Background Statement
THE IASLC'S HISTORY
In 1972, in response to the overwhelming need for collaboration and a growing concern for public health, Drs. David T. Carr, Oleg S. Selawry, Lawrence Broder, Clifton Mountain and George Higgins began building an international, multidisciplinary organization. In 1974, the group launched the International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer (IASLC) at their first formal meeting in Florence, Italy, having recruited more than 250 founding members from across the globe and with different perspectives.
Since then, the IASLC has grown into a professional, international organization of more than 10,000 members. Global experts have come to rely on the IASLC’s World Conference on Lung Cancer, Journal of Thoracic Oncology, as well as on its scientific programs and educational events to inform their practice of medicine, research and patient care. From doctors, nurses and allied health professionals to scientists, patients and advocates, the IASLC continues to unite people around the goal of eradicating lung and thoracic cancers.