Welcome Letter
Welcome to the 2024 Annual Report! 2024 was a special year for the IASLC. We celebrated 50 years of advancing lung and thoracic cancer research, education, and care through global collaboration. The advances our community made as an organization and scientifically were unprecedented in 2024, as was the unforgettable celebratory block party at WCLC. We are indebted to each of our members for their contributions to our success and contribution of time, ideas, and passion to IASLC’s mission.
Strategic Plan
The IASLC made significant strides in the inaugural year of our 2024-2029 Strategic Plan, laying a solid foundation to advance thoracic oncology care globally. The plan’s foundation comprises three key pillars: Collaborative Science, Global Education, and Accessible Multidisciplinary Care. These pillars guide our initiatives, global engagement, and commitment to transforming outcomes for those affected by thoracic cancers.
The first year of the strategic plan has fostered deeper engagement among the IASLC members, committees, Board, and staff, ensuring alignment between organizational goals and daily activities. Together, we are building momentum for an even more significant impact in the years to come. The achievements of 2024 reflect the unwavering dedication of our members, committees, and partners. United in purpose, we continue to transform the landscape of thoracic oncology and improve lives worldwide.
IASLC's International and Multidisciplinary Membership
In 2024, the IASLC supported over 8,800 members, building on a strong foundation of personalized engagement and collaborative achievement. This year highlighted innovative collaborations and strategic expansions, showcasing the collective strength and dedication of thoracic oncology professionals worldwide.
Members by Primary Specialty
| Labels | Values |
|---|---|
| Thoracic Surgery | 28% |
| Medical Oncology | 26% |
| Other/Unknown | 19% |
| Pulmonary Medicine | 8% |
| Research/Basic Science | 6% |
| Radiation Oncology | 4% |
| Pathology | 3% |
| Biotech/Pharmaceutical | 2% |
| Advocacy | 2% |
| Nursing | 1% |
| Diagnostic Radiology | 1% |
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Professional Activity/Practice
| Labels | Values |
|---|---|
| Academic Medical Center | 44 |
| Other/Unknown | 20 |
| Cancer Center | 16 |
| Pharmaceutical/Biotech | 7 |
| Private Practice (Hospital) | 4 |
| Private Practice (Office) | 2 |
| Training Program | 2 |
| Government Agency | 2 |
| Laboratory Research | 1 |
| Non-Profit or Advocacy | 1 |
| Administration | .5 |
| Retired | .5 |
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Volunteers are the cornerstone of the IASLC, bringing their unique expertise and skills to advance key initiatives across the organization. 2024 saw a significant expansion of the IASLC’s committee structure. With the addition of six new specialized committees—Basic and Translational Science, Career Development, Global Multidisciplinary Practice Standards, Global Policy and Partnerships, Multidisciplinary Clinical Science, and Rare Tumors, this strategic evolution reflects our dedication to addressing emerging needs in thoracic oncology while fostering specialized expertise across the full spectrum of research and practice.
Expanding Horizons: Isabella Favato Barcelos on the Impact of IASLC Membership
Isabella Favato Barcelos from Oncoclínicas, Brazil, shares how serving on the IASLC Membership Committee has enriched her career through professional development, leadership opportunities, and global networking in thoracic oncology.
Joelle Fathi shares the 2024 successes of the IASLC Tobacco Control & Smoking Cessation Committee.
Joelle Fathi, DNP, RN, ARNP, FAAN highlights the 2024 successes of the IASLC Tobacco Control & Smoking Cessation Committee, including contributions to the 9th TNM Staging, the AIRSPACE Research Project, cross-committee collaborations, and monthly publications in the Journal of Thoracic Oncology and International Lung Cancer News.
Scientific Affairs
Collaborative science is a core pillar of the IASLC’s global strategy to fight thoracic cancers. The IASLC’s multidisciplinary, international, and innovative scientific portfolio includes projects aimed at generating new scientific knowledge that impacts care outcomes through an equitable global lens. The organization is also committed to training, supporting, and sustaining thoracic researchers throughout their career continuum and creating resources that facilitate the research of its members and the Scientific Affairs department.
