The global lung cancer community will gather in Barcelona, Spain, for the IASLC 2025 World Conference on Lung Cancer (WCLC) from September 6-9. This year’s meeting will spotlight various subspecialties within thoracic oncology, the latest developments in lung cancer treatment, and the evolving role of targeted therapies.
As WCLC 2025 approaches, IASLC President Paul Van Schil, MD, PhD, Professor of Thoracic and Vascular Surgery, Antwerp University Faculty of Medicine, highlights key themes from this year’s program and what attendees can look forward to.
ILCN: What makes this year’s World Conference a can’t-miss event for the global lung cancer community?
Dr. Van Schil: As the IASLC, we are international and multidisciplinary. So, this truly is the “World Conference,” focusing on thoracic oncology and all its subspecialties. It includes not only medical oncologists, radiation oncologists, and thoracic surgeons, but also nurses and other allied health personnel; so, in fact, every specialty involved in thoracic oncology.
Thoracic oncology comprises not only lung cancer but also mesothelioma, thymic tumors, and other rare thoracic cancers. This provides an opportunity to exchange ideas, to explore new advances, and to attend upcoming events.
There are many new developments, not only in lung cancer but also globally for thoracic oncology. This makes attending this year’s meeting especially worthwhile.
Last year’s meeting in San Diego was a celebration of our 50th anniversary. It was an excellent meeting, and we are aiming to do even better in Barcelona.
ILCN: How will this year’s program reflect the most urgent or important developments in thoracic oncology?
Dr. Van Schil: We will have two Presidential Symposia on Sunday and Monday morning. Many excellent abstracts were submitted, and we had to make a difficult decision to select the best ones for the Presidential Symposia. I think we could have even filled three symposia. These will highlight the latest international and multidisciplinary advances and developments in lung cancer. So, we are really looking forward to those.
We will also have industry symposia and a very interesting CT screening symposium on Saturday.
ILCN: What can attendees expect from this year’s Presidential Symposia and the lineup? Are there any overarching goals or themes?
Dr. Van Schil: The first Presidential Symposium will explore new developments in targeted therapies, while the second one will offer a global focus on the different disciplines involved in thoracic oncology. We have outstanding abstracts on new developments in lung cancer and treatment.
ILCN: Is there any session or event you’re personally looking forward to at WCLC 2025? If so, why?
Dr. Van Schil: I’m really looking forward to chairing the first Presidential Symposium, which is also my last address as IASLC President. Afterwards, Caicun Zhou will become the new president at the business meeting on Monday, September 8, where they will officially pass the gavel.
I’m interested in multidisciplinary and multimodality treatments for lung cancer, specifically involving thoracic surgery, and new developments in this area.
ILCN: What advice would you give to first-time attendees or early-career professionals to help them make the most of their WCLC experience?
Dr. Van Schil: Take a close look at the program and find the sessions that interest you, depending on your specialty. Plan your schedule in advance, as there are simultaneous sessions. Then, try to attend as many sessions as possible.
Also, try to interact with your colleagues from other disciplines, as you can really learn about new developments in thoracic oncology.
ILCN: Is there anything else attendees should know as they prepare for WCLC 2025?
Dr. Van Schil: The presidential symposia are the highlights of the conference. Our social program is outstanding! There will also be many interesting industry symposia featuring excellent speakers. We will also have award sessions covering different disciplines within lung cancer and thoracic oncology.
We are very grateful to the 2025 WCLC conference chairs, who have done an outstanding job preparing an excellent program.
With Barcelona as its backdrop, WCLC 2025 promises to be a significant international event for the global lung cancer community. The diverse programming, spanning various subspecialties in thoracic oncology, offers a dynamic opportunity to share knowledge, foster collaboration, and celebrate advancements in the field.
Visit the IASLC website to explore the full WCLC 2025 program and stay up to date on session details, networking events, and more.
