| 个人简介
Reshaping the Global Cancer Battlefield: Pioneering a New Era of Minimally Invasive Therapy
— A Conversation with Prof. Wang Ligen, International Minimally Invasive Oncology Specialist
“Medicine is not merely technology, but reverence for life”— This maxim has guided Prof. Wang Ligen throughout his 40-year medical career.
Prof. Wang Ligen
Prof. Wang Ligen serves as a Visiting Specialist for Southeast Asia Lectures and Consultations at Modern Cancer Hospital Guangzhou. He is among China's first certified physicians for operating large-scale radiotherapy equipment (Linear Accelerator, LA) and a senior leader in radiation oncology. With over 40 years of clinical experience, he has witnessed the full trajectory of China's radiotherapy development—from its nascent stage to standardization and international dissemination. Leveraging profound clinical expertise and a global perspective, he has advanced the implementation of precision radiotherapy and minimally invasive treatment techniques across China and Southeast Asia, helping countless patients with advanced-stage cancer reclaim their lives.
He pursued advanced training at Harvard Medical School and Prince of Wales Hospital, Sydney, Australia. This experience profoundly shaped his understanding of Western medical excellence: “It’s not just about technology, but a philosophy of comprehensive patient care.” Regarding late-stage cancer treatment, he emphasized: “The West prioritizes ‘whole-person care’' which taught me that medicine extends beyond eliminating tumors—it must alleviate suffering and honor life." He integrated these principles into his domestic practice, enriching both the humanistic dimension and clinical pathway design of radiotherapy.
Prof. Wang has authored 40+ publications in Chinese and English, including 5 SCI-indexed papers focusing on radiobiology, high Linear Energy Transfer (LET) radiotherapy, and brain metastasis management. As a longstanding committee member of multiple provincial/municipal-level academic organizations in China, he spearheads the development of radiotherapy standardization frameworks, driving technological advancement through academic leadership while upholding life’s hope.
Professor Wang Ligen’s radiotherapy certificate
Breaking Barriers · Innovating · Integrating: Leading the Transformative Leap in Precision Radiotherapy
Confronting early challenges where radiotherapy existed as “a subdiscipline dependent on radiology departments” in China, Prof. Wang navigated the painstaking journey toward disciplinary independence and actively contributed to establishing radiotherapy as a standalone specialty. His pivotal research—*Californium-252 Neutron Brachytherapy Combined with External Pelvic Radiotherapy Plus Concurrent Chemotherapy for Cervical Cancer*—stands as a landmark exploration in China’s radiotherapy landscape.
This study revealed that compared to conventional gamma rays, neutron radiation achieves higher Linear Energy Transfer (LET), delivering a 97.3% local control rate for cervical cancer. Prof. Wang explained: “High-LET neutron radiotherapy is particularly effective for intracavitary tumors like cervical cancer, demonstrating significantly superior biological effectiveness (RBE) over traditional radiotherapy—though it demands exceptionally stringent procedural protocols.” He emphasized critical attention to patient tolerance and toxicity management, noting this technique also expands clinical possibilities for older patients or those ineligible for surgery.
Addressing advances in precision radiotherapy, Prof. Wang emphasized the integrative medicine philosophy endorsed in CACA Guidelines for Holistic Integrative Management of Cancer by the China Anti-Cancer Association: “Cancer treatment must adhere to the Multidisciplinary Comprehensive Treatment principle—this is not only an international consensus but the cornerstone of standardized Chinese oncology practice.” He highlighted the essence of synergistic therapies: “As the guidelines require—‘leveraging strengths while mitigating weaknesses’—surgery, radiotherapy, and minimally invasive interventions must form a coordinated treatment sequence through Multidisciplinary Team collaboration.” Citing Modern Cancer Hospital Guangzhou’s approach: “Through MDT consultations, we customize personalized regimens. For instance, older patients with comorbidities often benefit most from Minimally Invasive Therapy combined with radiotherapy, minimizing trauma and accelerating recovery.” His enduring principle remains: “Patient survival benefits are the paramount guiding principle.”
Prof. Wang Ligen participated in The 4th ASEAN International Integrative Oncology Medicine Session
Technology Export + Humanistic Resonance: Building Trust Bridges via “Tripartite” Medical Collaboration
As China’s export specialist of precision radiotherapy technology, Prof. Wang Ligen has conducted numerous lecture tours and telemedicine sessions in the Philippines, Bangladesh, Malaysia, and beyond. His deep insights into local healthcare systems and patient needs reveal: “Many Southeast Asian nations still face gaps in equipment and standardized protocols—precisely where China’s advanced technology and evidence-based frameworks can bridge critical gaps.”
