The IASLC 19th World Conference on Lung Cancer (WCLC 2018) in Toronto was an unbelievable success, both scientifically and financially speaking, with nearly 7,500 participants, outstanding plenary sessions and a scientific program that easily ranks among the best that has ever been delivered at one of our annual meetings. For that, we need to congratulate the fabulous four organizers at the helm of the local organizing committee: Drs. Natasha Leighl, Andrea Bezjak, Gail Darling and Frances Shepherd.
The conference's presidential symposium was “the session of the sessions” due to three practice-changing presentations published simultaneously in a top peer-reviewed journal. This was simply an amazing development and was not foreseen until a few years ago. Such milestones were reached because a group of members acted as IASLC ambassadors with international scientific groups and pharma partners, convincing them of how much value our annual meeting provides to the thoracic oncology community. They also provided evidence that IASLC meetings provide the best opportunities for outreach and data dissemination.
We are already engaged in how we can potentially improve upon these successes for the IASLC 20th World Conference on Lung Cancer (WCLC 2019), which will take place in Barcelona, Spain, on September 7-10, 2019. The local organizing committee is already working hard to deliver another memorable meeting.
A few days after WCLC 2018 ended, we were informed of the resignation of Dr. Fred R. Hirsch from the IASLC CEO position. His resignation was effective on October 31, 2018, upon completion of his current five-year contract. This is a loss for the IASLC, but we respect his decision and wish Dr. Hirsch the best. Because of his unique dedication, passion and position in our organization, Dr. Hirsch’s resignation could be perceived as a big challenge. Fortunately, challenges often come with opportunities, and this challenge is an opportunity to verify the role of the team over the individuals to maintain the pace of our transformation guided by our strategic plan.
The IASLC Board of Directors (BOD) convened over a teleconference to determine our next steps. During this meeting, our Managing Director, Mr. Dave Mesko, was appointed as an interim officer of the IASLC in order to keep business operations flowing smoothly during the CEO transition. At the same time, the IASLC BOD unanimously acknowledged that Dave's business management and leadership skills have already proved to be very important to the organization, and thus the board unanimously agreed to offer him the permanent CEO position.
I would like you to know that the IASLC remains committed to conquering thoracic cancers worldwide. We are excited about the recent developments in lung cancer research and the role we play with you in creating an environment for these advances. It is through valuable contributions of our members, our fellows, our team in Denver and partnerships with pharma, scientific societies and advocacy groups that we are confident we will build on our legacy of success and continue the good work of the IASLC. Our meetings schedule in 2019 will be fully maintained, and we hope to meet you to build new bridges to connect people.
Fred R. Hirsch, Former IASLC CEO
Dear Colleagues,
This will be my final CEO corner. A number of weeks have passed since we finished a successful World Conference on Lung Cancer. With record high attendance and several potentially practice-changing scientific presentations, the IASLC 19th World Conference on Lung Cancer in Toronto will be remembered as a clear landmark event in the history of lung cancer and the history of the IASLC. Congratulations to everyone who contributed, particularly the local organizers: Drs. Natasha Leighl, Andrea Bezjak, Gail Darling and Frances Shepherd.
Additionally, thanks to the staff of the IASLC, who all diligently worked with the organizers to make this WCLC so successful. Finally, without the presenters and participants who attended and shared their research, this could not be the successful conference it clearly was.
After five successful years as CEO of the IASLC, I have decided to step down from the CEO position due to personal and family reasons. Following the legacy of my mentors Drs. Heine Hansen and Paul A. Bunn, Jr. was a formidable task. However, it has been five amazing years where the organization has gone from one success to another. The staff was expanded from five people to 23, accompanied by a significant expansion of office space; the membership has more than doubled; the activities have increased; and our journal, the Journal of Thoracic Oncology, was successfully transferred to a new publisher and recently achieved a record-high impact factor of 10.336.
The introduction of nurses, advocates and the mesothelioma community into the fold of the IASLC has also been highly rewarding and reflects the increasingly multidisciplinary approach of the organization. However, the successful transition of the WCLC from biannual to annual meetings might be the most significant success during my tenure. Finally, I am leaving the IASLC in a stronger financial position to build upon in the future.
From a personal perspective, it has been a very difficult decision to make after having served this organization actively for more than 41 years!
Personal priorities can be hard to make, and the decision to move from Denver to New York to be closer to our youngest children and their families and to take on new professional opportunities did not come easy. However, the IASLC is unique as it represents the “home” and the “family” for the international lung cancer community, and it is my hope to continue to serve the organization actively in a different capacity. Having grown up in this organization and through an IASLC fellowship which allowed me to move from Copenhagen, Denmark, to pursue professional opportunities in the U.S., the continuation as a life-long advocate and an active member of IASLC comes naturally, and I hope many will follow my example by taking on leadership roles in this wonderful organization! Being a part of the international community through the IASLC has been most rewarding, and I would like to thank all the members of the IASLC, the staff and the Board of Directors for giving me the opportunity to serve the IASLC as the CEO through five very successful years.