Education
2024 WEBINARS
Throughout 2024, we enriched our educational offerings by leveraging the expertise of our global membership, who contributed diverse perspectives to curated content, interactive modules, and professional development resources. This collaborative approach to education exemplifies the power of our international community and ensures the growing library reflects the depth and breadth of thoracic oncology knowledge worldwide.
Attendees by Specialty
| Labels | Values |
|---|---|
| Medical Oncology | 24 |
| Radiation Oncology | 18 |
| Pulmonary Medicine | 19 |
| Thoracic Surgery | 12 |
| Biotech/Pharma | 7 |
| Research/Basic Science | 6 |
| Pathology | 5 |
| Patient Advocacy | 5 |
| Nursing & Allied Healthy | 1 |
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In 2024, IASLC webinars attracted over 1,000 participants, featuring content from the ‘Best of the IASLC’ conferences and key highlights from major oncology meetings. Additionally, they explored a range of multidisciplinary topics, including ADCs, radiation oncology, radiotherapy advancements, and lung cancer’s impact on intimacy.
Lung Cancer Considered
Hosted by Dr. Stephen Liu and Dr. Narjust Florez
Lung Cancer Considered, the official IASLC podcast, co-hosted by Dr. Stephen Liu and Dr. Narjust Florez, continues to be a vital platform for in-depth discussions with internationally recognized researchers, healthcare professionals, patients and advocates shaping the future of thoracic oncology. In 2024, Lung Cancer Considered surpassed 350,000 global listeners, reaffirming its role as a trusted source of information and insight. Over the past year, the podcast released more than 80 episodes covering many topics in thoracic cancer care. A hallmark of the podcast is its commitment to accessibility—with 26 episodes available in multiple languages. This multilingual approach ensures that vital knowledge reaches a broader and more diverse audience, fostering a global dialogue.
In 2024, our conferences brought together over 9,000 in-person delegates and nearly 2,000 virtual participants, offering an unparalleled multidisciplinary experience focused on thoracic oncology. With more than 1,000 expert faculty members, the IASLC continued its commitment to excellence in education and networking, empowering members to connect and stay informed on the latest advancements in thoracic cancers and malignancies—whether at the World Conference, regional events, or subject-specific gatherings.
In September, the IASLC 2024 World Conference on Lung Cancer (WCLC) in San Diego, CA, harnessed the power of global collaboration and networking in advancing thoracic oncology. From thought-provoking Plenary Sessions to interactive Meet the Expert workshops, WCLC 2024 fostered meaningful connections and discussions driving the future of thoracic cancer research and treatment.
WCLC 2024 Quick Facts
1,161
Posters & E-Posters
1,853
Submitted Abstracts
6,808
Delegates
61
Award Recipients
Media Coverage
19
News Releases Issued
189
Registered Media
147
Countries Filed Stories
4
Press Briefings
JTO’s impact factor for 2023 has risen to 21.1, making it only the second respiratory journal (after Lancet Respiratory Medicine) with an impact factor above 20. More importantly, it is the only thoracic oncology journal with an impact factor greater than 10. This is a notable achievement since we are a sub-specialty journal dealing with only thoracic oncology. There are no other sub-specialty journals among the top 20 oncology journals, and we now rank 13th out of 322 oncology journals. This achievement is a testament to the exemplary work of our editorial board and our editorial office, as well as the support of IASLC— its executives, office staff, membership, and above all, our reviewers, readers, and authors. JTO will continue its emphasis on multidisciplinary research to serve the broad community working in thoracic oncology.”