China possesses leading advantages in cutting-edge equipment and standardized treatment protocols, while Southeast Asian nations offer rich regional tumor epidemiology data and localized therapeutic expertise. Prof. Wang champions the “Tripartite” collaboration model—establishing transnational physician training centers for talent development, creating tailored therapeutic solutions for prevalent cancers, and enabling medical data sharing via intelligent diagnostic platforms. His involvement in the AI-powered teleconsultation system, which enables real-time interpretation across 12 languages, has achieved a quantum leap in cross-border clinical communication efficiency.
During an oncology lecture tour, Prof. Wang witnessed a patient whose timely referral for treatment through remote assessment prevented disease progression. He reflected: “True medical diplomacy is never one-way knowledge transfer—it’s about reciprocal empowerment.’
Professor Wang Ligen and local medical staff
Professor Wang Ligen attached great importance to medical communication under cultural differences. He has repeatedly emphasized: “Trust is the prerequisite for treatment. We must communicate treatment plans in a language that patients can understand and accept.” In international consultations, he leads the team to improve patient compliance through details such as language adaptation, cultural respect, and daily care.
Prof. Wang advocates a “Listen–Resolve–Empower” three-step communication framework to build patients’ rational perspective on radiotherapy. He notes: “Many patients feel intimidated by technologies like proton therapy or Intensity-Modulated Radiotherapy (IMRT). I use evidence-based comparisons and real-world outcomes to demonstrate how these techniques enhance efficacy while reducing side effects.”
Professor Wang Ligen consulted with patients and their families
Over his 40+ years in medicine, Prof. Wang has sustained parallel dedication to clinical practice and academic innovation: “Medical progress accelerates relentlessly—physicians must maintain intellectual agility.” He envisions oncology’s future advancing toward *“precision, safety, and intelligence-driven treatment pathway optimization.”
Currently pioneering research in AI-guided radiotherapy pathways and radiation-immunotherapy integration, he asserts: “Tomorrow’s radiotherapy must transcend mere technical procedure—it will be a multidisciplinary, personalized, and humanistic continuum.”
He firmly believes that “Cancer treatment extends beyond survival time; it fundamentally lies in the quality and dignity of life. Physicians must master not only their scalpels but also learn how to carry the weight of hope. We must steadfastly uphold the core principle—‘Humanity-centered, warming lives with technology.’”
| Expert Papers
Californium-252 (²⁵²Cf) Neutron Brachytherapy Combined with External Pelvic Radiotherapy Plus Concurrent Chemotherapy for Cervical Cancer: A Retrospective Clinical Study
Authors: SHEN Qian, YE Ling, TIAN Yunhong, WANG Ligen, HUANG Zuoping, LI Feng, HOU Bing, SONG Ni, CHEN Juan, LIU Ying, LIU Xiao and ZHOU Tao
Source: Chinese Journal of Cancer, 2017; 35(04): 35–43
【Abstract】Cervical cancer ranks as the sixth most prevalent cancer among Chinese women. This retrospective study analyzed long-term efficacy and safety in 150 patients with Stage IB-IVB cervical cancer treated with ²⁵²Cf neutron brachytherapy, external pelvic radiotherapy, and cisplatin-based chemotherapy, evaluatin survival outcomes and adverse events.
Brain Metastasis: Clinical Experience of Xijing Hospital
Authors: WANG Ligen, GUO Yan, ZHANG Xiang, SONG Shaojun, XIA Jielai, FAN Fengyun, SHI Mei and WEI Lichun
Source: Stereotactic and Functional Neurosurgery (Switzerland), 2002; 78(2): 70–83
【Abstract】Brain metastasis is a common and prognostically adverse complication of advanced solid tumors. This retrospective analysis assessed Xijing Hospital’s multidisciplinary (MDT) experience, evaluating the impact of stereotactic radiosurgery (X-Knife System) and whole-brain radiotherapy (WBRT) on lesion control and survival (OS/PFS). By collating imaging data, treatment protocols, and prognostic outcomes, it explores the clinical value of integrated therapeutic approaches.
Small Cell Carcinoma of the Uterine Cervix: A Multi-Institutional Clinical Experience
Authors: LI Junyun, OUYANG Yi, TAO Yalan, WANG Ligen, LI Mingyi, GAO Lei and CAO Xinping
Source: International Journal of Gynecological Cancer, Feb 2020; 30(2): 174–180; DOI: 10.1136/ijgc-2019-000612
【Abstract】Cervical small cell carcinoma is a rare, highly aggressive malignancy with poor prognosis. This multi-center retrospective study analyzed 93 patients from three institutions (2001–2015), assessing the impact of clinicopathological factors on disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS) using Kaplan-Meier methodology and Cox regression analysis.
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2025-08-28
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