In the past few days, Wu Yilong, MD, the honorary director of our Guangdong Lung Cancer Institute (GLCI), made his first appearance in two internationally well-known academic journals in a unique way. Cancer and The New England Journal of Medicine published his legendary academic experience and major viewpoints on discipline inheritance and talent cultivation.
Cancer, the official journal of the American Cancer Society, publishes featured columns in “CancerScope” and first person profiles for scholars with academic influence in various fields internationally. “Dr. Wu’s research has progressed from improving the survival rates of patients with non-small cell lung cancer and is now focused on ensuring that he and the next generation of researchers can find a cure.” was the title of the “CancerScope” of Cancer issued in April 2023. This column introduced the personal academic experience of Dr. Wu from three aspects, involving academic start, research course, and contributions.
In a recent interview by The New England Journal of Medicine, Dr. Wu shared his valuable experience and insights on discipline construction and talent cultivation. The selected English edition was published on the Career Center (a promotion column) of The New England Journal of Medicine on February 23, 2023.
Biography of Cancer: Personal Academic Experience of Dr. Wu
1.Change the current treatment status due to dissatisfaction with it.
Dr. Wu received clinical training for surgeons in the early 1980s. After nearly 8 years of medical practice, he retrospectively sorted the cases of patients who had lung cancer surgery in the past 20 years and found that their 5-year survival rate remained at 30% without any improvement. He became aware that the patients’ survival was mainly limited by the lack of therapy methods. So just being a doctor performing surgery was far from enough.
This awareness promoted Dr. Wu to start his research, that is, searching for a better treatment for lung cancer on the basis of constant understanding of the changes in the gene pathway of lung cancer. Dr. Wu believed that his most valuable research was the establishment of EGFR as a clinical target for lung cancer treatment. Later, he also designed the first clinical test, in which he contrasted the curative effect of adjuvant targeted gefitinib with that of standard chemotherapy in patients with EGFR mutations and Stage II/III resectable non-small cell lung cancer. The research results were reported at the 2017 Annual Meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO). This research initiated a new model of adjuvant therapy for early non-small cell lung cancer. Then he led the international Phase III clinical tests (ADAURA) as PI and set a new standard for early NSCLC adjuvant therapy with osimertinib, which was approved for marketing by the US FDA and more than 50 other countries worldwide.
Dr. Wu said, “The story of EGFR is not only about significantly prolonging patients’ survival , but also about spreading the idea of precise therapy to the discovery and verification of other targets, such as ALK/ROS1, etc. Clinical decisions made under the guidance of genetic characteristics have benefited countless lung cancer patients and today ‘the ideal of turning lung cancer into a chronic disease’ has come true.”
2.The oncologist’s path to success
Now Dr. Wu serves as the main researcher in the clinical tests of 90 centers at home and abroad. His research results have changed the pattern of lung cancer therapy and, more importantly, been able to improve the prognosis of patients truly. He firmly believes that the changes in precision medicine and evidence-based medicine have laid a solid foundation for turning lung cancer into a chronic disease. In addition, Dr. Wu plays an important role in multiple research organizations, including the Lung Cancer Professional Committee of the China Anti-Cancer Association (chairman), the International Chinese Society of Thoracic Surgery (president), the American College of Surgeons (fellow), the International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer (board member), the European Society for Medical Oncology in China (representative), as well as the International Affairs Department of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (member).
Dr. Wu has founded the Chinese Thoracic Oncology Group (CTONG), which he reckons is also one of the most significant achievements of his career. Founded in 2007, CTONG is a research alliance formed by over 40 cancer centers in China and aims to speed up the development of clinical research on lung cancer and drug approval. He said, “The research alliance promotes the world to see and recognize the academic contributions of Chinese doctors and researchers.”
3.Look into the future
Dr. Wu said, “With a new vision of curing patients with lung cancer, we need to try to predict disease recurrence and distant metastasis and eradicate metastatic clones before it is too late to cure the patient.” At last, Dr. Wu mentioned specifically that GLCI provides young people with valuable opportunities for growth and offers multi-disciplinary diagnosis and treatment services for patients with lung cancer. He considers that his students have gradually become rising stars in their own clinical and research fields. He said, “The cultivation of the young generation has brought constant satisfaction and happiness to me.”
Interview with Wu Yilong, MD in The New England Journal of Medicine: Disciplinary Development and Talent Cultivation of GLCI
1.Five key points of discipline construction
Firstly, the foothold of all researches must be changes in clinical practice and all researches must meet international standards. In the past 20 years, evidence-based medicine and precision medicine have been the main driving forces behind the progress of clinical oncology. In recent 5 years, immunotherapy has also been one of the driving forces. The focus of our work is, in these directions, to carry out clinical tests that align with international standards and complete them according to international standards.
Secondly, for faster integration into the international lung cancer community, all of our researches adhere to the rules recognized by the global academic community, such as GCP rules.
Thirdly, we take talent cultivation and team inheritance seriously. Shortly after the foundation of GLCI, we promoted the construction of departments and teams in accordance with international standards, and recommended a batch of young physicians to participate in the tests of several international centers and learn international standards of clinical tests. Now GLCI is cultivating the third generation of leading figures.
Fourthly, we must conduct innovative research on the basis of our own clinical practice. We have launched several great IIT studies according to problems found in clinical work. These studies have caused strong international responses.
Fifthly, GLCI has led the establishment of CTONG, a cooperation organization for national clinical trials, in collaboration with multiple top hospitals in China. Based on this, multiple innovative clinical trials have been carried out.
2.Seven pieces of experience in talent cultivation
First, young physicians must master 3 basic skills, including English, academic software, and basic knowledge of clinical statistics. To help everyone improve English, we speak English when making the rounds of the wards, case reports, and work reports. We do not insist on accurate pronunciation, but everyone must be able to conduct academic exchanges with international peers in English. Besides, when young physicians consider problems and design research plans, the application of statistical knowledge is of great benefit to their work.
Second, young physicians must publish a summary of their research fields at the beginning of their careers so as to gain a thorough understanding of the progress in this field and be confident when thinking about future research work.
Third, encourage the spirit of exploration. For example, we ask all physicians to make a speech when attending meetings and even require everyone to ask the speaker a question when attending international conferences. Only by cultivating the exploratory spirit of young doctors through various methods can they make innovative research in the future.
Fourth, establish a strict examination and verification system. We will review all test data strictly to ensure its authenticity. We trained them for the quality of seeking truth and pragmatism through this subtle influence.
Fifth, set up a mechanism to motivate young physicians. When young physicians have good research directions, the resources of the Institute will be directed more towards them to help them grow rapidly.
Sixth, we are divided into different teams according to the molecular typing of lung cancer this year. Each team makes a targeted in-depth exploration so as to enhance our research depth.
Finally, we have an elimination mechanism for those who are not serious or proactive in their work.
“To cure patients with lung cancer, we need to predict and eliminate the tumor in advance before it metastasizes.” by Wu Yilong, MD.
Zhang Jiatao
Updated: April 13, 2023
