The launching ceremony of National Colorectal Cancer Cohort Project was held in the city of Hangzhou on September 19, 2017. The project led by Prof. Ding Kefeng from SAHZU is approved funding award as "precision medicine" special program of National 13th five-year Major Research and Development Plan. Prof. Wang Jian’an, President of SAHZU gave a welcome speech on behalf of the hospital and stressed that innovations in patient care has always been the core of our hospital development.

The morbidity and mortality of colorectal cancer in China is the fifth most malignant tumor, which seriously threatens the health of residents. Both in the early screening and middle and late treatment, individualized prevention and precision diagnosis and treatment has played a vital role in dealing with colorectal cancer. Large population cohort study is the critical foundation of precision medical research, but we are still lack of large-scale long term cycle of colorectal cancer cohort study in China. This new launched cohort project will provide critical science and technology support on precision medicine of the colorectal cancer in our country.

Integrating the research on high risk population with clinical cohort, on which to collect full spectrum biological samples of colorectal cancer and precancerous lesions, cohort study is aiming to construct a matched comprehensive database for information on epidemiology, clinical diagnosis and treatment and outcomes follow-up, along with establishing interconnected sharing platform for biological samples and big data. This project is going to provide authoritative data and quality biological resources for the colorectal cancer diagnosis and treatment, as a result to build Chinese colorectal cancer precision medicine system which will be truly beneficial to overall patients and the masses in China.

The Cancer Center at SAHZU is a major cancer institute designated by the National Ministry of Education and recognized as a founder of colorectal cancer prevention and treatment center in China. The Cancer Center was authored the first Chinese Clinical Practice Guideline in Colorectal Cancer. Through a powerful synergy between laboratory scientists and bedside physicians, the Cancer Center fosters innovation in all phases of cancer research.