Editor’s Note: The 2025 Annual Meeting of the Chinese Urological Doctors Association (CUDA) was successfully held from June 12 to 15 in the romantic city of Zhuhai. With the theme “Healthy China, Urology in Action,” the conference gathered urological professionals from across the country to share cutting-edge knowledge and practical experience in the field. Professor Linhui Wang from the Department of Urology at Changhai Hospital, the First Affiliated Hospital of the Naval Medical University (Shanghai), shared with Oncology Frontier – UroStream the achievements and clinical insights of his team in genitourinary oncology.Clinical Research at the Changhai Center in Urologic Oncology
Oncology Frontier – UroStream Could you give us an overview of your center’s clinical research in urologic oncology?
Professor Linhui Wang: We’ve conducted extensive clinical research in the field of urologic oncology to address several pain points and challenges in practice, with the goal of meeting the increasing demand for individualized patient care.
In kidney cancer, our primary focus has been on enabling more patients to undergo nephron-sparing surgery (NSS) while still achieving oncologic cure. Many patients present with tumors larger than the conventional T1a threshold for NSS, or with tumors located deep near the renal hilum, collecting system, or major vessels. For these complex cases, we apply 3–6 cycles of neoadjuvant targeted or immunotherapy to shrink and downgrade the tumor, making NSS feasible. This strategy represents one of our core research directions in early-stage renal cancer. In advanced disease, we are exploring novel approaches including CAR-T cell immunotherapy. CAR-T is a highly individualized treatment that enhances the specificity and efficacy of T cells against tumors, showing promise in improving outcomes for late-stage kidney cancer.
In prostate cancer, we are working to improve quality of life by avoiding the drawbacks of traditional radical prostatectomy, which can result in incontinence and sexual dysfunction. For patients with localized, focal disease, we use multiparametric MRI and ultrasound fusion for targeted biopsy and lesion mapping. We then apply focal therapies such as irreversible electroporation (NanoKnife) or high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) to eradicate tumors while preserving prostate function—providing curative results with fewer side effects.
In bladder cancer, we aim to enhance early diagnosis and bladder-preserving treatments for high-risk non–muscle-invasive cases. Our current clinical studies are centered on noninvasive liquid biopsy techniques, such as urine-based tumor DNA detection. These methods overcome the limitations of traditional cystoscopy and the low sensitivity of urine cytology. The emergence of novel therapies—such as antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) and immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs)—has added new perioperative treatment options to the trimodal therapy (TMT) backbone. These advances may help more patients retain their bladder while achieving long-term survival. I believe that the integration of noninvasive diagnostics and innovative drugs will significantly improve early detection, treatment outcomes, and quality of life for patients with bladder cancer.
Oncology Frontier – UroStream
What do you see as the key directions for future clinical research or clinical practice in urologic oncology?
Professor Linhui Wang: There are still many crucial areas for exploration in the diagnosis and treatment of urologic tumors. First and foremost is the development and widespread adoption of minimally invasive techniques. Whenever possible, we aim to use minimally invasive approaches—such as various forms of endoscopic, laparoscopic, or robot-assisted surgery—instead of traditional open surgery. At our department, minimally invasive procedures now account for 98% of our nearly 10,000 annual surgeries, a dramatic change compared to 10 or 20 years ago. This shift has significantly improved patient outcomes and reduced surgical trauma.
Another key direction is organ- and function-preserving treatment. In the past, radical tumor treatments often came at the cost of removing the entire organ. However, in recent years, there has been increasing emphasis on preserving organs and functions—whether in urothelial carcinoma, renal cancer, or prostate cancer. These approaches aim to ensure effective tumor control and cure while also maintaining a better quality of life for patients.
Moreover, cancer treatment must adopt a full-cycle management approach. Surgery is just one part of the overall treatment journey. From early screening and diagnosis, to preoperative therapy, surgical intervention, postoperative care, and follow-up, as well as the comprehensive treatment of advanced disease—all these stages require close collaboration across a multidisciplinary team (MDT). By offering individualized treatment decisions throughout the care continuum, we can maximize therapeutic benefit and achieve a dual goal: prolonging survival while enhancing quality of life. This comprehensive strategy is the future of urologic oncology.
