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Lung Cancer
 The thoracic oncology team consists of multi-disciplinary physicians, as well as mid-level practitioners, social workers, and research nurses, who work along with you to develop a customized plan of care specifically for you. OverviewLung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death in both men and women in the United States. The American Cancer Society estimates 215,000 new cases of lung and bronchus cancer in 2008. It is an aggressive tumor and does not cause many warning signs until it has become very large or has spread. This tumor develops deep in the chest and cannot be felt by the patient or sensed easily because of the lack of nerves in the lung. This is why about two-thirds of patients have their tumor detected first at an advanced stage. Unfortunately, the five-year survival rate for lung cancer has only been about 15%. What Is Lung Cancer?While there are promising new drugs and new methods to treat this disease, the best way to cure lung cancer is to detect it early and remove it with an operation. For the majority of patients in whom it is not found early, we attempt to control the disease with other methods like radiation and chemotherapy. Surgery may be appropriate after chemotherapy and/or radiation to remove what remains. A team approach is vital to deal with difficult tumors like lung cancer, because multiple treatments sometimes work better than a single cancer therapy. Also, lung cancer occurs mainly in smokers, many of whom have significant lung or heart problems. Therefore, cancer specialists consider the safest approach for treating the cancer. Our team evaluates lung performance tests, carefully searches for signs of tumor spread, and recommends standard therapy or monitors new treatments with a clinical trial. For lung cancer we consider newer methods to be the best patient choice because many standard therapies (other than surgery for early disease) have had only limited success. The body is made up of different types of cells. Normally, these cells will grow and divide, making new cells constantly, in order to maintain a healthy body. Due to several factors, these cells can become damaged and divide, making new cells in an erratic fashion. As these cells multiply they form a tumor. In the lungs, different cells make up the lining of the airways as well as the lung tissue. Due to exposure to chemicals such as tobacco smoke these cells become damaged and begin to multiply in an unpredictable way. They begin to grow out of control to form a tumor either within the lung itself or within an airway. As these tumors grow, cells can break away from the “primary” tumor and enter the bloodstream or lymphatic system. This is how tumor cells spread to other parts of the body, a process called metastasis. Types of Lung CancerLung cancer is divided into two main types: Small Cell Lung Cancer and Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer. A third type is called Mesothelioma, which arises from the chest lining covering the lung. A rare type of tumor is called carcinoid which can be low grade or aggressive. For more, see link at left. |
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