In this episode of The Oncology Insights Podcast, I speak with Dr. Wade Swenson, medical oncologist at Lakewood Health System and founder of the Rural Cancer Institute, about the challenges of delivering cancer care in underserved rural communities. He explores the rural cancer gap, social determinants of health, screening barriers, and the role of policy and workforce development. Dr. Swenson also highlights innovative models for decentralizing care while maintaining quality standards. Listen now on all major platforms!

"Lung cancer accounts for a large portion of the rural cancer mortality gap, highlighting the need for improved screening and early detection strategies."

Meet the guest: Dr. Wade Swenson is a medical oncologist specializing in rural cancer care delivery and founder of the Rural Cancer Institute. He serves at Lakewood Health System and holds academic roles at TCU and the University of North Dakota. His work focuses on reducing disparities, improving access, and advancing oncology workforce development in underserved regions.

Read the full research articles:

Kava, Christine M., et al. "Differences in lung cancer death rates by rural vs. urban status in comparison to all-cancer death rates—United States, 1999–2020." Cancer epidemiology 95 (2025): 102763.

Walker, Margaret R., et al. "Challenges and Opportunities for Rural Multidisciplinary Lung Cancer Care." Journal of the American College of Radiology 22.12 (2025): 1609-1617.

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What you will learn:

• (00:00) Highlight
• (00:51) Introduction
• (05:55) Rural disparities
• (07:19) Social determinants
• (06:11) Care models
• (18:43) Screening barriers
• (24:25) Policy advocacy
• (35:16) Final Questions

𝗟𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗻 𝗼𝗻 𝗔𝗽𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝗣𝗼𝗱𝗰𝗮𝘀𝘁𝘀, 𝗦𝗽𝗼𝘁𝗶𝗳𝘆 𝗼𝗿 𝗮𝗻𝘆 𝗺𝗮𝗷𝗼𝗿 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺.

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In this episode of The Oncology Insights Podcast, I speak with Dr. Lisa Carter-Bawa, Director of the Cancer Prevention Precision Control Institute at Hackensack Meridian Health, about how stigma, trust, and communication shape cancer prevention and early detection. Dr. Carter-Bawa explores lung cancer screening, patient engagement, behavioral science, and the role of community-based interventions. She also examines how emerging tools such as artificial intelligence and biomarkers intersect with patient behavior and equity. Listen now on all major platforms!

"Lung cancer screening decisions are shaped by stigma and self blame in ways that are not present in many other cancer screening contexts."

Meet the guest: Dr. Lisa Carter-Bawa is a behavioral scientist and nurse practitioner whose work focuses on stigma, trust, and engagement across the cancer prevention continuum. She leads cancer prevention research at Hackensack Meridian Health and oversees community outreach at Georgetown Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center. Her nationally funded research advances lung cancer screening equity through patient-centered communication.

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What you will learn:

• (00:00) Highlight
• (00:29) Introduction
• (05:56) Research roles
• (10:24) Screening foundations
• (12:37) Stigma drivers
• (14:41) Awareness gaps
• (18:52) Early detection future
• (23:35) Final Questions

𝗟𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗻 𝗼𝗻 𝗔𝗽𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝗣𝗼𝗱𝗰𝗮𝘀𝘁𝘀, 𝗦𝗽𝗼𝘁𝗶𝗳𝘆 𝗼𝗿 𝗮𝗻𝘆 𝗺𝗮𝗷𝗼𝗿 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺.

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In this episode of The Oncology Insights Podcast, I speak with Dr. Tony Abraham, President and Medical Director, and Daniel Varghese, CEO of RadiantPath Health, about expanding access to nuclear theranostics in oncology. They explore mobile delivery of Lu-177 PSMA therapy, regulatory and staffing barriers, and patient-centered care models, and examine how bringing advanced treatments into community settings can reduce travel burden and improve therapy completion. Daniel and Dr. Abraham also highlight the role of artificial intelligence, safety standards, and future applications beyond prostate cancer. Listen now on all major platforms!

"Theranostics allows clinicians to precisely identify cancer targets through imaging and then deliver treatment directly to those same sites, minimizing damage to surrounding healthy tissues." - Dr. Tony Abraham

Meet the guests:

Daniel Varghese is a board-certified Physician Assistant and CEO of RadiantPath Health, leading the first mobile nuclear medicine unit in the United States.

Dr. Tony Abraham is a Nuclear Medicine Physician with fellowship training in PET/CT and nuclear oncology, and over 20 years of experience advancing targeted therapeutics in cancer care.

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What you will learn:

• (00:00) Highlight
• (00:42) Introduction
• (07:28) Theranostics explained
• (10:11) Patient experience
• (12:10) Access limitations
• (14:51) Staffing barriers
• (22:43) Mobile scheduling
• (40:38) Final Questions

𝗟𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗻 𝗼𝗻 𝗔𝗽𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝗣𝗼𝗱𝗰𝗮𝘀𝘁𝘀, 𝗦𝗽𝗼𝘁𝗶𝗳𝘆 𝗼𝗿 𝗮𝗻𝘆 𝗺𝗮𝗷𝗼𝗿 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺.

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In this episode of The Oncology Insights Podcast, I speak with Ewen Ward, Brand Director at Hanson Wade Group, about the evolution and future direction of antibody drug conjugates in oncology. Ewen explores how ADC innovation is reshaping cancer treatment, from payload design to clinical impact. He also highlights the role of global scientific collaboration through the 16th World ADC London Summit. Listen now on all major platforms!

