Thoracic Oncology Program

About the Thoracic Oncology Program

Specialists of Jefferson's Thoracic Oncology Program provide care for patients who have been diagnosed with, or are suspected of having, lung cancer or other types of cancers in the chest cavity, including squamous cell carcinoma, adenocarcinoma, large cell carcinoma and small cell carcinoma. It is one of only a few centers in the U.S. providing such an advanced level of treatment and research for lung cancer.

The Program brings together Jefferson specialists with extensive expertise in treating lung cancer to provide patients personalized treatment plans that address every aspect of their care. Through a collaborative, multidisciplinary approach, patients are continually evaluated throughout their entire course of treatment by a team of specialists that, depending on a patient's needs, may include thoracic surgeons, radiation oncologists, medical oncologists, chest radiologists, chest pathologists, gastroenterologists, pulmonologists, thoracic nurses, clinical trials research coordinators, smoking cessation specialists, psychologists, complementary medicine specialists and support program facilitators.

The Program is at the forefront of using new drugs and new combinations of radiation therapy, surgery and chemotherapy to improve treatment success of patients with every type of lung cancer. Patients for whom conventional therapies have proven ineffective may be able to gain access to new or experimental therapies for lung cancer through national clinical trials in which Jefferson participates.

State-of-the-Art Treatments

Physicians and researchers of the Thoracic Oncology Program have aided in the development of advances in the treatment of lung cancer in addition to offering traditional surgical approaches to lung, esophageal, mediastinum and chest wall procedures. Some of the state-of-the-art treatments available at Jefferson include:

• Minimally invasive video-assisted thoracic surgery (VATS) lobectomy
• Robotically assisted esophagectomy (removal of the esophagus) through a minimally invasive method
• Brachytherapy, or internal radiation treatment, for lung cancer. This procedure involves implanting tiny radioactive seeds at the site of the tumor, which, compared with external radiation therapy, allows for a higher dose of radiation to be safely administered.
• An experimental light treatment called photodynamic therapy that may reduce the need of lung removal for patients with mesothelioma (cancer of the chest cavity) and lung cancer that has spread in the chest cavity
• Lung volume reduction surgery for patients with emphysema
• Transcervical thymectomy, a minimally invasive surgical treatment for myasthenia gravis that enables patients to recuperate in less time
• Advanced surgery of the airway, including tracheal and bronchial sleeve resection
• Interventional bronchoscopy, including the use of photodynamic therapy, stents and laser treatment to remove obstructions in the bronchial airway