A closer look at the hospital

Shanghai Chest Hospital, founded in 1957 and affiliated with Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, specialises in diseases of the chest. Its scope includes the lung, oesophagus, mediastinum, trachea and heart. Experience in both thoracic surgery and medical oncology supports discussions from early-stage surgery to complex combined treatment.

Lung cancer research, oesophageal surgery and thymic tumour care are distinct parts of the hospital’s work. A precise referral question helps: medicines for lung cancer, a second surgical opinion for oesophageal cancer, or expertise in an uncommon mediastinal tumour each calls for a different emphasis.

Experience in both thoracic surgery and medical oncology provides a setting for questions about medicines before surgery or surgical reassessment after treatment. Oesophageal and mediastinal cases can also be considered in relation to complex chest anatomy and cardiopulmonary function, rather than the tumour alone.

Clinical strengths

Lung cancer medicines and combined treatment

The lung medical oncology programme has a distinctive focus on non-small cell lung cancer and clinical research. Classification, molecular features and treatment stage affect the choice of targeted drugs, immunotherapy and chemotherapy, all within the context of pathology and previous therapy.

Research relates to different stages of lung cancer, including treatment around surgery and advanced disease. After several treatment lines, specialist review can help reconstruct what worked, how resistance developed and which medical questions remain.

Oesophageal and thoracic cancer surgery

Thoracic surgery covers oesophageal, lung and other chest tumours. For oesophageal cancer, swallowing, nutrition and cardiopulmonary health matter alongside staging when planning preparation and the treatment sequence.

Thymic and mediastinal tumours

The team conducts clinical research in thymic tumours and other less common chest diseases. Accurate pathology and mediastinal imaging are needed to discuss local invasion, operability, subsequent treatment and follow-up.

Minimally invasive and robotic thoracic surgery

The surgical program treats tumors of the lung, esophagus, trachea and mediastinum. Specialists including Qingquan Luo have longstanding experience in minimally invasive and robotic thoracic surgery and complex chest lesions.

Planning for central, previously treated or anatomically complex tumors considers the adequacy of resection, possible airway or other reconstruction, and integration with treatment before or after surgery.

Thoracic radiotherapy and combined treatment

Xiaolong Fu and the radiation oncology team specialize in thoracic radiotherapy and combined treatment. Its role in lung, esophageal and other chest cancers is assessed alongside staging, surgical options and systemic treatment.

Planning accounts for organ movement and protection of nearby lung, heart and esophagus. Previous radiotherapy plans and dose records are especially important when evaluating further treatment.

Interventional pulmonology and bronchoscopic diagnosis

Jiayuan Sun’s team works on interventional pulmonology and nodule diagnosis, including navigational and robotic bronchoscopy. Choosing an appropriate sampling route helps establish a diagnosis and obtain material for pathology and molecular testing.

Respiratory medicine, imaging, pathology and surgery contribute to selecting an investigation around the lesion’s location and the clinical question.

Cardiovascular expertise within a chest hospital

Cardiovascular medicine is another established part of the hospital, with specialists including Ben He contributing to its clinical and academic development.

For cancer patients with heart disease, prior cardiac investigations, procedure records and current medication help specialists assess treatment tolerance and perioperative care.

Specialists & clinical teams

Shun Lu

Precision lung cancer treatment and care after chemoradiotherapy

Lu was first author of the phase III LAURA trial in the New England Journal of Medicine. Among 216 patients with unresectable stage III EGFR-mutated NSCLC after chemoradiotherapy, median progression-free survival was 39.1 months with osimertinib versus 5.6 with placebo. His distinctive strength is translating molecular results into a treatment plan, including the next step after chemoradiotherapy.

View supporting source

Wentao Fang

Thymoma and thymic carcinoma

Fang helped develop the ITMIG international thymic-tumor database and presented its standards and definitions at the 2025 annual meeting. For these rare tumors, histology, extent of invasion and associated myasthenia gravis can change treatment planning. His distinct expertise is surgical and multidisciplinary assessment of thymoma and thymic carcinoma.

View supporting source

Study results describe selected patient groups, not an individual doctor’s success rate. Availability, case acceptance and the treating team require hospital confirmation.

Your international care journey

Clarify whether the request is for thoracic surgery, medical oncology or another service before confirming record review and appointments. For oesophageal cancer, state food intake and weight change. For lung cancer, include molecular results and previous medicines.

