[Department Overview]
The Department of Breast and Thyroid Surgery at the First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University (formerly known as the Endocrine Surgery Department) was established in 1979, making it one of the pioneering specialized breast and thyroid surgery departments in China. It is an accredited doctoral and master’s degree programs, designated as a National Clinical Key Specialty, and holds the distinction of being the only department in Chongqing approved for the “Three Centers” in breast cancer, thyroid cancer, and thyroid nodules diagnosis and treatment: the Chongqing Breast Cancer Center, the Chongqing Breast Cancer Clinical Diagnosis and Treatment Center, and the Chongqing Thyroid Nodule and Thyroid Cancer Clinical Diagnosis and Treatment Center.
Equipped with cutting-edge technology and state-of-the-art medical equipment, the department specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of breast, thyroid, and parathyroid diseases. It manages over 150,000 outpatient visits annually and admits more than 18,000 inpatients per year. With an annual surgical volume exceeding 8,000 cases of breast and thyroid tumors, it ranks as the highest-volume center for breast and thyroid cancer diagnosis and surgery among all tertiary hospitals in Chongqing.
[Talent Team]
The department comprises a highly skilled medical team of 134 professionals, including 45 physicians, 89 nursing staff. Among them are 12 chief physicians, 8 associate chief physicians, 4 doctoral supervisors, and 9 master supervisors. Many of the department’s leading experts hold prestigious positions in national and regional academic organizations, including the Breast Cancer Committee of the China Anti-Cancer Association, the Breast Surgery Expert Group of the Surgical Branch of the China Medical Doctor Association, the Breast Cancer Expert Committee of the Chinese Clinical Oncology Society, the Breast Cancer Group of the Surgery and Oncology Branches of the Chinese Medical Association, the Western China Breast and Thyroid Specialty Alliance, the Breast Surgery Committee of the Chongqing Medical Doctor Association, and the Breast Cancer Committee of the Chongqing Anti-Cancer Association. These experts serve in key leadership roles, including chairpersons, group leaders, vice-chairpersons, vice-group leaders, standing committee members, and committee members, shaping the direction of breast and thyroid cancer research and treatment in China.
Prof. REN Guosheng, a second-level professor in surgery and doctoral supervisor, has devoted four decades to clinical practice and fundamental research in general surgery. He serves as the chairman of the Oncology Clinical Research Management Committee of the China Anti-Cancer Association and the former chairman of the Breast Cancer Committee of the China Anti-Cancer Association. He is renowned for his expertise in early diagnosis and treatment of breast cancer as well as breast reconstruction, and has led the Department of Breast and Thyroid Surgery at First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University to a position of national prominence.
Prof. LI Hongyuan, a Ph.D. in surgery, currently serves as the vice group leader of the Breast Surgery Expert Group of the Surgery Branch of the Chinese Medical Doctor Association, and a standing member of the Breast Cancer Committee of the China Anti-Cancer Association. With extensive expertise in breast cancer surgical treatments, his specialties encompass breast-conserving surgery, breast tumor reshaping and reconstruction, as well as breast reduction and augmentation surgeries.
Prof. LIU Shengchun, a second-level professor in surgery and doctoral supervisor, holds a national committee membership in the Breast Cancer Professional Committee of the Chinese Anti-Cancer Association. He specializes in the early diagnosis and treatment of breast cancer and thyroid cancer, as well as breast cancer post-surgical reconstruction (both Stage I & II), breast-conserving oncoplastic surgery, and comprehensive multimodal treatment approaches for breast cancer.
The department places a great emphasis on fostering next-generation medical talents, with over 90% of its young physicians having pursued international training or doctoral studies. Notably, the department maintains extensive and long-standing collaborations with prestigious universities, research institutes, and hospitals in France.
[Department Development]
The department operates outpatient clinics at multiple campuses: Yuanjiagang Campus, Jinshan Campus, and Jingwei Campus. The Yuanjiagang inpatient ward has 163 beds, while the Jinshan inpatient ward accommodates 67 beds. Currently, Jingwei Campus does not have inpatient facilities. To ensure consistency in medical quality, all campuses adhere to standardized clinical and management protocols established by the hospital.
Over the past 15 years, under the leadership of Professors REN Guosheng and LI Hongyuan, the department has achieved remarkable advancements in academic development, pioneering several cutting-edge surgical techniques in China, including breast reconstruction for breast cancer, oncoplastic breast-conserving surgery, breast reduction surgery for macromastia, and minimally invasive laparoscopic thyroid surgery. The department is recognized as a leading national training center for breast tumor reconstruction surgery.
Additionally, leveraging the hospital’s strong interdisciplinary platform, the department has established a top-tier multidisciplinary team (MDT) for complex case consultations, providing comprehensive diagnostic and therapeutic solutions for patients across Western China.
To enhance patient care, the department has developed a comprehensive patient management system, including the Breast Cancer Kangxin Salon, a dedicated patient follow-up system, and an individualized case management program. These initiatives ensure holistic, long-term care across pre-hospital, in-hospital, and post-hospital stages, addressing patients’ medical, psychological and social needs.
The department has secured 36 National Natural Science Foundation grants, 27 provincial and ministerial research projects, and 30 departmental-level research projects, traning nearly 400 graduate students. The department has won one First Prize in Chongqing Natural Science Awards, two Second Prizes in Chongqing Science and Technology Awards. Over the past decade, the department has published more than 400 high-impact academic papers, with the highest-impact factor (IF) reaching 31.74.
[Academic Exchange]
Since 1994, under the leadership of Professor REN Guosheng, the department has maintained long-term strategic partnerships with prestigious French hospitals. In 2004, the Department of Breast and Thyroid Surgery at First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University inaugurated the biennial “Sino-French International Breast Cancer Advanced Academic Forum”. This collaboration reached new heights in 2011, when Professors REN Guosheng and LI Hongyuan spearheaded the launch of the annual “Sino-French Breast Reconstruction Workshop”, now recognized as one of the largest breast reconstruction training programs in China. In addition, the department routinely organizes large-scale academic events for both physicians and nursing professionals, such as the Western China Breast and Thyroid Specialist Alliance, the Advanced Training Program of Sino-French Breast Surgery Academy, and the Western China Breast Cancer Nursing and Rehabilitation Forum.
Through these efforts, the department not only enhances the expertise of its own medical team but also serves as a vital bridge for breast cancer researchers and clinicians across China, striving to bring hope and healing to countless patients and their families.