Professor Liu Zhongjun: Complex Spine Tumor and Reconstruction Specialist
Professor Liu Zhongjun is a senior orthopedic surgeon, professor, doctoral supervisor, and director of the Institute of Spine Surgery at Peking University Third Hospital. His clinical and academic work focuses on spinal tumors, upper-cervical disease, spinal degeneration and deformity, spinal-cord injury, and reconstruction using patient-specific 3D-printed implants.
Clinical and Academic Focus
- primary and metastatic spinal tumors;
- upper-cervical and C2 tumors;
- en bloc and intralesional tumor surgery;
- spinal-cord and nerve-root decompression;
- complex spinal reconstruction;
- patient-specific 3D-printed vertebral implants;
- severe spinal deformity and instability;
- revision surgery after failed reconstruction; and
- second opinions before high-risk spine tumor surgery.
Spinal Tumors
Spinal tumors can arise in the vertebrae, spinal canal, nerve roots, or surrounding tissues. They may be primary bone tumors, blood cancers, benign lesions, or metastases from another organ.
Symptoms can include persistent pain, night pain, weakness, numbness, imbalance, bladder or bowel dysfunction, fracture, and deformity. Treatment depends on tumor biology, location, spread, spinal stability, neurological function, previous therapy, and overall health.
Upper-Cervical and C2 Tumors
Tumors involving the atlas or axis are difficult because they are close to the spinal cord, vertebral arteries, lower cranial nerves, airway, and structures that support head movement.
Surgery may require carefully planned tumor removal, decompression, stabilization, fusion, and reconstruction. CT angiography and three-dimensional planning are often important.
3D-Printed Artificial Vertebral Bodies
Patient-specific 3D-printed implants can be designed from CT data to match a large bone defect, restore spinal alignment, and provide porous surfaces for bone integration.
Professor Liu’s team performed pioneering clinical work using customized 3D-printed vertebral bodies, including reconstruction after removal of complex C2 tumors.
A custom implant is not appropriate for every patient. Planning and manufacturing require time, regulatory approval, suitable bone and soft tissue, infection control, and a clear reconstruction strategy.
Tumor Resection Strategy
Some primary tumors may benefit from removal in one piece with a margin, while other lesions are treated with intralesional surgery, separation surgery, radiation, ablation, systemic therapy, or observation.
The goal is not always maximum removal. Neurological preservation, mechanical stability, tumor biology, expected survival, and additional oncology treatment must be balanced.
Spinal Cord Decompression
Compression from tumor, fracture, degeneration, or deformity can cause weakness, numbness, gait difficulty, or bladder and bowel symptoms. Timely decompression may preserve function, but recovery depends on the severity and duration of injury.
Spinal Deformity and Reconstruction
Severe scoliosis, kyphosis, collapse, or instability may require osteotomy, fixation, fusion, and anterior-column reconstruction. Navigation, three-dimensional models, neurophysiological monitoring, and customized guides can support complex planning.
Metastatic Spine Disease
For metastatic cancer, treatment should be coordinated with medical oncology and radiation oncology. Options can include medicine, stereotactic radiation, minimally invasive stabilization, decompression, separation surgery, or larger reconstruction.
Decision-making should consider neurological status, mechanical instability, tumor sensitivity, systemic disease, prognosis, and patient goals.
Who May Consider a Consultation?
- patients with a primary or metastatic spinal tumor;
- patients with an upper-cervical or C2 lesion;
- patients needing major vertebral resection and reconstruction;
- patients considering a custom 3D-printed implant;
- patients with spinal-cord compression or instability;
- patients with severe deformity after tumor, trauma, or previous surgery;
- patients with recurrent tumor or failed spinal hardware; or
- patients seeking a second opinion before high-risk surgery.
Medical Records to Prepare
- a concise symptom, cancer, and treatment timeline;
- whole-spine MRI and thin-slice CT in original DICOM format;
- CT angiography for upper-cervical lesions when available;
- PET-CT, bone scan, and systemic staging imaging;
- pathology slides, paraffin blocks, molecular reports, and biopsy details;
- all previous surgery, radiation, ablation, and systemic-treatment records;
- implant and hardware information;
- neurological, walking, pain, bladder, bowel, and rehabilitation assessments;
- bone-density, nutrition, infection, and general medical evaluations; and
- a clear list of tumor-control and function-preservation goals.
Planning an International Consultation
Rapidly worsening weakness, new bladder or bowel loss, severe neck instability, breathing difficulty, or suspected acute spinal-cord compression requires immediate local emergency assessment.
Stable patients should confirm whether original imaging and pathology can be reviewed. Remote medical-record review requires physician authorization. Final surgery and custom-implant eligibility require in-person multidisciplinary assessment and current institutional approval.
How CMCS Can Assist
CMCS – China Medical Concierge Shanghai is an independent medical concierge and health management company, not a hospital. We assist international patients with organizing and translating spinal and oncology records, identifying an appropriate specialist, requesting appointment availability, arranging interpretation, and planning medical travel in China.
Access to Professor Liu, remote review, tumor surgery, a custom implant, or a particular reconstruction is subject to doctor and hospital approval. CMCS does not guarantee appointments, implant availability, surgical eligibility, complete tumor removal, neurological recovery, or clinical outcomes.
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Important Note
Doctor titles, clinical roles, implants, devices, procedures, and appointment arrangements may change. This profile is based on the supplied verified research document and is for general information only. It does not replace assessment by a qualified spine oncology team.
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