The mission of our conference is to understand the issues surrounding early diagnosis of lung cancer, how to optimize early treatment, and to expand practice-relevant research to medical and scientific communities in the U.S. and abroad.  The Early Lung Cancer Action Program (ELCAP) screening effort began in 1992 and evolved into the International Early Lung Cancer Action Program (I-ELCAP).  By providing training and the ELCAP Management System to those interested in screening, such programs expanded worldwide.  The resulting data and analyses from these sites provide new diagnostic knowledge that is integrated into the continually updated screening regimen so that it remains state-of-the-art; and screening advances are addressed at every conference.  In addition, The Early Lung Cancer Research on Treatment (IELCART) study uses the power of the prospective cohort design to accumulate data on clinical care treatment, similar in design to the I-ELCAP cohort.  That data analysis is used to address questions efficiently about stage I lung cancer treatments.  The IELCART research goal is to maximize the benefit of screening by determining optimal treatments when disease is discovered.  And finally, the newest focus of research at this conference is on interstitial lung disease (ILD).  Following the same research paradigms as I-ELCAP & IELCART we have developed an ILD registry and are recruiting collaborating sites. 

Vassar Brothers CME gratefully acknowledges the support
of the following exhibitors: