This is the second year that The Group Room--"the world's largest cancer support group"--has broadcast its lung cancer show live from Beth Israel.

"With lung cancer as a leading cause of cancer-related death for men and women in this country, this broadcast is a significant collaborative effort between Vital Options, Cancer Care® and several leading cancer centers to bring this information to the public through The Group Room radio show," said Selma R. Schimmel, founder and president of Vital Options® TeleSupport® Cancer Network and host of The Group Room.

During the last 20 years, deaths from lung cancer have increased 150 percent for women, with more women dying of lung cancer than breast cancer each year. According to the American Cancer Society, there are expected to be more than 164,000 new cases of lung cancer in 2000, accounting for 14 percent of all cancer diagnosed, with nearly 157,000 death, constituting 28 percent of all cancer deaths.

The remote will feature a multidisciplinary team of lung cancer experts who will discuss advances in lung cancer diagnosis, prevention and treatment as well as psychosocial issues. Joining Schimmel will be Diane Blum, an oncology social worker and executive director of Cancer Care, a national non-profit agency that offers support, information and practical help to people with cancer and their loved ones through programs and initiatives such as "Faces of Lung Cancer."

The medical experts include Dr. Ronald Blum, a medical oncologist and director of Beth Israel Medical Center's Cancer Center; Dr. Nasser Altorki, attending cardiothoracic surgeon and Dr. Daniel Libby, a pulmonologist and attending physician and clinical professor of medicine, both at the New York Weill Cornell Medical Center; and Dr. Corey Langer, a medical oncologist and medical director of thoracic oncology at Fox Chase Cancer Center, Philadelphia.

Also featured will be a special taped interview with radiologists Dr. Claudia I. Henschke and Dr. David Yankelevitz presenting the newest information about screening from the international lung cancer diagnosis and treatment conference they recently hosted at New York Weill Cornell Medical Center, where they both are faculty members. Henschke is also chief, Division of Chest Imaging, and chief, Division of Healthcare Policy and Technology Assessment, at New York Weill Medical Center, where Yankelevitz serves as director, Inpatient Radiology.

In addition to Schimmel, The Group Room's other in-studio regulars include medical oncologist Dr. Michael Van Scoy-Mosher, radiation oncologist Dr. Leslie Botnick, and therapist Halina Irving.

Individuals interested in attending the live audience discussion should call 1-800-477-7666 or 1-818-788-5225 to pre-register.

All phone calls to The Group Room are screened by a licensed oncology social worker and topics about all aspects of cancer--in addition to lung cancer--will be accepted. Callers can enter discussions by dialing 1-800-GRP-ROOM (1-800-477-7666).

The program airs live in selected cities throughout the United States, including New York (WEVD/1050 AM), Los Angeles, Washington DC, Memphis, St. Louis and Tampa, and reaches almost 400,000 listeners a week. It is also simulcast worldwide via the Internet (www.vitaloptions.org).

Vital Options is a Los Angeles-based national non-profit cancer communications, support and advocacy organization that produces The Group Room in association with Premiere Radio Networks. Vital Options was the first organization to address issues related to young adults with cancer before expanding to include issues and information related to everyone touched by cancer.

During the week, individuals can reach Vital Options at 1-818-508-5657 for support or to receive more information about cancer resources or stations carrying the broadcast.

The Group Room is supported through educational grants from founding sponsor Bristol-Myers Squibb Co. and corporate sponsors Ortho Biotech Inc., Pharmacia Oncology and Genentech BioOncology Inc.