across the spectrum of breast cancer treatment, while keeping the conference flow compact and efficient. It also helps reduce organizational costs and minimizes unnecessary movement between sessions, allowing participants to focus more intently on learning.
The program was not drastically restructured, but the content was refined. Our speakers and moderators are highly experienced and deeply knowledgeable in both basic science and clinical practice. This is exactly the type of high-quality academic exchange that physicians in Hebei are eager to attend.
Guideline Roadshows: Driving Standardization and Regional Equity
Oncology Frontier:Guideline roadshows are an important academic feature of this forum. As vice chair of the CSCO Breast Cancer Committee, how do you envision building effective pathways for implementing guidelines at the grassroots level? What role can these activities play in improving regional homogeneity of care?
Professor Cuizhi Geng:This year’s forum featured two guideline-focused sessions: the CSCO BC Guidelines and the CBCS & CSOBO Guidelines, both central to standardized breast cancer care in China. While it is important to reference international guidelines and research, Chinese breast cancer management must be rooted in domestic guidelines adapted to local realities. That is why we invited experts to provide detailed interpretations of these two sets of guidelines.
Each roadshow had its focus. The CSCO BC session emphasized management of brain and bone metastases, while the CBCS & CSOBO session concentrated on stratified treatment strategies. Within a limited timeframe, our speakers distilled key elements of both guidelines, offering attendees in Hebei a valuable opportunity to absorb the most relevant updates. Local physicians responded enthusiastically, recognizing that focused discussion on critical topics greatly benefits clinical practice.
Robot-Assisted Surgery: Opportunities and Challenges
Oncology Frontier:Against the backdrop of precision medicine, how do you view the clinical value of robot-assisted surgery in breast cancer treatment? What challenges exist in its wider adoption, and what do you see as its future prospects?
Professor Cuizhi Geng:Robot-assisted surgery offers several clear advantages for minimally invasive treatment. Its strengths can be summarized in three points: first, high magnification and excellent visualization; second, tremor filtration, eliminating even subtle hand movements; and third, superior flexibility, with instruments capable of 360-degree rotation—beyond the reach of traditional surgery or current endoscopic technology.
With the integration of artificial intelligence, robotic surgery has strong potential for growth. At the same time, we must be objective: both endoscopic and robotic techniques still require further validation of safety. Institutions such as the Breast Cancer Committee of the China Anti-Cancer Association and the Breast Surgery Group of the Chinese Medical Association are considering prospective clinical trials to evaluate these procedures rigorously.
Nevertheless, challenges remain. First, the high startup cost of robotic systems is a concern, and whether these costs will decrease is uncertain. Second, the learning curve is steep. Surgeons must first be well-trained in conventional breast surgery, then master endoscopic techniques, before progressing to robotic procedures—a lengthy process requiring a strong professional foundation. Third, robotic surgery demands exceptional precision. Without tactile feedback, intraoperative tumor localization and margin control are especially challenging. Ensuring oncological safety under these conditions remains the greatest hurdle.
Looking ahead, as experience accumulates, we expect to develop more accurate intraoperative diagnostic and localization methods. With improved margin assessment and precision tumor resection, the safety and effectiveness of robot-assisted breast surgery will continue to improve, enabling its wider integration into clinical practice.
Professor Cuizhi Geng
Professor (Second-Level), Doctoral SupervisorBreast Center, Fourth Hospital of Hebei Medical University
