Bob Li, SVP Global Head of Medical Affairs of Oncology at AstraZeneca, shared on LinkedIn:
“No single organization can transform cancer care alone. Progress depends on partnerships that connect expertise, infrastructure, and innovation so they can reach more patients.
I had the privilege of speaking in Seoul at the official launch of COSMOS Lung, sharing AstraZeneca’s ambition and vision for building connected lung cancer networks globally, in collaboration with Dr. Karen Kelly, Dr. Alex Adjei and International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer (IASLC) leadership.
Having practiced as a thoracic oncologist, I have seen how for patients with lung cancer, early detection and timely access to clinical trials remain two of the greatest levers to improving outcomes at scale. Yet, significant care gaps exist between major academic hospitals in urban centers, and the local community health systems where most patients are actually diagnosed and treated.
That’s where COSMOS (Connecting Cancer Networks for Meaningful Health Outcomes) comes in. Early diagnosis in lung cancer can be challenging as there are often little or no symptoms in the early stages. This is why lung cancer screening in eligible high-risk individuals is more important than ever to support timely diagnosis.
COSMOS Lung is built on a locally led, globally-supported ‘hub-and-spoke’ network model designed to:
- Diagnose lung cancer earlier through interventions that are relevant to the needs of local health systems, giving patients and clinicians more treatment options from the outset.
- Bridge the gap between central oncology hubs and community practice so patients can access clinical trials, closer to home.
- Help ensure that innovation in care reaches underserved regions across health systems worldwide.
A highlight of our gathering in Seoul, which brought together leaders across the US, China, Germany, Japan, Canada, Brazil, and beyond, was reinforcing our multi-stakeholder international movement, including our vital alignment with organizations such as like the IASLC.
By uniting external healthcare ecosystem partners with COSMOS, we are moving from dialogue to real-world action: scaling co-created solutions that aim to accelerate trial access and elevate early detection standards globally.
Thank you to all the healthcare providers, advocates, and teams who joined us to spark this movement. Together, we are building a future where lung cancer care knows no boundaries.”
To which, France Dube, Director of Global Oncology Policy, Precision Medicine and Breast Cancer at AstraZeneca, added:
“Exciting to see the launch of COSMOS Lung (Connecting Cancer Networks for Meaningful Health Outcomes)!
Transforming cancer care requires more than innovation alone. It requires connecting the right partners, expertise and health systems to ensure guideline based advances in care reach the patients who need them most.
COSMOS represents an important step forward in bridging academic and community cancer care, advancing earlier detection, expanding access to clinical trials and helping reduce disparities in patient outcomes globally. No matter who you are or where you live, you should have access to guideline based, evidence developed healthcare.
Proud to be part of AstraZeneca’s commitment to advancing more equitable cancer care worldwide!”
You can also read: Financial Incentives Improve Smoking Cessation Among Underserved Patients Referred for Lung Cancer Screening.
