Peking University International Hospital and the University of Chicago Medicine Hold Successful Gastrointestinal Surgery Exchange

Recently, a delegation from the  University of Chicago Medicine, including Dr. Ryan Merkow, Associate  Professor of Surgery and Vice Chair of the Quality and Safety  Committee, and Mr. James Bae, Director of Business Development of  International Programs, visited Peking University International  Hospital. They were received by Dr. Qu Zhen, Director of the  International Medical Center, Deputy Director Dr. Liu Hao, Head Nurse  Li Ning, as well as Associate Chief Physicians Dr. Zhang Yankai and  Dr. Yan Yichao from the Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, who  joined in the ensuing discussions and academic exchange.

Delegation visit: tour, exchange, and prospects for cooperation

At the start of the visit, Dr. Merkow and  his colleagues, accompanied by hospital staff, toured the outpatient  hall and the inpatient wards of the International Medical Center.  During the tour, Dr. Merkow spoke highly of the hospital’s modern  medical facilities and the quality of its clinical services.

The meeting was chaired by Dr. Qu Zhen,  Director of the International Medical Center. Dr. Qu first extended a  warm welcome to the delegation from the University of Chicago  Medicine, and gave a detailed overview of the hospital’s history,  development, key specialties, and the strengths of its International  Medical Center. Mr. James Bae then introduced the century-long  development of the University of Chicago Medicine, its achievements in  medical innovation, and its services for international patients. He  noted in particular that, as the institution approaches its 100th  anniversary, it is planning to open the first stand-alone cancer  hospital in the Chicago area, and looks forward to deepening  collaboration with Peking University International Hospital in a  broader range of fields.

Academic exchange

In the academic session, Dr. Ryan Merkow  delivered a lecture on “Surgical Management of Metastatic Colorectal  Cancer,” sharing the latest research and clinical experience from the  University of Chicago Medicine.

For colorectal liver metastases, Dr.  Merkow highlighted hepatic arterial infusion (HAI) pump chemotherapy.  The HAI pump is an implanted device that delivers high-concentration  chemotherapy directly into the arterial blood supply of liver tumors.  This targeted approach substantially increases drug concentration at  the tumor site while reducing systemic toxicity, and can downsize  initially unresectable liver metastases to make surgical resection  possible. Studies show that, compared with systemic chemotherapy  alone, combining HAI with systemic therapy significantly prolongs both  overall survival and progression-free survival.

For peritoneal metastases of colorectal  cancer, Dr. Merkow discussed hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy  (HIPEC), an innovative treatment that integrates precise thermal  control of chemotherapy with cytoreductive surgery. Heated  chemotherapy drugs are circulated within the abdominal cavity during  surgery to achieve focused eradication of peritoneal disease.  Immediate HIPEC following cytoreductive surgery has been shown to  markedly improve patient outcomes.

Dr. Merkow emphasized that surgeons  should actively integrate surgery with emerging therapeutic modalities  to improve outcomes for patients with metastatic colorectal cancer.

Dr. Zhang Yankai presented   gastric cancer case      
 Associate Chief Physician Dr. Zhang Yankai from the  Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery presented a special case report  titled “Comprehensive Treatment of Synchronous Gastric Cancer with  Liver Metastasis (CGCLM Type IIIa),” showcasing the department’s  technical strengths in managing complex conditions.

The patient was a 29yearold man diagnosed  with poorly differentiated gastric adenocarcinoma and extensive liver  metastases, classified as CGCLM Type IIIa. Our hospital convened  multiple MDT (multidisciplinary team) meetings to develop an  individualized treatment plan, which included neoadjuvant  chemotherapy, evaluation for conversion therapy, surgery, adjuvant  chemotherapy, and salvage treatment after recurrence.

Drawing on this patient’s treatment  course and prognosis, Dr. Zhang led an indepth discussion on key  challenges in managing gastrointestinal tumors with liver metastases,  such as intratumoral heterogeneity, resistance to immunotherapy, and  hepatotoxicity of systemic treatments.

Dr. Zhang also introduced the PEGASUS  project, based on a real-world database of gastric cancer with liver  metastasis in China. This study analyzes the impact of different  treatment strategies on survival in this patient population, with the  aim of informing better treatment algorithms and clinical  decision-making in the future.

Deepening collaboration, looking to the future      
 This academic exchange not only strengthened mutual  understanding between Peking University International Hospital and the  University of Chicago Medicine, but also laid a solid foundation for  future collaboration.

Going forward, the two institutions will  continue to explore broader academic cooperation, work together to  advance medical technologies, and provide higher-quality care for  patients. The success of this event marks a new step for our hospital  in international academic exchange and cooperation. We look forward to  partnering with more leading medical institutions worldwide to drive  progress in medicine together.