My best wishes to all of you for continued success and thanks to all you're doing by giving hope to the many lung cancer patients eagerly awaiting your achievements.
Pia Hirsch Steps Down After 15 Years of Service
After 15 years of service to the IASLC, Pia Hirsch - the IASLC's Senior Director of Education, Corporate Relations and Governance - has decided to step down from her position to pursue new personal and professional opportunities in New York City.
Through her hard work, dedication and passion, Pia has played an instrumental role in turning the IASLC into the organization it is today, helping transform it into a formidable force in the global fight against lung cancer and other thoracic malignancies.
Commenting on her departure, Dr. Paul Bunn, former CEO of the IASLC, said, "The growth and success of an organization like the IASLC can, of course, not be attributed to a single individual. On the other hand, when one individual has been involved in the efforts of the organization for such a long period of sustained growth, it would be a huge oversight not to recognize the role and importance of such an individual. We are forever indebted to her for her service." Read the full statement by Dr. Bunn.
Everyone at the IASLC would like to extend our sincerest thanks to Pia for her tireless commitment to the organization and its mission. We wish her the best in all her future endeavors in New York City.
IASLC Issues Statement on Lung Cancer Screening with Low-Dose Computed Tomography
The IASLC recently issued a statement on lung cancer screening with low-dose computed tomography (LDCT) based on results from the Dutch-Belgian NELSON lung cancer screening trial presented at the IASLC 19th World Conference on Lung Cancer (WCLC) in Toronto, Canada.
The IASLC Early Detection and Screening Committee, recognizing the importance of these results, now affirms the strength of evidence arising from two large, well designed and well executed randomized trials that LDCT screening in high risk individuals can significantly reduce lung cancer mortality.
IASLC Foundation Fellowship Applications Now Open!
John's Legacy Fellowship was established to encourage early-detection and screening of lung cancer to become a standard-of-care in annual physicals. The fellowship was conceived by IASLCF board member Lauren Fisher in memory of her late husband, John Fisher. The John's Legacy Fellowship is a one-year, $50,000 award for research focusing on the early-detection and screening of lung cancer. Apply here!
The IASLC Foundation Fellowship and Young Investigator Awards provide funding for fellows and young investigators who wish to pursue a career in lung cancer diagnosis, treatment or laboratory research, as well as other aspects of the study of lung tumors. The awards are one-year, $50,000 grants focused on lung cancer research. There are six awards available, three Fellowships and three Young Investigator Awards. Apply here!
All IASLC members are invited to attend or to send tributes/pictures for the IASLC Reception to thank Fred and Pia Hirsch for their years of service to the organization.
Details:
Friday, December 7th 6-8pm Hyatt Regency Aurora-Denver, Café Lounge
To RSVP or send tributes or photos, please contact Karen Muth at Karen.Muth@iaslc.org by December 3.
IASLC Foundation Road to Hope Gala - POSTPONED - NEW DATE TO BE ANNOUNCED IN 2019
The IASLC Foundation announces the postponement of the Road to Hope Gala event supporting lung cancer research in memory of John Fisher, originally scheduled for December 8, 2018. In light of recent organizational changes at the IASLC, including a rebranding of the Foundation, we’re taking an opportunity now to reflect, restructure and plan our own road forward.
Watch for the new event date to be announced in early 2019!
2019 LCFA/IASLC Foundation Lori Monroe Scholarship Awarded
Dr. Haiying Cheng
Therapeutic targeting of the RICTOR/mTOR signaling pathway in brain metastasis
Institution: Albert Einstein College of Medicine/Montefiore Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
Dr. Kellie Smith
Characterizing the endogenous and treatment-induced anti-tumor T cell response in never-smoker NSCLC patients
Institution: Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
Congratulations to the 2019 winners!
"The IASLC is proud to join LCFA in providing these grants to two very promising young investigators. These important research projects will hopefully lead to encouraging results benefiting many lung cancer patients," Dr. Fred R. Hirsch, M.D., Ph.D., former CEO of the IASLC.
The LCFA and IASLC have partnered to fund nearly $1.8 million in research grants.
Upcoming IASLC Webinars
Every month, the IASLC hosts several academic webinars covering the diagnosis, staging and treatment of lung cancer and other thoracic malignancies.
Be sure to check out our official website for the latest updates, and register for our webinars coming up on November 27 with Drs. Gill and Gomez; December 3 with Dr. David Gandara; and December 18 with Drs. Senan, Palma and Brooks.
Thank You for Joining in the Conversation at #WCLC2018!
