Pulmonary care

With over 155,000 deaths per year, lung cancer is responsible for more deaths than breast, colorectal, melanoma and prostate cancer combined. Lung cancer can be curable when found in its early stages, but it has been historically difficult to detect until now.

We offer noninvasive, low-dose computerized tomography (CT) lung cancer screenings for individuals who may be at risk of lung cancer. The low-dose CT screening is painless, only takes a few minutes and exposes you to five times less radiation compared to a regular CT scan. Low dose CT is a screening designed to catch cancer in its early stages. Those at high risk who are routinely screened are more likely to detect lung cancer at an earlier, more treatable stage.

After the exam, your report will be sent to your primary care provider and a result letter will be mailed to you. If necessary, you may be referred for pulmonary treatment. In that case, a lung nodule coordinator will schedule an appointment for you with a pulmonologist.

Who should get a lung screen?

Because a CT scan requires a physician's order, you should talk with your doctor if you are interested in having this screening. Your doctor can determine your eligibility for screening and refer you to our clinic if appropriate.

Low-dose CT may be recommended if you are:

• Asymptomatic and have quit smoking within the last 15 years
• Between 50 and 77 years old
• Currently smoking
• Defined as having at least a 20 pack-year smoking history. To calculate your pack years smoking history, multiply the number of packs you smoked per day by the number of years you've smoked.

If you have symptoms of a lung condition at the time of the screening, such as a new cough or shortness of breath, you will not be eligible for low-dose CT screening.

Robot-assisted pulmonary biopsy

Early-stage diagnosis can be difficult, but we can help gather tissue samples for a faster diagnosis with a minimally invasive, robot-assisted lung nodule screening procedure. This technology enables our physicians to obtain tissue samples from deep within your lung, addressing a challenging aspect of lung biopsy. It may also help you avoid subsequent biopsies by enabling a diagnosis through the samples obtained.

The robot-assisted technology features an ultra-thin and flexible catheter that allows navigation far into your peripheral lung. The unprecedented stability enables the precision needed for biopsy compared to manual techniques.

A thoracic procedure may be needed for a variety of reasons, including exploratory surgery, diagnostic testing and surgical treatment. While we may recommend surgery for lung cancer treatment, our thoracic specialists perform numerous procedures within the chest cavity, including:

• Complex thoracic lung surgery — Performed on the lungs or esophagus
• Evaluation of lung masses — Determines the nature of lung masses and lesions
• Mediastinal tumor surgery — Removal of a chest space tumor separating the lungs
• Minimally invasive lung surgery — Operating with robot-assisted technology in the chest cavity
• Sternal reconstruction — Repair of the sternum due to an infection sustained from opening and closing the chest cavity during surgery
• Thoracic aneurysm repair — Removal and replacement of damaged portion of the thoracic aorta
• Thoracotomy — Incisions in the chest wall to reach thoracic cavity

Our hospital has a specialized program to support you through diagnosis and treatment of lung nodules. If a lung nodule is found on an imaging exam performed for a separate health concern, our nurse navigator will contact your physician to discuss follow-up care. With guidance from a doctor, our nurse navigator will coordinate a plan of care as we work toward a diagnosis, provide clinical assistance and support you and your family.

The lung nodule program at our hospital is supported by:

• Medical oncologists
• Pulmonologists
• Radiation oncologists
• Radiologists
• Thoracic nurse navigator
• Thoracic surgeons

Our pulmonary oncologists provide a range of treatment options for individuals diagnosed with lung cancer. After assessing your unique condition, we may recommend surgery, chemotherapy, radiation therapy, targeted therapy or a combination of these treatments.