About Dr. Zhang Wei
Dr. Zhang Wei (张卫) is a Professor, Doctoral Supervisor, and one of China's leading colorectal surgeons, based at the Department of General Surgery, Changhai Hospital, Naval Medical University (Second Military Medical University). With extensive clinical and research expertise in laparoscopic and robotic colorectal surgery, rectal cancer surgery, and — distinctively — the surgical and genetic management of hereditary colorectal cancer syndromes including Lynch syndrome and familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP), Dr. Zhang is recognized as a senior authority in colorectal surgery at one of China's most distinguished military academic medical centers.
Hereditary colorectal cancer syndromes represent a clinically important and frequently underdiagnosed category of colorectal malignancy. Lynch syndrome — caused by germline mutations in the mismatch repair (MMR) genes MLH1, MSH2, MSH6, and PMS2 — accounts for approximately 3–5% of all colorectal cancers and confers a lifetime colorectal cancer risk of 40–80%, as well as elevated risks of endometrial, ovarian, gastric, urological, and other cancers. Familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP), caused by germline APC mutations, leads to the development of hundreds to thousands of colorectal polyps and near-certain colorectal cancer without prophylactic colectomy. The identification of patients with these syndromes — through clinical recognition, tumor MMR/MSI testing, and germline genetic testing — and the provision of appropriate surgical management, surveillance, and family cascade testing are essential components of optimal colorectal cancer care that are frequently not performed in community oncology settings.
Dr. Zhang's expertise in hereditary colorectal cancer — encompassing the clinical recognition of hereditary syndromes, the coordination of germline genetic testing, the surgical management of syndrome-associated colorectal cancer and polyposis, and the organization of family surveillance programs — makes him a uniquely valuable resource for international patients with a personal or family history of colorectal cancer who are concerned about hereditary risk.
Hospital Affiliation: Department of General Surgery, Changhai Hospital
Changhai Hospital (长海医霂), affiliated with Naval Medical University, is one of Shanghai's largest and most prestigious academic medical centers. Its Department of General Surgery is a high-volume, multidisciplinary surgical program with particular national recognition in colorectal surgery, hepatobiliary surgery, and gastrointestinal oncology. The colorectal surgery division performs a high volume of laparoscopic and robotic colorectal resections annually, supported by a dedicated colorectal cancer multidisciplinary team integrating colorectal surgery, medical oncology, radiation oncology, interventional radiology, and gastroenterology. The department's hereditary colorectal cancer program — one of the most active in China — provides a comprehensive service for patients with Lynch syndrome, FAP, and other hereditary colorectal cancer syndromes, including genetic counseling coordination, germline testing, surgical management, and family surveillance program organization.
The department's robotic surgery program — utilizing the da Vinci surgical system — provides enhanced visualization and instrument dexterity for complex rectal cancer surgery, including total mesorectal excision (TME) in the narrow male pelvis, intersphincteric resection (ISR) for ultra-low rectal cancer, and lateral lymph node dissection for rectal cancer with lateral nodal involvement. The combination of robotic TME and transanal TME (TaTME) capabilities at Changhai Hospital enables a truly individualized approach to rectal cancer surgery, with the technique selected on the basis of tumor location, patient anatomy, and surgeon expertise.
Clinical Specialties: What Dr. Zhang Wei Treats
- Colorectal cancer surgery — laparoscopic and robotic right hemicolectomy, extended right hemicolectomy, left hemicolectomy, sigmoid colectomy, and anterior resection for colon cancer; laparoscopic and robotic total mesorectal excision (TME) for rectal cancer with sphincter preservation; intersphincteric resection (ISR) for ultra-low rectal cancer; transanal TME (TaTME) for technically challenging rectal cancers in the narrow pelvis; abdominoperineal resection (APR) for low rectal cancer not amenable to sphincter preservation; lateral lymph node dissection for rectal cancer with lateral nodal involvement; coordination with medical oncology and radiation oncology for neoadjuvant and adjuvant treatment
- Lynch syndrome (hereditary non-polyposis colorectal cancer, HNPCC) — clinical recognition of Lynch syndrome based on Amsterdam II criteria and Bethesda guidelines; coordination of tumor MMR IHC and MSI testing for Lynch syndrome screening; germline MMR gene testing coordination and genetic counseling referral; surgical management of Lynch syndrome-associated colorectal cancer including extended colectomy considerations; surveillance colonoscopy program organization for Lynch syndrome patients and at-risk family members; coordination with gynecology and urology for Lynch syndrome-associated extracolonic cancer surveillance and risk-reducing surgery
- Familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP) and attenuated FAP (AFAP) — clinical diagnosis and APC germline testing coordination for FAP and AFAP; prophylactic and therapeutic colectomy for FAP including total proctocolectomy with ileal pouch-anal anastomosis (IPAA) and total colectomy with ileorectal anastomosis (IRA); management of rectal remnant polyp burden after IRA; desmoid tumor assessment and management; duodenal and gastric polyp surveillance coordination; family cascade testing organization
- MUTYH-associated polyposis (MAP) and other hereditary polyposis syndromes — clinical recognition and MUTYH germline testing coordination for MAP; surgical management of MAP-associated colorectal cancer and polyposis; management of Peutz-Jeghers syndrome, juvenile polyposis syndrome, and serrated polyposis syndrome
- Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) surgery — laparoscopic total proctocolectomy with IPAA for ulcerative colitis; subtotal colectomy for acute severe ulcerative colitis; segmental resection and strictureplasty for Crohn's disease; IBD-associated colorectal cancer surgery; coordination with gastroenterology for perioperative medical management
- Colorectal cancer surveillance and screening — colonoscopic surveillance for patients at elevated colorectal cancer risk including Lynch syndrome, FAP, prior colorectal cancer, and family history; coordination with the gastroenterology endoscopy team for polypectomy and EMR of colorectal polyps; post-operative surveillance colonoscopy after colorectal cancer resection
- Anorectal surgery — surgical management of complex anal fistula; hemorrhoidectomy; rectocele and rectal prolapse repair; sacral nerve stimulation for fecal incontinence
Hereditary Colorectal Cancer: Why Expert Management Matters
The management of hereditary colorectal cancer syndromes requires a level of clinical expertise and multidisciplinary coordination that goes well beyond standard colorectal cancer surgery. For patients with Lynch syndrome, the surgical decision — whether to perform a segmental resection or an extended colectomy at the time of colorectal cancer diagnosis — has profound implications for the patient's lifetime colorectal cancer risk and the intensity of subsequent surveillance required. For patients with FAP, the choice between total proctocolectomy with IPAA and total colectomy with IRA depends on rectal polyp burden, cancer risk, functional considerations, and patient preference, and requires careful individualized counseling by a surgeon with deep experience in FAP management.
For international patients with a personal or family history of colorectal cancer who have not been evaluated for hereditary risk — or who have received a diagnosis of Lynch syndrome or FAP but are uncertain about the optimal surgical and surveillance strategy — Dr. Zhang's expertise provides access to the specialized knowledge and multidisciplinary coordination that optimal hereditary colorectal cancer management requires. His ability to integrate germline genetic testing results, tumor molecular profiling, surgical planning, and family surveillance program organization into a comprehensive, individualized management plan is a capability that is available at only a small number of centers in China.
Why International Patients Choose Dr. Zhang Wei and Changhai Hospital
International patients seek colorectal surgical consultation with Dr. Zhang Wei for two overlapping reasons: his expertise as a technically accomplished laparoscopic and robotic colorectal surgeon, and his unique position as one of China's leading specialists in hereditary colorectal cancer management.
For patients with colorectal cancer requiring surgical resection, Dr. Zhang's expertise in laparoscopic and robotic colorectal surgery — including TaTME for technically challenging rectal cancers and ISR for ultra-low rectal cancer — provides access to the most advanced minimally invasive colorectal surgical techniques, with the sphincter preservation rates and oncological outcomes that are the hallmarks of a high-volume, specialized colorectal surgery program.
For patients with a personal or family history of colorectal cancer who are concerned about hereditary risk, or who have received a diagnosis of Lynch syndrome or FAP and are seeking expert guidance on surgical management and surveillance, Dr. Zhang's specialized expertise in hereditary colorectal cancer provides a level of clinical depth and multidisciplinary coordination that is difficult to access outside major academic colorectal surgery centers. The cost of colorectal surgical consultation and hereditary cancer evaluation at Changhai Hospital is substantially below that of equivalent services in Western healthcare systems, and access to Dr. Zhang's clinic can typically be arranged within days through CMCS.
What to Expect at Your Consultation
Consultations with Dr. Zhang Wei at Changhai Hospital arranged through CMCS begin with a comprehensive review of all prior colorectal investigation — including colonoscopy reports and biopsy pathology, CT colonography, MRI pelvis for rectal cancer staging, prior surgical records, tumor MMR IHC and MSI testing results, germline genetic testing results where available, and family history of colorectal and other cancers — as well as the patient's gastrointestinal symptom history and current medications. CMCS will arrange certified translation of all medical records and investigation results in advance of the consultation.
Dr. Zhang will assess the colorectal pathology and hereditary cancer risk, evaluate surgical indication and approach, outline the recommended treatment and surveillance strategy with detailed rationale, and coordinate germline genetic testing and genetic counseling referral where indicated. A written English-language consultation summary is provided after every appointment, and CMCS will facilitate direct communication between Dr. Zhang's team and the patient's home gastroenterologist, colorectal surgeon, or clinical geneticist for continuity of care planning.
Book a Consultation Through CMCS
China Medical Concierge Shanghai (CMCS) provides comprehensive end-to-end support for international patients seeking colorectal surgical and hereditary cancer consultation with Dr. Zhang Wei at Changhai Hospital. Our services include priority consultation scheduling, certified medical record and investigation result translation, coordination of germline genetic testing and genetic counseling, colonoscopy and MRI coordination, on-site interpretation throughout the consultation, surgical logistics and hospital admission coordination, and written English-language reporting of all findings and recommendations. CMCS will also facilitate direct communication between Dr. Zhang's team and the patient's home physicians to ensure seamless continuity of care.
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