Welcome Letter
Welcome to the 2022 Annual Report! 2022 was a mix of old and new for IASLC. We were thrilled to return to in-person events and equally excited to welcome our new CEO Karen Kelly and many wonderful new staff members. It was a year focused on providing as much benefit as possible for our members.
IASLC's International and Multidisciplinary Membership
For more than four decades, IASLC members have led a worldwide movement to advance the mission of conquering thoracic cancers across the globe. In 2022, at events such as the World Conference on Lung Cancer (WCLC), the Asia Conference on Lung Cancer, the North America Conference on Lung Cancer, the IASLC CT Screening Symposium, and the Targeted Therapies of Lung Cancer Meeting, lung cancer specialists accessed the latest research and scientific discoveries in thoracic oncology, allowing them to advance their profession through education and development opportunities.
Members By Country/Region
Members by Primary Specialty
| Labels | Values |
|---|---|
| Medical Oncology | 32.3% |
| Thoracic Surgery | 13.7% |
| Other/Unknown | 14.8% |
| Pulmonary Medicine | 9.5% |
| Cancer Research | 6.8% |
| Radiation Oncology | 6.1% |
| Pathology | 5.6% |
| Advocacy | 4.3% |
| Biotech/Pharmaceutical | 3.6% |
| Diagnostic Radiology | 1.7% |
| Nursing | 1.6% |
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Professional Activity/Practice
| Labels | Values |
|---|---|
| Academic Medical Center | 48.3 |
| Other/Unknown | 15.7 |
| Pharmaceutical/Biotech | 10.7 |
| Cancer Center | 10.4 |
| Private Practice (Hospital) | 3.6 |
| Private Practice (Office) | 3.1 |
| Training Program | 2.6 |
| Non-Profit or Advocacy | 1.9 |
| Laboratory Research | 1.7 |
| Government Agency | 1.1 |
| Administration | 0.5 |
| Retired | 0.4 |
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IASLC 2022 World Conference on Lung Cancer
Dr. Andreas Rimner shares the importance of IASLCs exceptional multidisciplinary educational content.
WCLC 2022 Quick Facts
970
Featured & E-Posters / Posters
199
Invited Session Chairs
26
Plenary Speakers
51
Discussants
Media Coverage
42
News Releases Issued
120
Registered Journalists
831
Unique Media Outlets
65,600
Total Media Mentions
Journal of Thoracic Oncology
The JTO’s impact factor, a measure of its influence on the field, has climbed dramatically in recent years. The 2021 impact factor for JTO is 20.121 up from 15.609 in 2020. This moves the journal’s rank to 4th among 66 respiratory medicine journals and 13th among 245 oncology journals.
“It is generally difficult for organ-specific oncology journals to make a significant impact in the oncology publishing landscape. With an Impact Factor of 20.121, JTO is the leading journal in thoracic oncology and in the top fifteen (ranked 13th) of all cancer journals,” said Editor-in-Chief, Dr. Alex A. Adjei, MD, Ph.D. “JTO’s emphasis on multidisciplinary research is one of its strengths and serves the broad community of researchers in this field.”
JTO Clinical and Research Reports
JTO Clinical and Research Reports (JTO CRR) transitioned to article-based publishing and became a monthly publication in 2021. In just 10 short months, JTO CRR was indexed in PubMed Central. The journal is now in the process of application to be evaluated and to enter the Emerging Source Citation Index (ESCI), part of the Web of Science core collections. (The journal will receive an impact factor a year after being indexed in ESCI).
Dr. Emily Stone, MBBS, Ph.D., FRACP, will officially take the reins as the Editor-in-Chief of JTO CRR on January 9, 2023, as Dr. Alex Adjei steps down from the role. Dr. Stone is a consultant respiratory physician and Head of Thoracic Medicine within the Department of Thoracic Medicine and Lung Transplantation at St. Vincent’s Hospital Sydney. The editorial teams are excited for the next chapter under Dr. Stone’s editorial leadership and strategic stewardship of JTO CRR.
