“Cancer research” is a broad term that encompasses everything from basic bench science, to translational research on patient-derived tumor specimens, to clinical trials, to studies on patient centered outcomes.  While it is obvious to all of us in the lung cancer community that research is critical to improving patient outcomes, lung cancer remains underfunded compared to other common cancers.

Several different mechanisms exist to fund cancer research, including private philanthropy, Big Pharma, not-for-profit cancer research and advocacy groups, and government organizations including the DOD and NIH/NCI among others.

Given funding imbalances, it is relatively easy for lung cancer patients and advocates to make the point that allocation decisions may have historically been driven by social and political considerations, rather than by the toll of the different cancers on society.  However, it is a much greater challenge to get others to recognize the imbalance, to change that pattern, and to actually drive an increase in resources dedicated to lung cancer research.  Such efforts will undoubtedly require a focused effort by the lung cancer community, including those of us involved with #lcsm.

With these thoughts in mind, please join our #LCSM chat this Thursday (moderated by @BrendonStilesMD) as we explore lung cancer research, what it means to patients, how we can better integrate researchers and patients/advocates to coordinate efforts, and how we can ultimately generate more money specifically directed towards lung cancer research.  We will cover the following topics:

• T1.  Tell us what research means to you.  How have you participated in research and/or how has lung cancer research benefitted you personally?
  (examples include clinical trials, new drugs, biobanking, laboratory tours, volunteerism or support for lung cancer foundations, grant review panels, etc.)
• T2.  How can we help lung cancer patients better understand research and just as important, how can we help basic science researchers understand the needs of lung cancer patients?
• T3.  How can we use our collective voice to increase funding for lung cancer research?
• T4.  What types of lung cancer research do you think are most important to fund?

Please remember to include #LCSM in ALL your tweets so the other chat participants can see your comments. You can read a primer on participating in the chat here.  Hope you’ll join us!