The 2025 Pan-Africa Conference on Lung Cancer has kicked off in Accra, Ghana with global experts calling for increased research, and efforts to improve care and prevent lung cancer deaths in Africa.

Researchers, patient advocates, oncologists, cardio-thoracic surgeons and other lung cancer specialists from across Africa and the globe attended the conference organised by the International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer (IASLC).

IASLC is the only global network dedicated to the study and eradication of lung cancer and other thoracic malignancies.

The 2025 Pan-Africa Conference on Lung Cancer   is the first multidisciplinary lung cancer conference in Sub-Saharan Africa.

The experts brainstormed on clinical trials, special Issues in lung cancer in Sub-Saharan Africa, screening and diagnosis  such as  differentiating lung cancer from tuberculosis, latest updates in pathology, genomics, targeted therapy, and immunotherapy, improving patient advocacy, among others.

The Chief Executive Officer of IASLC, Karen Kelly, said lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer deaths worldwide, adding, “And we don’t want any patient diagnosed with lung cancer dying of the disease, particularly now, when the advances have been phenomenal.”

She said she made a commitment to change the trajectory of the disease, and that IASLC would truly be committed to conquering thoracic cancers in the 21st century, worldwide. She noted that was why the IASLC is in Africa for the conference.

She said, “We are committed to all patients worldwide. We are committed to Africa, and my hope for being here over today and the next day , is that we come together, not only to learn from each other, but to come and really identify initiatives that we can work on together, that we can sustain this relationship, and I’m sure we can, because it has been a phenomenal first day, and I want to thank you all  for taking time to be here.

“My true hope for all of this is to come together, work together, and let’s not have any patient really dying of this disease. At the minimum, let’s do our very best to give them a long, lasting quality of life.”

Chairman of the conference, Alex Adjei, said in Africa when cancer is mentioned, people think of breast cancer, prostate cancer, cervical cancer, with lung cancer at the bottom.

He said this further underscores the need for the conference to discuss lung cancer.

A representative of the Chief Director of Ministry of Health, Ghana, Jonathan Awebenu, commended the organisers for their commitment towards addressing lung cancer, a critical but  often overlooked health challenge.

He said lung cancer is often associated with the poor prognosis with more than half dying within the first year of diagnosis.

In the last few years, innovative research in diagnosis and therapy and surgical intervention has led to significant strides translating to better care and improved survival for lung cancer.

Quoting GLOBOCAN statistics, he said lung cancer accounts for 2.2% of all cases diagnosed in Ghana, and among the top ten causes of cancer mortality in the country.

He urged delegates at the conference to use the opportunity of the conference to amplify the voices of those affected by lung cancer,  foster collaboration, share best practices and sustainable lung cancer care for Africa, create awareness and advocate for the resources needed to change the lung cancer landscape in Africa.

Also speaking during a session on patient advocacy, Caleb Egwuenu, a lung cancer patient Research Advocate and Executive Director of Move Against Cancer Africa (MACA), said steps towards effective cancer patient advocacy include situation analysis, engagement, community building, communication, and advocacy.

Citing MACA intervention at National Hospital Abuja, he said collaboration and networking are key to sustaining cancer patient advocacy programmes.

Jill Fieldman, a lung cancer patient and advocate, said advocacy is crucial to promoting patient-centred care, advocating for equitable access to resources and reducing healthcare disparities.