Press Release
Sep 09, 2023
Contact: Chris Martin, IASLC Media Relations, cmartin@davidjamesgroup.com, 630.670.2745
[Singapore--September 9, 2023] ⎯ Medical Oncologist William Evans M.D., was awarded the Joseph W. Cullen Prevention/Early Detection Award today at the 2023 IASLC World Conference on Lung Cancer.
The Joseph W. Cullen Prevention/Early Detection Award recognizes an IASLC scientist for lifetime achievement in the prevention of thoracic malignancies. Dr. Cullen served as the Deputy Director of the National Cancer Institute’s (NCI) Division of Cancer Prevention and Control. He created the Smoking, Tobacco, and Cancer Program at the NCI in 1982.
Dr. Evans's interest in thoracic oncology developed in his early career working at the Toronto General Hospital with an impressive group of thoracic surgeons from 1975 to 1985. He participated with them in the adjuvant clinical trials of the North American Lung Cancer Study Group, in NIH-funded studies of nutritional support in lung cancer, and in numerous trials of systemic therapy for NSCLC and SCLC.
He initiated the first trials of etoposide-cisplatin in SCLC and made the first presentation on this regimen at the IASLC World Conference on Lung Cancer. In 1985, he became Head of Medical Oncology and in 1988, the CEO of the Ottawa Regional Cancer Centre. In 2010, he promoted the need for smoking cessation in regional cancer centers to improve the clinical outcomes of cancer patients. Lead Cancer Care Ontario Steering Committee created a framework and implementation for smoking cessation (SC) within the 14 regional cancer centers in Ontario. The initiative in Ontario, lead to a pan-Canadian effort through the Canadian Partnership Against Cancer (CPAC) to implement SC in provincial cancer centers.
He participated in the launch of the CPAC initiative and spoke at numerous cancer centers across Canada. Over 90% of cancer centers now have smoking cessation programs. He collaborated with Statistics Canada and CPAC to model lung cancer, including LDCT screening with and without SC, influencing the design of the Ontario screening Pilot. He is currently the Clinical Lead for Smoking Cessation at Ontario Health (CCO). He continues to drive change: extension of Statistics Canada to screening programs, DAUs, inpatient oncology and to enhance data capture on smoking status over patients' clinical journey. He has over 300 peer-reviewed publications, 20 focused on screening and aspects of Statistic Canada since 2014.
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About the IASLC
The International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer (IASLC) is the only global organization dedicated solely to the study of lung cancer and other thoracic malignancies. Founded in 1974, the association's membership includes more than 8,000 lung cancer specialists across all disciplines in over 100 countries, forming a global network working together to conquer lung and thoracic cancers worldwide. The association also publishes the Journal of Thoracic Oncology, the primary educational and informational publication for topics relevant to the prevention, detection, diagnosis, and treatment of all thoracic malignancies. Visit www.iaslc.org for more information.
About the WCLC:
The WCLC is the world’s largest meeting dedicated to lung cancer and other thoracic malignancies, attracting more than 7,000 researchers, physicians, and specialists from more than 100 countries. The goal is to increase awareness, collaboration, and understanding of lung cancer, and to help participants implement the latest developments across the globe. The conference will cover a wide range of disciplines and unveil several research studies and clinical trial results. For more information, visit https://wclc2022.iaslc.org/.