DENVER, CO--(Marketwired - March 04, 2016) -  Registration and abstract submission is now open for the International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer's 17^th World Conference on Lung Cancer (WCLC) set for Dec. 4-7, 2016 in Vienna, Austria. The WCLC is the world's largest meeting dedicated to lung cancer and other thoracic malignancies, attracting more than 6,000 researchers, physicians and specialists from more than 100 countries. Bringing together many of the world's greatest minds, the conference goal is to increase awareness and collaboration so that the latest developments in lung cancer can be understood and implemented throughout the world.

This year marks the first that the WCLC will be held annually. Previously, the IASLC hosted the conference every two years. The WCLC was held in Denver, Colorado in September 2015.

"The pace of new developments in lung cancer research is so rapid that we must meet every year to ensure that we share the latest knowledge and the newest best practices with each other," said Fred R. Hirsch, MD, PhD, Professor of Medicine and Pathology at the University of Colorado Cancer Center and School of Medicine and CEO of the IASLC. "Lung cancer is a massive problem -- it accounts for nearly a third of all cancer deaths around the world each year. But we are making huge progress in treatments and even more of these developments will be announced at our conference."

The four-day conference will cover a wide range of disciplines, including an estimated 300 invited talks and 3,000 formal research studies and clinical trial results shared in oral, mini oral and poster sessions. Falling under the overall theme of "Together Against Lung Cancer," the scientific abstracts are categorized into different tracks for different specialties:

The conference will also feature special educational programs for community practices, nurses and advocates. The IASLC is also including patients in the conference free of charge.

In addition to research, several events throughout the conference will facilitate the interaction between medical experts, advocates, patients and caregivers including:

• Educational sessions
• Exhibit showcase sessions
• The Young Investigator's Session

Attendees at the WCLC include surgeons, medical oncologists, radiation oncologists, pulmonologists, radiologists, pathologists, epidemiologists, basic research scientists, nurses, allied health professionals, advocates, caregivers and patients.

The abstract submission deadline is July 15, 2016. The IASLC will notify authors about their acceptance in mid- September. Click here for more information, including submission guidelines.

All IASLC members can take advantage of discounted registration rates and there is also a discount for early registration. Early registration ends on Sept. 23, 2016. Click here for more information about registration.

"The wide range of scientific discoveries we will share in Vienna will be astounding and I am very excited to take part in this experience," Robert Pirker, MD, WCLC 2016 Congress President, and Professor of Medicine and Program Director for Lung Cancer at the Department of Medicine I, Medical University of Vienna, Austria. "It is an honor to extend a warm invitation to the world to the 17^th IASLC World Conference on Lung Cancer in majestic Vienna."

For more information on the 2016 WCLC, visit: http://wclc2016.iaslc.org/.

About the IASLC:
The International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer (IASLC) is the only global organization dedicated to the study of lung cancer. Founded in 1974, the association's membership includes more than 5,000 lung cancer specialists in over 100 countries. Visit www.iaslc.org for more information.

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