Dr Kim on the Need for Consensus Meetings Like Bridging the Gaps in Lung Cancer

“The field of lung cancer and therapeutics and biomarkers is moving so fast, and I think the gaps are starting to exist because we want to accelerate [that progress] even faster.”

Edward Kim, MD, MBA, physician-in-chief for City of Hope Orange County, deputy physician-in-chief at City of Hope National Medical Center, professor in the Department of Medical Oncology & Therapeutics Research, Physician-in-Chief Chair, and system direction of the Clinical Trials Office at City of Hope, discussed the purpose and value of the Bridging the Gaps in Lung Cancer meeting.

Kim emphasized that the meeting is a unique venue precisely because it isn’t designed to solve problems or reach consensus. Instead, he said, the focus is on identifying the gray areas and gaps that remain in the field. He described the value of gathering 30 thought leaders from around the world and putting questions to a vote, noting that seeing responses split roughly evenly across multiple choices is a grounding reminder of how much work remains to be done.

Kim explained that the goal of these discussions is to keep the field moving forward, and that as progress accelerates, these open questions become increasingly relevant. He noted that meeting results are published so they can be shared broadly, calling the experience invaluable both for him personally and for his colleagues.

Kim reflected on how rapidly the lung cancer field, including therapeutics and biomarkers, continues to evolve, in part because FDA approvals in one setting often prompt extrapolation into others. He contrasted this with the field 20 years ago, when targeted therapy wasn’t available in early-stage disease, noting that today’s array of options across early-stage, locally advanced, and metastatic settings, spanning multiple generations of therapy, can feel overwhelming even for experts, let alone frontline community oncologists. Kim said the meeting’s broader goal is to help oncologists find common ground while remaining clear-eyed about the gaps still left to bridge.