JTO CRR’s success and continued growth are a reflection of the support of our readers, authors, and reviewers. This open-access journal broadens the reach of the IASLC throughout the world, offering unfettered access to the thoracic oncology community.
JTO Impact Factor on the Rise
| Labels | Values |
|---|---|
| 2008 | 3.508 |
| 2009 | 4.547 |
| 2010 | 4.040 |
| 2011 | 3.661 |
| 2012 | 4.473 |
| 2013 | 5.8 |
| 2014 | 5.282 |
| 2015 | 5.040 |
| 2016 | 6.595 |
| 2017 | 10.336 |
| 2018 | 12.460 |
| 2019 | 13.357 |
| 2020 | 15.609 |
| 2021 | 20.121 |
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IASLC Lung Cancer News (ILCN)
The IASLC Lung Cancer News (ILCN) is the IASLC’s official news source for thoracic oncology specialists around the globe. ILCN provides its international audience with timely and relevant lung cancer news on topics across specialties and interests, including medical, radiation, and surgical oncology, as well as patient advocacy, nursing, and allied health and pathology.
Led by Editor Dr. Corey Langer, ILCN is filled with nuanced, expert perspectives on topics that span the lung cancer care continuum, from screening through survivorship to end-of-life conversations. With new content posted to ilcn.org every two weeks, readers will regularly find content applicable to their specialty and interests. A twice-monthly digital edition is delivered directly to the inboxes of all IASLC members.
Lung Cancer Considered
Hosted by Dr. Stephen Liu and Dr. Narjust Florez
Tune in to Lung Cancer Considered, the official IASLC podcast, for conversations with the researchers, healthcare professionals, patients, and advocates who make a difference in treating thoracic cancers. During 2022, the listenership of the podcast surpassed 100,000 listeners, and the podcast won the w3 Gold Award for creative excellence. Lung Cancer Considered also began streaming on Apple Podcasts and Spotify, as well as SoundCloud, in 2022.
Committees
Volunteers are the heart of IASLC committees as each member contributes their specialized skills and talents to help define the work of the organization, develop educational content, shape the association's messaging, plan annual meetings, contribute to IASLC publications, and more. Each committee reports to the IASLC Board of Directors and has a chair (or co-chairs), a board liaison, and a staff liaison. Committee members are currently in the middle of their 2021-2023 term, and each committee was carefully selected to ensure relevant expertise, as well as diversity by region and gender.
Communications Committee
Led by Dr. Brendon Stiles of the Montefiore-Einstein Cancer Center in New York, the Communications Committee develops campaigns to increase IASLC brand recognition and credibility while educating the public about complex lung and thoracic cancer issues. In addition, the Committee chooses articles from the Journal of Thoracic Oncology to promote to the media to enhance public understanding of lung and thoracic cancer.
Mesothelioma Committee
Led by Dr. Paul Baas of The Netherlands Cancer Institute, the Mesothelioma Committee seeks to accelerate the pace of research and work across geographies to develop strategic research goals and to bring the disease to the forefront of research. In 2022, the Committee organized a joint workshop at WCLC 2022 to share the outlook on the future of mesothelioma treatment, including new drugs, pathological and biological breakthroughs, and educational panel discussions with leaders in the field.
Screening & Early Detection Committee
The IASLC Screening and Early Detection Committee is a multidisciplinary group dedicated to advancing screening and early detection programs through education and research across the globe. The Committee is focused on climate change, specifically air pollution and lung cancer, and published the Air Pollution and Lung Cancer – The IASLC Position Statement and encouraged global policymakers to include LDCT screening for lung cancer in national screening recommendations in the EU Call for Evidence: Cancer Screening Recommendation Update and will be publishing a white paper in 2023 focused on LDCT.
Members of the ART committee have planned multiple educational webinars and podcasts, published extensively in the JTO, and collaborated with other radiation oncology societies to develop new guidelines and content this year, including "Avoiding Toxicity with Lung Radiation Therapy: An IASLC Perspective" in May 2022. Dr. Fiona McDonald of The Royal Marsden Hospital in the United Kingdom is the Committee Chair.
