The International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer (IASLC) worldwide educational program on lung cancer: a keynote address presented by the president of the IASLC.

In this keynote address presented at the American Cancer Society International Conference on Prevention and Early Diagnosis of Lung Cancer, Varese, Italy, in 1998, the genesis and the activities of the International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer (IASLC) are outlined. IASLC is devoted institutionally to promoting education and international cooperation in the entire field of lung carcinoma knowledge, from basic research to advanced strategies in treatment. From its foundation in 1974 by an international group of specialists from all medical branches concerned with lung carcinoma, the IASLC organized 8 world conferences and over 60 international workshops or symposia on lung carcinoma. Moreover, in recent years, IASLC has been instrumental in setting up postgraduate medical programs in countries that have limited resources and an increasing incidence of lung carcinoma.