"Antibody drug conjugates combine targeted antibodies with potent anti-cancer agents, creating therapies designed to improve precision while addressing long-standing toxicity and efficacy challenges."

Meet the guest: Ewen Ward is Brand Director at the Hanson Wade Group, where he leads the development of global scientific conferences focused on antibody-drug conjugates. With a background in biochemistry, his work centers on translating scientific challenges into impactful oncology agendas.

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What you will learn:

• (00:00) Highlight
• (00:28) Introduction
• (04:36) ADC definition
• (05:53) Toxicity challenges
• (06:51) Payload innovation
• (09:27) Clinical impact
• (11:52) Conference scope
• (31:43) Final Questions

The Oncology Insights Podcast is trusted and supported by innovative companies like:

World ADC London 2026

Beacon - Access to Life Sciences Data - Hanson Wade

𝗟𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗻 𝗼𝗻 𝗔𝗽𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝗣𝗼𝗱𝗰𝗮𝘀𝘁𝘀, 𝗦𝗽𝗼𝘁𝗶𝗳𝘆 𝗼𝗿 𝗮𝗻𝘆 𝗺𝗮𝗷𝗼𝗿 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺.

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In this Lung Cancer Awareness episode of The Oncology Insights Podcast, we welcome Dr. Chi-Fu Yang, thoracic surgeon at Massachusetts General Hospital and Associate Professor of Surgery at Harvard Medical School. With last month marking Lung Cancer Awareness Month, the conversation looks at where screening stands in the United States, how criteria have changed over time, and why uptake remains lower than expected. Dr. Yang also walks through effective outreach approaches, practical advocacy efforts, and new global findings that may guide the future of early detection. Listen now on all major platforms!

“The complexity of current screening criteria places a major burden on primary care teams because calculating detailed smoking exposure during short clinic visits is often unrealistic.”

Meet the guest: Dr. Chi-Fu Yang is a thoracic surgeon at Massachusetts General Hospital and an Associate Professor of Surgery at Harvard Medical School. His work spans minimally invasive thoracic surgery, clinical research, and national advocacy for equitable lung cancer screening. He leads major NIH- and AHRQ-funded studies, directs CAIIRE, and advances early detection across diverse communities.

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What you will learn:

• (00:00) Highlight
• (00:44) Introduction
• (04:25) Lung screening gaps
• (06:56) Systems barriers
• (10:08) Screening criteria
• (14:55) Eligibility reform
• (21:16) Community outreach
• (44:02) Final Questions

𝗟𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗻 𝗼𝗻 𝗔𝗽𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝗣𝗼𝗱𝗰𝗮𝘀𝘁𝘀, 𝗦𝗽𝗼𝘁𝗶𝗳𝘆 𝗼𝗿 𝗮𝗻𝘆 𝗺𝗮𝗷𝗼𝗿 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺.

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In this episode of The Oncology Insights Podcast, I speak with Dr. Stephen Nimer, Director of the Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center at the University of Miami. We explore his remarkable journey from physician-scientist to national leader in hematologic oncology, focusing on acute myelogenous leukemia (AML) and myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS). We also discuss cellular therapy, precision medicine, and the challenges of translational research in today’s oncology landscape. Listen now on all major platforms!

“Understanding the interplay between leukemia cells and their microenvironment is essential to identifying effective new therapeutic targets.”

Meet the guest: Dr. Stephen Nimer is the Director of the Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center and Executive Dean for Research at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine. A leading physician-scientist in hematology-oncology, his research focuses on myelodysplastic syndromes and acute myelogenous leukemia, advancing translational science and patient care.

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What you will learn:

• (00:00) Highlight
• (00:45) Introduction
• (12:59) AML treatment challenges
• (23:22) MDS overview
• (30:17) Animal research ethics
• (33:32) Leadership strategy
• (37:14) Precision medicine
• (38:52) Final Questions

𝗟𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗻 𝗼𝗻 𝗔𝗽𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝗣𝗼𝗱𝗰𝗮𝘀𝘁𝘀, 𝗦𝗽𝗼𝘁𝗶𝗳𝘆 𝗼𝗿 𝗮𝗻𝘆 𝗺𝗮𝗷𝗼𝗿 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺.

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In this episode of The Oncology Insights Podcast, Dr. Yelena Janjigian, Chief of Gastrointestinal Oncology at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, shares results from the global MATTERHORN study and what it means for early-stage gastroesophageal cancer treatment. She explains how immunotherapy is shifting the treatment landscape, the real-world challenges of biomarker access, and why surgical collaboration matters. Listen now on all major platforms!

"Despite aggressive chemotherapy regimens, the addition of immunotherapy showed improvement in survival and disease-free outcomes."

Meet the guest: Dr. Yelena Janjigian is a physician-scientist and Chief of the Gastrointestinal Oncology Service at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. Her research focuses on the molecular characterization of gastroesophageal cancers, aiming to bring innovative therapies to patients worldwide. With over 140 publications, she is a global leader in GI oncology.

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What you will learn:

• (00:00) Highlight
• (00:52) Introduction
• (07:46) Immunotherapy in early-stage
• (10:26) Trial design challenges
• (15:03) Regional cancer differences
• (19:00) Tumor biomarker limitations
• (24:11) Surgery coordination issues
• (27:29) Final Questions

𝗟𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗻 𝗼𝗻 𝗔𝗽𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝗣𝗼𝗱𝗰𝗮𝘀𝘁𝘀, 𝗦𝗽𝗼𝘁𝗶𝗳𝘆 𝗼𝗿 𝗮𝗻𝘆 𝗺𝗮𝗷𝗼𝗿 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺.

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