The Career Development and Fellowship Committee focus on providing support for the next generation of lung specialists by awarding research grants. The committee reviews and scores grant applications and choose grant recipients. Dr. Ahmed Rabea of the National Cancer Institute of Egypt is the committee chair.
The Communications Committee develops campaigns to increase IASLC brand recognition and credibility while educating the public about complex lung and thoracic cancer issues. In addition, the committee chooses articles from the Journal of Thoracic Oncology to promote to the media to enhance public understanding of lung and thoracic cancer. Through press releases, Lung Cancer Considered podcasts, and ILCN articles, Communications Committee members work to enhance the visibility of IASLC on an international stage and provide IASLC members, the thoracic oncology community at large, and the media with accurate and timely perspectives on hot topics in lung cancer. At WCLC 2022, members of the Communications Committee offered a social media & communications workshop, where attendees learned from lung cancer influencers how to work with communications teams, build a personal brand, promote research and advocacy through traditional & social networks, give the perfect interview, and engage in the Latin American & Asian markets. Dr. Brendon Stiles of the Montefiore-Einstein Cancer Center in New York is the committee chair.
In 2022, the IASLC was granted another four years as an ACCME CME Provider. The CME Committee ensures that all accredited activities meet the ACCME Accreditation Requirements, including the ACCME Standards for Integrity and Independence in Accredited Continuing Education℠. The CME Committee also makes sure that IASLC CME activities meet the requirements of the American Medical Association Physician's Recognition Award (AMA PRA). Dr. Apar Kishor Ganti of the University of Nebraska Medical Center and Dr. Nick Pavlakis of the Royal North Shore Hospital in Australia co-chair the Committee.
The Education Committee lives out IASLC's mission to provide education and information about lung cancer and other thoracic malignancies to IASLC members, the medical community at large, and the public. The Committee works to identify educational needs and practice gaps, develop learning objectives, design accredited and non-accredited educational programs, and evaluate the effectiveness of IASLC educational activities. The Education Committee and the Continuing Medical Education committee work together to ensure activities meet the IASLC CME Mission and are implemented in compliance with ACCME. Dr. Christian Rolfo of the Tisch Cancer Institute at Mount Sinai in New York is the committee chair.
In 2022, as part of its responsibilities, the Membership Committee assisted IASLC staff with the 2022 Member Survey, which provided valuable insight into our members and their needs. The committee members also helped to plan the Committee Corner at WCLC 2022 along with their regular duties of reviewing and recommending membership status requirements and benefits for all IASLC members. The Committee sets strategy and implements tact to increase and retain association membership across specialties and regions. The Committee focuses on sharing the message of the IASLC and ensures the benefits it offers are a great value for thoracic oncology professionals and fosters relationships with new members from around the globe. Dr. Nan Wu of Peking University Cancer Hospital & Institute in China is the committee chair.
The Mesothelioma Committee seeks to accelerate the pace of research and work across geographies to develop strategic research goals and to bring the disease to the forefront of research. In 2022, the Committee organized a joint workshop at WCLC 2022 to share the outlook on the future of mesothelioma treatment, including new drugs, pathological and biological breakthroughs, and educational panel discussions with leaders in the field. Several research updates in mesothelioma in recent years have been spearheaded by members of the Mesothelioma Committee. The Committee is chaired by Dr. Paul Baas of The Netherlands Cancer Institute.
The Nursing & Allied Health Professionals Committee (NAHP), composed of multidisciplinary clinicians and researchers each with a unique perspective, is committed to advancing the education of both practitioners and patients in thoracic oncology. The Committee's goal is to improve and optimize outcomes for oncology patients and families across the cancer trajectory through diagnosis, treatment, survivorship, and end-of-life. In 2022, the NAHP Committee collaborated with ITONF at WCLC 2022 to host a workshop featuring global leaders discussing targeted therapies in NSCLC; addressing symptom management, palliative care, & survivorship; unlocking the secrets of immunotherapy; addressing stigma & shame; working across borders, and more. Maria Ftanou of Peter MacCallum Cancer Center in Australia is the committee chair.