IASLC Communications Committee
The recent #WCLC2018 saw the largest attendance, ever, at an IASLC World Conference on Lung Cancer. There were nearly 7,500 delegates from almost 100 countries. A wonderful visual representation of our global community could be seen at our world map, where many stopped by to pin their country. Countless delegates also came by our social media booth to take pictures, write messages and find out more about getting started on social media.
The online conversation took place across a number of social media channels. Many posts were made on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and LinkedIn. As per previous conferences, Twitter continued to be the most popular channel. There were over 2,600 people tweeting, leading to more than 11,500 tweets and resulting in approximately 36 million impressions. The top ten influencers on Twitter reflected patients, patient advocates and groups, as well as medical oncology, basic science and psycho-oncology.
We would like to thank everyone for taking part in the online conversations and discussions, and for sharing their conference experiences. We encourage members from all areas of the care pathway to help disseminate information across social media when attending our upcoming meetings, particularly the IASLC 20th World Conference on Lung Cancer (#WCLC19) in Barcelona next year.
September, October and November 2018: The IASLC and the Journal of Thoracic Oncology (JTO) are pleased to present the Editor's Choice each month to highlight certain articles of interest. The articles below from the September, October and November 2018 issues of the JTO are free for three months. Please share with your colleagues around the globe!
Alex A. Adjei, MD, PhD Editor-in-Chief Journal of Thoracic Oncology
The implications of these results and results from other immune checkpoint studies in mesothelioma are discussed by Dr. Fennell in an accompanying editorial.
Members - It's Almost Time to Renew Your Membership for 2019!
All members whose memberships expire December 31, 2018 will begin to receive renewal notices. If you chose a multi-year membership in 2017 or 2018, your membership will continue uninterrupted.
The IASLC has continued the three-year registration options for all categories (except the complimentary Fellow Membership). Our three-year option "locks-in" the current membership rates. Regular members will save $150.00 over three years by selecting the three-year membership option ($600.00). Developing Country Members and Allied Health Professionals can avoid potential future increases and not have to renew each year.
We encourage all members to renew early to ensure there is no interruption of benefits such as JTO delivery and online access. Please review the single-year and multi-year options available to you.
Renew IASLC membership - You will need to log into your account. You can always use the “Forgot Password” option, or contact membership@iaslc.org for additional assistance.
Thank you to all members who joined us in Toronto, Canada, for the IASLC 19th World Conference on Lung Cancer (WCLC). Over the course of four days, a record-breaking 7,443 lung cancer specialists, researchers, nurses, physicians, survivors, caregivers, advocates and more shared the latest advances in the field, fostered connections and laid the groundwork for future colleaboration.
The IASLC has a free membership option for patients, survivors and caregivers. All patients/survivors with a diagnosis of lung cancer, mesothelioma or other thoracic cancer, and caregivers providing services and care to loved ones affected by thoracic malignancies qualify for this free, non-voting membership and can review annually.
The membership includes online access to the JTO, member meeting discounts, eligibility to apply for travel awards and eligibility to serve on IASLC committees. Register as Patient/Survivor/Caregiver.
If individuals wish to have a voting membership, they can register here and choose the Allied Health Membership for US$50. Please contact membership@iaslc.org with any questions or call +1 720-598-1949.
Welcome New IASLC Members
Review the list of members who joined the IASLC during the past three months.
Global Lung Cancer Coalition & IASLC Partner Project
For this year’s Lung Cancer Awareness Month, the IASLC and Global Lung Cancer Coalition have been partnering on a project to bring to life the progress made in lung cancer treatment and the potential for future advances.
We have interviewed 10 international experts, from advocacy, pathology, surgery, thoracic medicine, interventional pulmonology, specialized nursing, medical oncology and radiation oncology. Each has shared their perspective on the changes they’ve seen in their field, what this has meant for patients and their hopes for future progress.
You can read their thoughts and watch the interviews. Our aim is to celebrate the work and achievements of the lung cancer community and to inspire renewed efforts to advance on all fronts. Please read, watch and share!
Lung Cancer Awareness Month (LCAM) 2018
The Lung Cancer Awareness Month Coalition (LCAMC) successfully completed the creation of Patient/Provider Cards (PPC) for this year's Lung Cancer Awareness Month.
These cards are geared to be stepping stones for patients, caregiver, and providers on four main topics around lung cancer: screening & early detection, precision medicine, clinical trials and advocacy. To view the online versions and additional resources, please click here. To request the PPC for your clinic or medical office, please reach out to Kristin.Schultz@iaslc.org.
For more information on Lung Cancer Awareness Month 2018, please visit the campaign's official website: lcam.org.
The IASLC’s premier journal, emphasizing a multidisciplinary approach including original research (clinical trials and translational or basic research), reviews and opinion pieces.