Joseph W. Cullen Prevention/Early Detection Award 2025 Recognizes Prof. Witold Rzyman’s Impact on Lung Cancer Screening

The International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer (IASLC), the world’s leading organization dedicated to the study and eradication of thoracic malignancies, has announced its 2025 Distinguished Service Award recipients. Among the honorees is Prof. Witold Rzyman, MD, a thoracic surgeon and academic leader from Poland, who has been awarded the Joseph W. Cullen Prevention/Early Detection Award in recognition of his lifelong contributions to lung cancer prevention and screening.

About the Joseph W. Cullen Prevention/Early Detection Award

The Joseph W. Cullen Prevention/Early Detection Award honors IASLC scientists who have made a lifetime impact on cancer prevention and early detection. Dr. Joseph Cullen, for whom the award is named, was the Deputy Director of the National Cancer Institute’s Division of Cancer Prevention and Control and a pioneer in tobacco control. In 1982, he launched the groundbreaking Smoking, Tobacco and Cancer Program at the NCI, shaping global strategies in cancer prevention.

The first award was presented in 1994 to Jesse Steinfeld, MD, the U.S. Surgeon General at the time of the National Cancer Act of 1971, underscoring the award’s prestige and its association with leaders who have advanced cancer prevention on a global scale.

Jesse Steinfeld, MD – the first award winner

Prof. Witold Rzyman: Surgeon, Researcher, and Global Advocate

Prof. Witold Rzyman graduated from the Silesian Medical University in Katowice, Poland, in 1986, beginning his career in the Department of Vascular and General Surgery. By 1993, he joined the Thoracic Surgery Department at the Medical University of Gdansk (MUG), where he rose through the ranks to become Chief Surgeon in 2006 and later University Professor in 2008. In parallel, he has also led the Thoracic Surgery Department at the Provincial Hospital of Lung Diseases in Prabuty since 2008.

His career reflects not only surgical mastery but also a consistent drive to integrate research, prevention, and clinical practice. Between 1995 and 2010, Prof. Rzyman further expanded his expertise during extended work at the Department of Cardiac Surgery at Ullevål University Hospital in Oslo, bringing international perspective and collaborations to his practice.

Pioneering Early Detection of Lung Cancer

While Prof. Rzyman has authored over 100 peer-reviewed publications and contributed extensively to thoracic oncology, his defining achievement lies in advancing lung cancer screening through low-dose computed tomography (LDCT). He has been the initiator and Steering Committee Member of the Polish Pilot Lung Cancer Screening Program (2020-2023), one of the most ambitious national screening efforts in Europe.

He has served as Principal Investigator for major grants, including:

• Pilot Pomeranian Lung Cancer Screening Program (2009–2011)
• MOLTEST (2013)
• MOLTEST-BIS, which evaluated molecular tests to complement LDCT screening

Prof. Rzyman’s efforts extend far beyond Poland. He plays an active role in European and international screening initiatives, including contributions to the IASLC Screening Committee and the Lung Cancer Policy Network, shaping strategies to bring evidence-based screening into broader healthcare systems.

Scientific and Academic Leadership

In addition to his clinical and research work, Prof. Rzyman has been a driving force in academic and professional societies:

• Board Member, Polish Society of Cardiothoracic Surgery
• Board Member, Polish Thoracic Surgeons Club
• Former Member, ESTS Ad Hoc Screening Committee
• Member, IASLC Screening Committee
• Associate Editor, International Lung Cancer News

As co-leader of the Gdansk Lung Cancer Study Group, he has contributed to biomolecular projects and biobanking initiatives that are bridging surgical oncology with molecular research, laying the foundation for future breakthroughs in early detection and personalized medicine.

Following the announcement of Prof. Witold Rzyman’s IASLC 2025 Joseph W. Cullen Prevention/Early Detection Awar, Hidehito Horinouchi congratulated on X, writing:

“Congratulations. Joseph W. Cullen Prevention/Early Detection Award. Dr. Witold Rzyman!”

A Lifetime Dedicated to Prevention and Early Detection

The Joseph W. Cullen Prevention/Early Detection Award reflects Prof. Rzyman’s unwavering commitment to reducing the global burden of lung cancer through prevention, screening, and early diagnosis. His leadership has advanced LDCT implementation, inspired new biomarker research, and shaped public health policy.

Prof. Rzyman’s work continues to have a profound impact on patients, clinicians, and researchers worldwide, cementing his role as a pioneer in the global fight against thoracic malignancies.

Follow Oncodaily’s website updates to read more about other IASLC 2025 Distinguished Service Award recipients.

Meet Solange Peters, the IASLC Paul A. Bunn, Jr. Scientific Award 2025 winner so far.

Written by Sergey Badalyan, MD