Alex A. Adjei, MD, PhD, FACP Editor-in-Chief
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 |
| 2022 | 20.4 |
| 2023 | 21.1 |
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JTO Clinical and Research Reports
JTO Clinical and Research Reports (JTO CRR), our open-access journal, exemplifies the IASLC’s dedication to making knowledge accessible. This platform ensures immediate and enduring free access to high-quality lung cancer studies for everyone. As the companion journal to JTO, JTO CRR finds its niche within the IASLC by providing a dedicated space for research with a clinical focus, including case reports, phase 1 and 2 trials, impactful retrospective studies, and database analyses.
JTO CRR has continued its steady growth since its inception in 2020, appearing in PubMed Central, the Directory of Open Access Journals, and Scopus. The new outlets led to JTO CRR’s first impact factor of 3.0, which places it 37th out of 100 journals in respiratory systems and 142nd out of 322 journals in oncology. Building on this strong foundation, JTO CRR is well-positioned to sustain its success in the years ahead.
The JTO CRR team is celebrating our first impact factor at 3.0, and we wish to thank everyone who made it possible – the authors, reviewers, editors, and the IASLC. We are thrilled to make such a terrific start, which truly reflects our commitment to excellence in science.”
- Emily Stone, MBBS, PhD, FRACP Editor-in-Chief, JTO CRR
IASLC Lung Cancer News (ILCN)
IASLC Lung Cancer News (ILCN) serves as the official news platform for the IASLC, delivering timely and relevant updates to thoracic oncology professionals worldwide. ILCN’s in-depth analysis bridges disciplines, highlighting the implications of cutting-edge research in medical, surgical, and radiologic oncology, pathology, nursing, allied health, patient advocacy, and beyond.
Patient Advocacy
The IASLC is committed to empowering patient advocates as key contributors to the future of lung cancer care. The IASLC enables advocates to play an integral role in driving advancements in research and care in a variety of ways:
- Conference Participation: We enable advocates to access premier conferences, which equip advocates with the latest insights in lung cancer research and treatment advancements.
- Collaborative Connections: The IASLC helps to build impactful relationships between advocates, researchers, and care providers to drive innovation and collaboration.
- Engagement and Influence: We position advocates alongside researchers and clinicians to share unique perspectives, which helps to shape research priorities and to improve outcomes for patients and their families.
- Experience Sharing: Promoting the exchange of personal stories and insights enriches the global dialogue on lung cancer. This commitment underscores the IASLC’s belief in the power of advocacy to inform, inspire, and transform the lung cancer landscape for the better.
IASLC Supportive Training for Advocates on Research & Science (STARS)
The STARS program highlights the critical role of Patient Research Advocates (PRAs), individuals with a personal connection to cancer who are dedicated to transforming research into meaningful outcomes for patients and families. Within this initiative, advocates amplify the collective patient voice, ensuring that research aligns with the most urgent patient needs.
The IASLC is proud to champion patient advocacy as an integral force in propelling lung cancer research, care, and outcomes, and we look forward to furthering our commitment to inclusivity and collaboration in the years to come.
Celebrating Excellence: 2024 Cancer Care Team Awards
The IASLC Cancer Care Team Award (CCTA) is a distinguished honor that recognizes outstanding multidisciplinary teams that deliver exceptional care. Nominated by patients and their loved ones from around the globe, these teams embody the highest standards of dedication and compassion in cancer care. The IASLC is proud to celebrate the recipients of the 2024 CCTA and their unwavering commitment to improving patient outcomes. A team from North America, Latin America, Europe, and Asia and the Rest of the World were recognized in 2024.
Learn more about these remarkable teams and their impact by watching the 2024 CCTA Award video.
Thank you to our 2024 STARS Supporters
IASLC Partners
The IASLC Partners for Thoracic Cancer Care, established in 2023, seamlessly integrates the expertise of IASLC member experts with industry representatives, fostering collective solutions to major challenges in the field of lung cancer and thoracic malignancies.
The initiative is guided by a distinguished and globally representative group of co-chairs, each bringing unique perspectives and expertise to ensure a comprehensive and inclusive approach.
