Presenter Profile: Babalola Faseru, MBChB, MPH, CPH, CPAHA, FSRNT
Professor of Population Health, Family Medicine, and Community Health at the University of Kansas Medical Center (KUMC), and Consultant Medical Epidemiologist with the Kansas Department of Health and Environment
ILCN: What is your presentation about?
Dr. Faseru: My Tobacco Awareness Moment, titled “Improving Global Lung Cancer Outcomes Through Local Tobacco Policies,” will highlight how evidence-based local tobacco control policies can reduce tobacco initiation, promote cessation, and decrease exposure to tobacco smoke.
Although lung cancer is a global challenge, many of the most impactful solutions begin at the community level. This presentation will illustrate how local policy innovations can drive meaningful improvements in lung cancer prevention and ultimately influence global health outcomes.
Creating Local Change to Improve Global Lung Cancer Outcomes
Monday, September 14, 2026, at 17:00 KST • Room 101, Grand Ballroom, 1F
Babalola Faseru, MBChB, MPH, CPH, CPAHA, FSRNT, will discuss improving global lung cancer outcomes through local tobacco policies. LEARN MORE
ILCN: Why is this topic timely or important in 2026?
Dr. Faseru: Tobacco use remains the leading preventable cause of lung cancer worldwide, even as the tobacco and nicotine product landscape continues to evolve with new products, aggressive marketing, and persistent disparities in tobacco use. At the same time, many countries are expanding lung cancer screening and treatment programs.
To maximize the impact of these clinical advances, prevention and cessation must remain central to comprehensive lung cancer control. Local tobacco policies provide practical, scalable, and evidence-based opportunities to reduce tobacco-related diseases and complement ongoing efforts in early detection and treatment.
ILCN: How do you envision your work in this area benefiting future clinical strategies or patient care?
Dr. Faseru: My work emphasizes integrating public health policy with clinical practice. Strong local tobacco policies create environments that discourage tobacco use while supporting cessation through improved access to evidence-based treatments and community resources.
These policy approaches complement clinical care by reducing tobacco exposure, increasing quit attempts, and ultimately lowering the burden of tobacco-related diseases, including lung cancer. By strengthening the connection between policy and practice, we can improve both population health and patient outcomes.
ILCN: What are you most looking forward to at the 2026 World Conference on Lung Cancer (WCLC)?
Dr. Faseru: look forward to learning from colleagues across the globe who are advancing innovative approaches to lung cancer prevention, screening, treatment, and survivorship.
WCLC provides a unique opportunity to exchange ideas across disciplines, build new collaborations, and identify practical strategies that can adapt to diverse healthcare settings. I am especially excited to contribute to conversations on how local action can drive meaningful global progress in tobacco control and lung cancer prevention.
ILCN: What do you hope the audience will take away from your presentation?
Dr. Faseru: I hope the audience leaves with the conviction that improving global lung cancer outcomes requires more than advances in diagnosis and treatment—it also requires bold action to prevent tobacco use and support cessation.
Every community has the opportunity to make a difference through evidence-based local tobacco policies. When local leaders, healthcare professionals, researchers, and policymakers work together, local actions can create a lasting global impact in the fight against lung cancer.