Share your records and questions
Send the diagnosis, pathology, imaging and treatment history. Explain whether you want a second opinion, information about a treatment or an in-person visit. We help organise the records and identify missing information.
Confirm the specialty and acceptance
The relevant service confirms whether it can accept the case and whether pathology review or more records are needed. The hospital determines whether remote assessment or a multidisciplinary opinion is appropriate.
Agree appointments, costs and travel
Confirm the campus, first appointment, proposed assessment and payment requirements before arranging visas, accommodation, transport and interpreting. Discuss caregivers and length of stay when repeated treatment is expected.
Attend assessment and discuss the plan
The clinicians assess the case, arrange necessary tests and explain suitable options, expected benefits and risks. Discuss costs and logistics alongside the clinical plan before deciding on the next step.
Stay informed during treatment
Agreed support can include appointments, interpreting and communication during care. Keep track of questions and clinical feedback, and review schedules, costs and family arrangements if the treatment plan changes.
Return home with a follow-up plan
Before departure, collect the discharge summary, pathology and imaging, medicines and follow-up plan. Clarify pending reports and contact arrangements, with support for communication between local and treating clinicians where agreed.

What to prepare for the first enquiry

For oesophageal disease, add endoscopy and nutritional information; for lung disease, add molecular testing and lung function. Bring complete prior radiotherapy records if considering another local treatment.

Diagnosis & pathology

Diagnosis summary, complete pathology, immunohistochemistry, available molecular tests and where tissue is held.

Original imaging

Recent and pretreatment imaging studies with reports and dates, so changes can be compared.

Treatment timeline

Operations, radiotherapy plans, each drug regimen, responses and major side effects; current medicines and allergies.

Your practical needs

Home country, preferred language, possible travel dates, caregiver needs and the questions you want answered.

Start with the records you already have. We can help identify gaps; do not arrange additional tests solely to make an enquiry.

See the full records checklist

Practical details to settle before travel

Costs & payment

Ask what the hospital estimate includes, deposits, additional charges and refund arrangements. Plan travel and living costs separately. Insurance coverage and direct billing require confirmation.

Language & records

Confirm interpreting for appointments, communication during treatment and the language of records. Our China coordination includes Chinese and English support; other languages need advance confirmation of availability and arrangements.

Campus, accommodation & caregivers

Consultations, tests and admission may take place at different sites. Distance, accessibility, caregiver rules and follow-up frequency all affect the itinerary and should be considered once the clinical plan is clearer.

Length of stay & returning home

Assessment, surgery, radiotherapy and cellular treatment have different schedules. Ask the hospital for the expected course, allowing for results and changes in the plan. Confirm readiness to return home with the clinical team.

How Chirona can help

From organising records and contacting an appropriate specialty to travel in China and follow-up at home, we help connect the practical steps. Tell us the diagnosis, treatment so far and the question you most want answered.

Make your history easier to review

Organise treatments and key reports, help with necessary translation and bring the important questions to the clinician.

Find the appropriate clinical service

Enquire with the relevant specialty, follow up on record requirements and help clarify acceptance and appointments.

Coordinate the practical steps in China

Within the agreed scope, help with visa documentation, travel, arrival transport, accommodation and accompaniment.

Keep communication connected

Help organise consultation feedback, records for home and follow-up requirements, with continued contact as agreed.

The hospital and clinicians make diagnostic, treatment and acceptance decisions. Chirona provides consultation and care coordination within the agreed scope.

Explore our service process

Questions before you decide

What else matters for an oesophageal cancer consultation?

Bring endoscopy, pathology and prior treatment, with recent weight changes. Explain what you can eat and whether a stent or feeding tube is present. Nutrition and swallowing affect preparation for treatment.

Can I request one of the specialists featured here?

Tell us your preference and we can help enquire. The hospital confirms acceptance, the specialist’s involvement and who provides outpatient or inpatient care. It may also recommend another suitable clinician within the specialty.

Can I contact Chirona before choosing a hospital?

Yes. Share the diagnosis, treatment history and the decision you need help with. We can organise the questions to consider when comparing hospitals and explain the coordination available.

Does submitting records confirm treatment?

Submitting records starts the assessment. The hospital must confirm acceptance and clinical suitability and may require more information or in-person tests. Appointment confirmation, the treatment plan and costs should be clarified separately.

Sources & further reading

Profiles draw on the institutional sources below, including historical material where it explains a programme’s development. Appointments, services and research recruitment can change and need confirmation when enquiring.