I. Overview The Third Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery (hereinafter referred to as "Third Gastrointestinal Surgery Department"), affiliated with the First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, was formerly the Department of Minimally Invasive Surgery and is one of the earliest clinical specialties in China to perform various minimally invasive surgeries. The Third Gastrointestinal Surgery Department is currently a key discipline under the national "211 and 985 Project," a national key discipline of the Ministry of Education, and a national key clinical specialty of the National Health Commission. Additionally, the department has served as the chair unit of the Gastrointestinal Surgery Group of the Chinese Medical Association Surgery Branch for three terms, the chair unit of the Guangdong Medical Association Surgery Branch for four terms, and the chair unit of the Guangdong Medical Association Gastrointestinal Surgery Branch for three terms. It hosts the Sun Yat-sen University Gastric Cancer Diagnosis and Treatment Research Center, the Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumor Center, the Clinical Nutrition Center, the Hernia and Abdominal Wall Surgery Diagnosis and Treatment Center, the editorial office of the *Journal of Digestive Oncology (Electronic Edition)*, and the Stoma and Chronic Wound Care Specialty. The current director of the Third Gastrointestinal Surgery Department is Professor Song Wu, the academic leader is Professor He Yulong, and the deputy directors are Professor Xu Jianbo and Professor Zhang Xinhua. The department has 11 faculty members with senior or associate senior professional titles, 100% of whom hold doctoral degrees, and operates 38 inpatient beds. The overall strength of the Third Gastrointestinal Surgery Department is recognized as leading among peers nationwide, particularly in the diagnosis and treatment of gastrointestinal tumors, which enjoys considerable renown both domestically and internationally in the field of gastrointestinal surgery. Multiple research achievements from our department have been invited for presentation at the International Gastric Cancer Congress (IGCC) and the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Annual Meeting, receiving strong responses. The department has a complete medical technology echelon and demonstrates distinctive features in standardized minimally invasive treatment of gastrointestinal tumors, bariatric and metabolic surgery, and hernia surgery, capable of managing major, complex, and difficult cases in gastrointestinal surgery. Over the past decade, with advancements in surgical techniques and overall improvement, the 5-year survival rates for gastric cancer and colorectal cancer patients have increased, reaching leading domestic levels. II. Clinical Features 1. The department's main diagnostic and treatment categories include: gastric cancer, colorectal cancer, obesity with metabolic diseases (e.g., diabetes, hypertension, hyperlipidemia), esophageal cancer, duodenal cancer, pancreatic cancer, gastrointestinal stromal tumors; various hernias such as inguinal hernia, hiatal hernia, abdominal wall hernia, incisional hernia, and esophageal hiatal hernia, especially minimally invasive surgical treatment for complex hernias; thoracoscopic sympathectomy for palmar hyperhidrosis, neuroendocrine tumors, retroperitoneal tumors, gastrointestinal lymphoma, various benign gastrointestinal tumors, massive gastrointestinal bleeding, complications of peptic ulcers, benign and malignant diseases of the rectum and anal canal, and inflammatory bowel disease. 2. The Third Gastrointestinal Surgery Department is equipped with the world's most advanced minimally invasive surgical equipment and technologies: Da Vinci robotic systems, 3D laparoscopes, 4K laparoscopes, and gastrointestinal endoscopes. The diseases treated include: robotic and laparoscopic surgeries and extended radical surgeries for common gastrointestinal tumors such as gastric cancer, colorectal cancer, anal canal cancer, pancreatic cancer, duodenal cancer, and gastrointestinal stromal tumors. Routinely performed procedures include total laparoscopic pancreaticoduodenectomy, radical gastrectomy (D2), extended radical gastrectomy (D3), total laparoscopic radical colectomy, laparoscopic total mesorectal excision for rectal cancer, low anterior resection with sphincter preservation and functional preservation radical rectal cancer surgery, colonic J-pouch anastomosis and pull-through radical rectal cancer surgery, natural orifice specimen extraction surgery (NOSES) for colorectal cancer, reduced-port and single-port laparoscopic surgery, endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) for various early benign and malignant gastrointestinal tumors, combined endoscopic and laparoscopic surgery for gastrointestinal