Clin Asst Prof Chia Ming Li Cynthia | Singapore General Hospital

Clin Asst Prof Chia Ming Li Cynthia
Consultant
Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery
National Heart Centre Singapore

Dr. Cynthia Chia Ming Li is a Consultant Cardiothoracic Surgeon at the National Heart Centre. She graduated from the University of Adelaide and is a Member of the Royal College of Surgeons. Dr. Chia has a strong clinical focus on minimally invasive and robotic-assisted cardiothoracic surgery, with particular expertise in complex lung procedures.

She is an active member of the Robotic Minimally Invasive Surgery program, contributing to the development and advancement of innovative surgical techniques that enhance precision, reduce postoperative pain, and promote faster recovery. In addition, she serves on the Lung Transplant Committee, where she is involved in patient evaluation, perioperative management, and multidisciplinary transplant care.

Dr. Chia is committed to clinical excellence, surgical innovation, and collaborative practice. She regularly participates in academic conferences and professional forums, contributing to ongoing advancements in cardiothoracic surgery and the optimization of patient outcomes.

Session:

Lung Cancer Screening
17 April 2026, 1100 - 1230, NAK Auditorium, Academia

Presenting Title:

Surgical Management of Lung Cancer
Minimally invasive thoracic surgery (MITS) has become a central component of contemporary lung cancer management, offering oncologic outcomes equivalent to thoracotomy while reducing surgical morbidity. Video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) and robotic-assisted thoracic surgery (RATS) are now widely adopted for early-stage non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), with evidence demonstrating comparable rates of R0 resection, lymph node harvest, nodal upstaging, and long-term survival.

Multiple studies have shown that minimally invasive lobectomy is associated with decreased postoperative pain, lower complication rates, shorter hospital stay, and faster return to baseline function. Technological advances—including high-definition optics, three-dimensional visualization, and wristed instrumentation in robotic platforms—have expanded indications to include complex anatomic segmentectomy and selected sleeve resections. Recent randomized trials supporting segmentectomy for small peripheral tumors further reinforce the role of parenchymal-sparing strategies within a minimally invasive framework.

In the setting of neoadjuvant chemoimmunotherapy, MITS remains feasible in experienced centers despite increased technical complexity from treatment-related fibrosis. Integration with enhanced recovery after surgery protocols further optimizes perioperative outcomes. As surgical oncology evolves toward precision and multidisciplinary integration, minimally invasive thoracic surgery represents a safe, effective, and patient-centered approach to curative lung cancer treatment.

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