The IASLC recognizes clinicians and researchers annually for their meaningful contributions to lung cancer treatment. This year’s awardees took the stage during the IASLC Lectureship Award Presentations at the 2024 World Conference on Lung Cancer, where they received the awards and delivered lectures about their impactful work.
Robert J. Ginsberg Lectureship Award for Surgery
Leah Backhus, MD, MPH, a Professor of Cardiothoracic Surgery at Stanford University, Stanford, California, received the IASLC 2024 Robert J. Ginsburg Lectureship Award for Surgery.
Dr. Backhus discussed her research on image surveillance for early-stage lung cancer and the need for personalized interventions for patients.
“It is my sincere hope that we will transition from a simplistic, one-size-fits-all approach to surveillance to a more robust and sophisticated strategy that provides best practices for our patients, extending beyond diagnosis and treatment,” Dr. Backhus said.
James D. Cox Lectureship Award for Radiation Oncology
The James D. Cox Lectureship Award for Radiation Oncology was presented to Andrea Bezjak, MDCM, MSc, FRCPC, FASTRO, Professor of Radiation Oncology at the University of Toronto. Prof. Bezjak discussed how clinicians can improve outcomes for patients with lung cancer such as harnessing the power of artificial intelligence (AI) technology.
“AI tools have the potential to really change things, but developing, validating, and incorporating them takes time,” Prof. Bezjak said. “I urge us to consider the immediate future after we return to our clinics, hospitals, and institutions. Are we doing everything we currently can do?”
Tsuguo Naruke Lectureship Award for Surgery
Wentao Vincent Fang, MD, Professor and Chief Thoracic Surgeon at Shanghai Chest Hospital, Shanghai, China, was awarded the Tsuguo Naruke Lectureship Award for Surgery. Dr. Fang illuminated the evolution of lung cancer surgery and emphasized the need to improve surgery to better help patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).
“As surgeons, we must perform more refined surgeries to ensure that our patients have their tumors completely removed, which will contribute to a better and longer life in the future,” Dr. Fang said.
IASLC Lectureship Award for Tobacco Control and Smoking Cessation
The IASLC Lectureship Award for Tobacco Control and Smoking Cessation was awarded to Babalola Faseru, MBChB, MPH, CPH, Professor of Population Health and Family Medicine and Community Health and Director of the Tobacco Treatment Education Program at the University of Kansas, Kansas City.
Dr. Faseru highlighted inefficiencies in current tobacco treatment protocols and shared research comparing an opt-in model, where patients must choose whether to accept treatment, with an opt-out model, where patients receive all treatments unless they decline.
“Opt-out treatment achieved high rates of medication and counseling utilization, increased quit attempts, and improved quit rates,” Dr. Faseru said. “In comparison to opt-in care, opt-out care doubled the use of evidence-based treatment without diminishing patient autonomy and control.”
IASLC Lectureship Award for Nurses and Allied Health Professionals
The IASLC Lectureship Award for Nurses and Allied Health Professionals was presented to Maria Ftanou, PhD, DPsych, Director of the Psychosocial Oncology Program at Peter MacCallum Cancer Center, Victoria, Australia.
Dr. Ftanou emphasized the impact of lung cancer on patients’ quality of life, as well as the essential role and future directions of nursing and allied health professionals in lung cancer treatment.
“I think the future of nursing and allied health lies in integration across all aspects of our work,” Dr. Ftanou said. “This is the only way we can deliver comprehensive, evidence-based care that enhances the quality of life for patients with lung cancer.”
Heine H. Hansen Lectureship Award for Small Cell Lung Cancer
Luis Paz-Ares, MD, PhD, Associate Professor of Medicine at the Universidad Complutense, Madrid, Spain, was awarded the Heine H. Hansen Lectureship Award for Small Cell Lung Cancer (SCLC). Prof. Paz-Ares discussed the advantages of incorporating immunotherapy in SCLC and stressed the importance of developing more effective biomarkers.
“Over the last few years, we have witnessed the incorporation of immunotherapy in the treatment of small cell lung cancer, not only for advanced stages but also for limited stages, yielding significant results,” Prof. Paz-Ares said. “While this approach does not benefit every patient, it has led to a substantial increase in the number of long-term survivors.”
Daniel C. Ihde Lectureship Award for Medical Oncology
Solange Peters, MD, PhD, Professor and Director of Medical Oncology and Thoracic Malignancies at the University Hospital of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland, was the recipient of the Daniel C. Ihde Lectureship Award for Medical Oncology.
Prof. Peters addressed critical scientific and political challenges in oncology, including high rates of burnout, the need for increased diversity in leadership roles, and improved access to therapies and treatments.
“Progress and advancements in precision oncology are also about addressing inequalities,” Prof. Peters said. “As doctors in this complex world, let’s think about the challenges of our health system for all of us.”
Fred R. Hirsch Lectureship Award for Translational Research
The Fred R. Hirsch Lectureship Award for Translational Research was presented to Montse Sanchez-Cespedes, PhD, Group Leader at the Josep Carreras Leukemia Research Institute in Barcelona, Spain.
Dr. Sanchez-Cespedes reviewed how our understanding of lung cancer has contributed to, and will continue to influence, the future of lung cancer treatment.
“As Sir Francis Bacon said, ‘Knowledge itself is power.’ We have witnessed this with the development of EGFR inhibitors,” Dr. Sanchez-Cespedes said. “I hope we can make similar advancements in the future with the development of novel inhibitors.”
Clifton F. Mountain Lectureship Award for Staging
Chi-Fu Jeffrey Yang, MD, Associate Professor of Surgery at Harvard Medical School and a thoracic surgeon at Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, was awarded the Clifton F. Mountain Lectureship Award for Staging.
Dr. Yang discussed his work with the American Lung Cancer Screening Initiative, which he founded in 2018, and highlighted the importance of sharing information about lung cancer screening.
“I hope that these efforts will increase community members’ awareness of the benefits of early lung cancer detection and shift their perspective on lung cancer,” Dr. Yang said.
