Opportunities and challenges for colorectal surgery in precision medicine era

Colorectal cancer is a common malignant tumor of the digestive tract. In recent years, with the advancement of surgical concepts and techniques, and remarkable achievements in basic value research and clinical transformation, the clinical treatment of colorectal cancer has made considerable progress. With the deepening application of the "precision medicine" concept, the transformation of the comprehensive diagnostic and therapeutic system for colorectal cancer is not only manifested in core aspects such as the optimization of preoperative neoadjuvant therapy regimens, precise selection of chemotherapy and targeted drugs, and intelligent upgrades of surgical decision-making systems, but also extends to the construction of prognostic prediction models and innovations in immunotherapy strategies. This marks the official entry of colorectal cancer diagnosis and treatment into the precision medicine era. Although surgery remains the cornerstone of colorectal cancer treatment, its potential limitations cannot be overlooked while pursuing therapeutic efficacy. With the continuous development of precision medicine theory and clinical practice, the concept of precision surgery has been integrated into various stages, including preoperative evaluation and adjuvant therapy. It provides critical support for determining surgical timing, formulating surgical plans, and optimizing intraoperative procedures, thereby reshaping the clinical paradigm of colorectal cancer management. Consequently, clinical surgeons must proactively acquire precision medicine expertise and actively engage in related research and clinical practice. The authors synthesize recent global research progress in precision diagnosis and treatment of colorectal cancer through literature review, combined with their team's clinical experience to forecast future developmental trajectories, aiming to provide valuable insights and practical references for surgical colleagues in this evolving field.