BEIJING - China's search engine giant Baidu said Wednesday that it would team up with Peking Union Medical College (PUMC) on esophageal cancer research.

PUMC will collect 1,500 tissue samples and 100 family blood samples of esophageal cancer patients in the coming two years, Baidu said in a statement.

Baidu will use big data and AI to help the top medical college to explore early warning signs.

Zhang Tong, vice president of Baidu's Institute of Deep Learning, said the research will help screening and diagnosis, and open pathways to a possible cure.

Liu Zhihua, deputy director of the Molecular Oncology Cancer Institute's State Key Laboratory, said middle and terminal esophageal cancer patients in China only have a 20 percent chance of living more than five years.

Li Yanhong, chair and CEO of Baidu, donated 30 million yuan ($4.6 million) for the research in his own name.