2024 World Conference on Lung Cancer (WCLC) - Posters-P1.01C.02 Tobacco Control and Smoking Cessation-related Content in Oncology Meetings: A Scoping Review

Pdf Summary

This scoping review examines tobacco control and smoking cessation content presented at major oncology meetings from 2018 to 2023. Tobacco use is a significant risk factor for cancer, and continued smoking after diagnosis worsens outcomes. Despite its importance, tobacco-focused content may not be adequately addressed at oncology conferences.<br /><br />The review analyzed 120,288 abstracts and 25,542 educational sessions from various oncology meetings, identifying 421 abstracts and 119 sessions related to tobacco control. Results revealed limited coverage of tobacco control themes, especially in major oncology-specific meetings like those of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) and the European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO), where only a negligible percentage of sessions and abstracts addressed these topics.<br /><br />Disease site-specific meetings, such as the World Conference on Lung Cancer (WCLC) and the Multidisciplinary Head and Neck Cancers Symposium (MHNC), exhibited a higher proportion of tobacco-related content, likely due to the direct impact of tobacco use on these cancers. General oncology meetings also demonstrated slightly better representation of tobacco issues.<br /><br />The analysis highlighted that most of the research originated from high-income countries, underscoring a need for broader, more inclusive participation from diverse geographical contexts. This bias suggests existing barriers in research access from low- and middle-income countries, which need addressing to incorporate diverse perspectives in global tobacco control strategies.<br /><br />Recommendations include integrating more comprehensive tobacco control content and educational sessions in oncology meetings. Furthermore, there should be efforts to remove barriers to research participation from developing regions to ensure a balanced and representative discussion on tobacco's impact within oncology.<br /><br />In conclusion, while tobacco control is critical in cancer care, its presence at oncology meetings is disproportionately low, calling for strategic initiatives to enhance coverage and participation globally.

Asset Subtitle

Sun Choi

Meta Tag

Speaker Sun Choi

Topic Risk Factors, Risk Reduction & Tobacco Control

Keywords

tobacco control

smoking cessation

oncology meetings

cancer risk factor

ASCO

ESMO

WCLC

MHNC

global participation

research barriers