Dr Bazhenova on Addressing Potential Gaps in the Treatment of Lung Cancer Care

Lyudmila A. Bazhenova, MD, medical oncologist, professor, clinical medicine, University of California San Diego Moores Cancer Center, discusses the 2023 Bridging the Gaps in Lung Cancer meeting, expanding on the hope to confirm a consensus on how to best move forward to address gaps in lung cancer care.

The 2023 Bridging the Gaps in Lung Cancer meeting offered a platform for the comprehensive examination, discussion, and prioritization of prevailing disparities in the care and treatment of patients diagnosed with lung cancer. This meeting convened to deliberate and dissect the challenges and limitations that pervade clinical practice across a wide spectrum of factors, including, but not limited to, race, gender, socioeconomic status, and geographic location. These multifaceted dimensions of disparity were acknowledged and deeply considered during the meeting, fostering an environment for strategizing and implementing effective measures to address these disparities comprehensively.

Among the key topics of discourse, the attendees explored potential strategies for lung cancer prevention, underscoring the importance of holistic and inclusive approaches to bridging the existing gaps in lung cancer treatment and care, thereby promoting equitable health outcomes for patients with this disease.

Bazhenova conveys her hope that the conference will serve as a crucible for consensus-building, specifically in cases where a consensus is attainable when considering gaps in cancer care. Furthermore, this collaborative gathering may shed light on proposals for clinical trials that can systematically address and resolve the controversies surrounding the identified gaps in cancer care, she explains. The recognition of these gaps serves as a compelling take-home message from the conference, Bazhenova says.

Overall, it is important to spotlight the dedicated and proficient community of thoracic medical oncologists, surgeons, radiation oncologists, and interventional pulmonologists who are well poised to investigate and answer these questions within the realm of lung cancer care, she continues. Their commitment and expertise position them as agents of change in the endeavor to bridge the existing gaps and ultimately enhance the quality of care for patients with lung cancer, Bazhenova concludes.