The 2024 co-chairs:
- Maiyan Chau, PhD, AstraZeneca (USA)
- Stan Krulewicz, Pfizer (USA)
- Sukhmani Kaur Padda, MD, Fox Chase Cancer Center/Temple Health (USA)
- Navneet Singh, MD, FRCP, Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (India)
Their leadership ensures a comprehensive and inclusive approach to the initiative’s objectives.
Strategic Focus on Biomarker Testing
Despite significant improvements in the perception of biomarker testing compared to a 2018 survey, substantial barriers to implementation persist globally, according to results of the 2024 IASLC Global Survey on Biomarker Testing released at the IASLC 2024 World Conference on Lung Cancer.
The 2024 survey highlighted improvements in the perception and frequency of biomarker testing since 2018, though many patients are still treated without it. Respondents recommended enhanced education for providers and patients, streamlined clinical processes, increased funding, and broader policy changes. In response, IASLC planned initiatives to improve awareness, access, and policies to overcome these challenges and enhance patient outcomes globally.
Watch the video to learn more about the 2024 survey.
Distinguished Corporate Participation in 2024
The active involvement of leading corporations underscores the success of the IASLC Partners for Thoracic Cancer Care initiative. Their engagement highlights a shared commitment to advancing thoracic cancer care globally and sets the foundation for ongoing strategic efforts.
Foundation
The IASLC Foundation is vital in accelerating progress in thoracic oncology by funding groundbreaking research initiatives. Generous contributions from individual donors, foundations, and corporate partners fuel the IASLC Research Grants Program—a global effort to support investigators at every stage of their careers. These grants are instrumental in shaping the future of thoracic cancer research and advancing care for patients worldwide. Together, we are accelerating research and inspiring hope for those affected by lung cancer worldwide.
IASLC-LCRF Team Science Research Grant: The Next Step in Curing Oncogene-Driven Lung Cancer
Oncogene-driven lung cancers affect nearly half of patients, but drug resistance limits curative treatments. To tackle this challenge, in 2024, the IASLC and the Lung Cancer Research Foundation (LCRF) launched a groundbreaking $2.5 million Team Science Research Grant to address this challenge. The project, Immune Elimination of Drug-Tolerant Persister Cells in Oncogene-Driven Lung Cancer, is directed by Dr. David A. Barbie at the Lowe Center for Thoracic Oncology at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. Dr. Barbie’s team includes distinguished collaborators: Drs. Eric Smith and Pasi A. Jänne from Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Dr. Aaron Hata from Massachusetts General Hospital, and Dr. Shunsuke Kitajima from the Japanese Foundation for Cancer Research. Their work seeks to overcome drug resistance by targeting and eliminating drug-tolerant persister cells, advancing research toward a potential cure for oncogene-driven lung cancers. Watch the video to learn more about the project.
IASLC's 50th Anniversary
In 2024, the IASLC celebrated 50 years of groundbreaking advancements in lung cancer research, treatment, and global collaboration. Founded in 1974 with 250 members, it has grown into a worldwide network of over 8,800 professionals.
Key achievements over the past 50 years include the development of lung cancer classifications, staging systems, and the establishment of the Journal of Thoracic Oncology and JTO Clinical and Research Reports, all of which have shaped modern research and clinical practice. Additionally, the organization has supported early detection initiatives and global lung cancer screening programs that have contributed to reducing mortality rates.
As the IASLC marks its 50th anniversary, it remains dedicated to a future where lung and thoracic cancers are conquered worldwide in the 21st Century. To see how far the fight against thoracic cancers has come due to the dedication of IASLC members, watch the 50th Anniversary Plenary Video.
For five decades, the IASLC has been a global leader in educating the healthcare community and the public about thoracic cancers. Released to mark the 50th anniversary of the IASLC, ‘Advances in Thoracic Oncology Treatment and Research: Legacy of Impact, Future of Promise’ looks at the key monumental breakthroughs in thoracic oncology.
Financials
The IASLC financial statements for the 2024 reporting period will be available soon.