The Pathology Committee helps fulfill core aspects of IASLC's mission, including producing publications, such as the IHC Atlas, offering guidance for the organization's annual slate of meetings, and helping to establish the IASLC as an international leader in the clinical and scientific aspects of lung cancer pathology. During 2022, the Committee authored and published three pioneering JTO articles including "Defining morphologic features of invasion in pulmonary non-mucinous adenocarcinoma with lepidic growth - A proposal by the IASLC Pathology Committee;" "Predictive Biomarkers for Immunotherapy in Lung Cancer: Perspective From the International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer Pathology Committee;" and NSCLC Subtyping in Conventional Cytology: Results of the International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer Cytology Working Group Survey to Determine Specific Cytomorphologic Criteria for Adenocarcinoma and Squamous Cell Carcinoma. This team is also instrumental in the IASLC's Pathologic Response Initiatives and the research and publication of the Molecular Atlas. (LINKS TO FOLLOW) Dr. Wendy Cooper of the Royal Prince Alfred Hospital in Australia chairs the Pathology Committee.
The Patient Advocates Committee addresses the direct impact research has on its beneficiaries—patients with lung cancer—and how they can support continued research to improve treatment options and availability. In 2022, the Committee launched the Patient Advocacy Survey in the fall to determine how IASLC has been meeting patient advocate needs and how we can make improvements in the future. The survey was sent to IASLC members who identify as patient advocates and was also made available to the general public. Once analyzed, the survey results will help make sure IASLC offerings for patient, survivor, and caregiver/ partner members are effective and reach their intended users. The Committee also explored collaboration opportunities to create patient guides and resources, including patient-friendly research summaries. Members also revamped the Education Awards and Cancer Care Team Award and collaborated with other IASLC committees, providing input and a patient advocacy perspective to other focus areas. Jill Feldman of EGFR Resisters chairs the Patient Advocates Committee.
The IASLC Screening and Early Detection Committee is a multidisciplinary group dedicated to advancing screening and early detection programs through education and research across the globe. Committee members include leaders from radiology, thoracic surgery, pulmonary medicine, medical oncology, nursing, basic science, and advocacy organizations from North America, Europe, Asia, and South America. Dr. Stephen Lam of the BC Cancer Center in Canada is the chair of the Screening and Early Detection Committee.
The Staging & Prognostic Factors Committee works to study and improve the current staging system for lung cancer, as well as for thymic, esophageal cancers, and mesothelioma. Staging lung cancer and other thoracic malignancies accurately is critical in deciding treatment regimens and ensuring the best-standardized care for patients worldwide. For the past 20 years, the Committee has been instrumental in producing evidence-based recommendations for the TNM Classification for Thoracic Cancers, published by the Union for International Cancer Control (UICC) and the American Joint Council on Cancer (AJCC). Committee members are currently working to develop recommendations for the ninth edition of TNM. Dr. Hisao Asamura of Keio University School of Medicine in Japan chairs the Committee. ADD: learn more about the staging committee under the scientific project (maybe add the exact page number where the project is mentioned or link to it).
The Tobacco Control and Smoking Cessation Committee seeks to provide advice and direction to activities and initiatives that the association should engage in to reduce the use of tobacco worldwide. The Committee ensures that IASLC addresses the needs of practitioners seeking to help their patients stop tobacco use and recommends actions to contribute to international and local/national, efforts in tobacco control initiatives and interventions. In 2022, the Tobacco Control and Cessation Committee updated the IASLC Position Statement on Tobacco Cessation After a Cancer Diagnosis, signed onto multiple tobacco-related initiatives, and worked with the IASLC Board of Directors to create two awards at WCLC 2023 to incentivize submissions on tobacco control and smoking cessation. The Committee is chaired by Dr. Bill Evans of McMaster University in Canada.
