Cardiothoracic Surgery Experts Provide Insights at
2025 Stanford Lung Cancer Summit

by Roxanna Van Norman
April 17, 2025

Stanford thoracic surgeons recently attended the inaugural 2025 Stanford Lung Cancer Summit on March 11-12, hosted by the Stanford Center for Asian Health Research and Education (CARE). The summit brought together Stanford clinicians and researchers to explore and focus on a lung cancer health disparity: lung cancer in people who have never smoked disproportionately affects Asian populations, especially Asian women. This alarming trend underscores the urgent need for innovative research, clinical guidance, public health policies, and awareness campaigns to improve lung cancer care for people who have never smoked.

Among the event’s key organizers was Natalie Lui, MD, Assistant Professor of Cardiothoracic Surgery and Director of the Stanford Lung Cancer Screening Clinic. Dr. Lui helped coordinate and launched the summit as part of her role with CARE and led the “Early Detection Screening” session. She presented “Lung Cancer Screening in People Who Have Never Smoked’ during the session.

Several members from the Stanford Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery were also prominently featured in the summit’s speaker lineup:

• Leah Backhus, MD, MPH, Professor of Cardiothoracic Surgery (Thoracic Surgery), served as moderator for the session on ‘Early Detection Screening’
• Mark Berry, MD, Professor of Cardiothoracic Surgery (Thoracic Surgery), presented “Lung Cancer Surgery at Stanford in 2025” during the ‘Novel Technology in Treatment of Early-Stage Disease’ session
• Douglas Liou, MD, Clinical Associate Professor of Cardiothoracic Surgery (Thoracic Surgery), presented “Lung Cancer Screening at Stanford” during the ‘Early Detection Screening’ session
• Carolyn Chang, MD, Postdoctoral Scholar, presented during the “Junior Investigator Round Table Session”
   

The first day one of the summit focused on early detection screening for lung cancer, novel technology in the treatment of early-stage disease, current systemic treatments, epidemiology and population science, and the current state of developments for lung cancer in people who have never smoked.

The second day focused on basic science updates, including novel detection, monitoring, and drug development. It also featured a junior investigators’ roundtable, a patient advocacy panel, and a session on future thinking and developments for lung cancer in people who have never smoked.

Stanford thoracic surgeons and researchers are helping to raise awareness about the importance of early lung cancer screening. Learn more about lung cancer from our thoracic surgeons.

To learn more about Stanford CARE and its efforts in lung cancer awareness, visit the Stanford Lung Cancer Summit page.