tumors, and minimally invasive surgeries for obesity and metabolic diseases (e.g., diabetes, hypertension, hyperlipidemia) such as gastric bypass and sleeve gastrectomy. Minimally invasive surgical treatment is also provided for various hernias including inguinal hernia, abdominal wall hernia, incisional hernia, and hiatal hernia, especially complex hernias, as well as various inflammatory bowel diseases, adult Hirschsprung's disease, and gastrointestinal malformations. III. Scientific Research 1. In-depth basic and clinical research on gastric cancer has been conducted, including systematic studies on familial gastric cancer susceptibility gene screening, gastric cancer stem cells, lymphatic metastasis of gastric cancer, and the gastric cancer microenvironment. Research achievements have received the Second Prize of the Chinese Medical Association Medical Science and Technology Award in 2005, the Second Prize of the Guangdong Provincial Science and Technology Award in 2005, the Second Prize of the Guangdong Provincial Science and Technology Award in 2009, the Third Prize of the Chinese Medical Association Award in 2010, and the First Prize of the Guangdong Provincial Science and Technology Award in 2018. 2. Extensive research on functional preservation in rectal cancer has been carried out, with achievements receiving the First Prize of the Guangdong Provincial Science and Technology Award in 2006. 3. Clinical and basic research on gastrointestinal stromal tumors has been conducted, with participation in the development of international guidelines for adjuvant therapy of gastrointestinal stromal tumors. 4. Early research in China on the effects of gastrointestinal surgery on diabetes treatment has been performed, with related results published in journals such as *Dig Dis Sci*. 5. Continued development of gastric cancer and colorectal cancer databases, and establishment of a new gastrointestinal stromal tumor database. Strict postoperative follow-up standards and protocols have been implemented to further refine and optimize the database. The database has accumulated detailed data on over 10,000 cases of gastrointestinal tumors, enabling treated tumor patients to benefit from rigorous follow-up and generating higher-quality domestic and international research reports based on objective data. The department enjoys a high reputation in the domestic gastrointestinal surgery field. 6. Research on perioperative nutritional support for gastric cancer and colorectal cancer, particularly the application of perioperative enteral nutrition in gastrointestinal surgery complications, has been conducted. Studies on the rescue of critically ill surgical patients and perioperative enteral and parenteral nutrition support have also been performed. Our department led and completed the national multicenter randomized study "Application of Low-Nitrogen, Low-Calorie Parenteral Nutrition in Postoperative Patients," which is currently the most rigorously designed study with the largest number of cases globally. The results have attracted significant attention from domestic and international experts and have served as the basis for the development of postoperative parenteral nutrition guidelines by the Chinese Nutrition Society. Various techniques for placing enteral nutrition tubes have been established, including PEG and PEJ. 7. Clinical application research on enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) in the perioperative period for gastrointestinal tumors has been conducted, further shortening patient hospital stays, accelerating recovery, and reducing hospitalization costs. 8. Various biomarkers for gastric cancer, colorectal cancer, and gastrointestinal stromal tumors have been detected and screened. Diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers for these tumors have been developed, with related results published in internationally renowned journals such as *The Lancet Oncology* and *EBioMedicine*. The Third Gastrointestinal Surgery Department provides high-quality services to patients, with a diagnostic and treatment model centered on patient convenience. Based on the specific disease conditions of patients, the department emphasizes a multidisciplinary team (MDT) diagnostic and treatment model, providing individualized treatment for each patient to achieve "tailored strategies" and precise diagnosis and treatment. In clinical treatment, the department accelerates the speed of outpatient examinations, enabling immediate surgery upon admission after examination completion, thereby shortening the patient's treatment cycle. This not only facilitates patient access to care but also expands the department's influence, attracting patients from over 10 countries and regions, including Hong Kong, Macau, and Southeast Asia. The overall diagnostic and treatment level has reached an advanced domestic standard.