Patient Advocacy
Advances in the early detection of lung cancer, care of patients living with lung cancer, and novel treatment options have experienced phenomenal growth over the past decade. The IASLC recognizes the importance and value that patients with lung cancer, their caregivers, and patient advocates bring to the lung cancer community and to the organization. We value inclusivity, and we hope to increase the pace of knowledge sharing and advancements in care by offering the patient advocate audience opportunities to:
Attend conferences;
Form relationships with researchers and care providers;
Lend their voices, sitting side-by-side with researchers and members of the care team; and
Share their perspectives and experiences.
IASLC Supportive Training for Advocates on Research & Science (STARS)
IASLC Supportive Training for Advocates on Research & Science (STARS)
The IASLC STARS program aims to increase the number of patient research advocates (PRAs) equipped to provide accurate scientific translation in their online or real-life groups for patients with lung cancer and their caregivers and to provide the patient perspective for lung cancer research and policy. Research advocates (PRAs) are volunteers with a personal connection to lung cancer who are passionate about helping research translate into meaningful outcomes for patients and their families. The 2022 STARS program focused on supporting STARS alumni by providing education in their areas of interest in research advocacy. PRAs participated in the program virtually throughout the year, with in-person networking opportunities at WCLC 2022, including an expert-led poster walk.
2022 Cancer Care Team Awards
The IASLC Cancer Care Team Award is a prestigious award honoring and recognizing outstanding patient care served by multidisciplinary teams working together. Nominations are accepted from all over the world by individual patients with lung cancer and/or their caregivers/care partners. The IASLC is proud to honor the 2022 IASLC Cancer Care Team Award Recipients.
Financials
| December 31 | ||
|---|---|---|
| 2022 (Unaudited) | 2021 (Audited) | |
| Program Revenues | $17,725,947 | $14,297,877 |
| Membership Revenues | $673,597 | $633,507 |
| Total Revenues | $18,399,544 | $14,931,384 |
| Direct Program Expenses | $10,767,546 | $9,576,707 |
| G&A Expenses | $6,257,671 | $5,496,829 |
| Total Expenses | $17,025,217 | $15,073,536 |
| Operating Surplus (Deficit) | $1,374,327 | ($142,152) |
| Other Income/Expenses | ($1,410,258) | $1,171,478 |
Revenue by Type
| Labels | Values |
|---|---|
| Conferences & Meetings | 72% |
| Scientific Projects | 12% |
| Publications | 8% |
| Membership | 4% |
| Fellowships | 4% |
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International Lung Cancer Foundation
Legacy Giving: The Estate of Dr. Adi Gazdar
The Foundation is profoundly grateful to have been named as a beneficiary of the estate of Dr. Adi Gazdar. Dr. Adi Gazdar’s wife, Celia, passed away on March 23, 2022, causing the execution of the estate. In 2022, the Foundation received just over $1.15 million from the Gazdars’ estate. A longtime member and former Board Member of the IASLC, Dr. Gazdar bequeathed to the IASLC/ILCF all license fees and royalties for the biological reagents (cell lines) that he generated while employed by the University of Texas Southwest Medical Center and the National Institutes of Health. This bequest will generate approximately $65,000 in ongoing annual revenue for the Foundation. Dr. Gazdar also bequeathed a lump sum of $500,000 as well as “all the rest and residue” of his estate. Dr. Gazdar’s will stipulates that the funds be used “for fellowships in lung cancer research in my name.” In honor of Dr. Gazdar and his exceptional gift, the Foundation’s Fellowship Grant will hereafter be named the “Adi F. Gazdar Fellowship Grant.”
Donation Sources
| Labels | Values |
|---|---|
| Adi Gazdar Estate | 48% |
| WCLC | 21% |
| Online Donations | 14% |
| Honoraria | 6% |
| Meetings (not WCLC) | 6% |
| Membership Renewals | 5% |
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