Lung Cancer Program | Boston Medical Center

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Conditions We Treat

Lung Cancer

Treatments & Services

Lobectomy

The removal of a lobe, this operation is usually effective at taking out all the cancerous tissue and decreasing the chance of cancer coming back. BMC was the first hospital in New England to perform robotic lobectomies, which require only small incisions. Robotic surgery is less painful and offers faster recovery times than more standard operations for lung cancer.

Radiation Therapy

Radiation uses special equipment to deliver high-energy particles, such as x-rays, gamma rays, electron beams or protons, to kill or damage cancer cells. Radiation (also called radiotherapy, irradiation, or x-ray therapy) can be delivered internally through seed implantation or externally using linear accelerators (called external beam radiotherapy, or EBRT).

Radiofrequency Ablation for Cancer

Radiofrequency ablation (RFA) is a cancer treatment in which radiofrequency energy—derived from electric and magnetic energy—is sent by means of a narrow probe that is placed in the center of a lung tumor. Surgical incisions are not required, and the probes are placed into tumors using CT scan to guide the physician. RFA is a newer method of treating lung cancer, as well as cancers of the liver, kidney, and bone. RFA can target and kill cancerous cells sparing healthy tissues that are close to the cancer. Systemic treatments such as chemotherapy and certain types of radiation are absorbed into both healthy and diseased tissue, whereas RFA is delivered directly into a tumor.

Lung Resection

Lung resection is the surgical removal of all or part of the lung, because of lung cancer or other lung disease. Surgery can provide a cure in some cancer cases, when the tumor is discovered early. For cancer patients, the type of resection will be based on the tumor location, size, and type, as well as the patient’s overall health prior to diagnosis.

Laser Resection

Some tumors are hard to reach through surgery because of where they are. However, a laser can strike small tumors in delicate or hard-to-reach areas. When conducting a laser resection, the surgeon inserts a tool through a small incision, directs the laser at the tumor, and transmits the high-energy beam, which destroys cancerous tissue by vaporizing it.

Minimally Invasive Tumor Removal

Video-Assisted Thorascopic Surgery (VATS) is a minimally invasive alternative to open chest surgery that involves less pain and recovery time. After giving you a sedative, the physician will make tiny incisions in your chest and then insert a fiber-optic camera called a thorascope as well as surgical instruments. As the physician moves the thorascope around, images that provide important information are projected on a video monitor. VATS is not appropriate for all patients; you should have a thorough discussion with your provider before making a decision. It is often not recommended in people who have had chest surgery in the past, because remaining scar tissue can make accessing the chest cavity more challenging and thus riskier.

Radiofrequency Ablation for Cancer

Radiofrequency ablation (RFA) is a cancer treatment in which radiofrequency energy—derived from electric and magnetic energy—is sent by means of a narrow probe that is placed in the center of a lung tumor. Surgical incisions are not required, and the probes are placed into tumors using CT scan to guide the physician. RFA is a newer method of treating lung cancer, as well as cancers of the liver, kidney, and bone. RFA can target and kill cancerous cells sparing healthy tissues that are close to the cancer. Systemic treatments such as chemotherapy and certain types of radiation are absorbed into both healthy and diseased tissue, whereas RFA is delivered directly into a tumor.

Seed Implantation

This internal form of radiotherapy is delivered during a surgical procedure to remove cancerous tissue. When the resection is complete, the surgeon, in collaboration with the radiation oncologist implants seed-like radioactive pellets near the remaining portion of the lung to prevent new growth of cancer cells. The pellets remain in place for the rest of the patient’s life, although their level of radiation decreases over time.

Cryoablation

Cryoablation, sometimes called cryotherapy, is a minimally invasive treatment used to destroy diseased cells in the esophagus caused by esophageal cancer and/or Barrett's esophagus. For cryoablation, a physician inserts a small tube (endoscope) through your mouth and into your esophagus. Once the endoscope is in place, liquid nitrogen is sprayed through the endoscope into the esophagus. The liquid nitrogen freezes the lining of your esophagus. The frozen cells die and are replaced by healthy cells. Cryoablation is used to treat Barrett's esophagus with high-grade dysplasia, and some early stage esophageal cancers. It can also be used to improve symptoms of advanced cancers. These symptoms include difficulty swallowing and bleeding.

Brachytherapy

Also known as internal radiation therapy, brachytherapy delivers radiation directly into the tumor (called interstitial brachytherapy) or into a surgical cavity or body cavity near it (called intracavitary brachytherapy). By delivering the radiation directly into the tumor or into a nearby cavity, the radiation only needs to travel a short distance, causing less damage to the surrounding normal tissue. Radioactive material is sealed in a delivery device called an “implant.” The implant is inserted into the body using an applicator (often a hollow tube called a catheter). Imaging tests, such as x-rays, CT scans, or MRI scans, are used to guide the radiation oncologist in placing the implant. Depending on the location of the tumor or cavity, the patient will receive either general anesthesia (drugs used to put the patient into a deep sleep) or local anesthesia (drugs used to numb the area being treated). Implants can be permanent or temporary. For high-dose-rate (HDR) treatment, the radiation oncologist places high-dose implants into the tumor or cavity for a short period of time (generally less than one hour) and then removes them. HDR treatment is given on an outpatient basis and may be repeated over several days or several weeks. Currently, HDR treatment is offered to patients with gynecologic cancers, such as cervical cancer, endometrial (uterine) cancer, uterine sarcoma (cancer of the muscle and supporting tissues of the uterus), and vaginal cancer.

Diagnostics and Tests

Ventilation and Perfusion Scans

These tests assess breathing and circulation in the lungs. As you inhale a harmless radioactive gas, the ventilation scan monitors your lungs. Next, you receive an injection of radioactive material for the perfusion scan, which monitors blood flow through your lungs. No preparations are needed, but tell your doctor if you are pregnant or breastfeeding. Your physician may also request diagnostic procedures that require sedation.

Endobronchial Ultrasound (EBUS)

EBUS is a minimally invasive procedure to assess lymph nodes along the bronchial tubes and frequently complements mediastinoscopy. Your physician will give you a sedative and then insert a bronchoscope through your mouth and trachea and into the lungs and surrounding tissues so that samples can be taken from lymph nodes. EBUS does not require any incisions.

Video-Assisted Thoracoscopic Surgery (VATS)

VATS is a minimally invasive alternative to open chest surgery that involves less pain and recovery time. It is used to both diagnose and treat a variety of thoracic conditions. The physician makes tiny incisions in your chest and inserts a thorascope (a fiber-optic camera) as well as surgical instruments. As the physician turns the thorascope, its views are displayed on a video monitor to guide investigation or surgery.

Our Team

BMC’s comprehensive lung cancer program has earned an international reputation with physicians who are distinguished as national leaders, researchers, and experts in the care of patients at all stages of the disease. The hospital’s patient-centered, multidisciplinary approach assures each patient benefits from the collaborative expertise of physicians uniquely focused on their individual needs.

Thoracic Surgeons

Laurence Brinckerhoff, MD

Chief of Thoracic Surgery

Medical Oncologists

Umit Tapan, MD

Thoracic Medical Oncologist

Pulmonologists

Hasmeena Kathuria, MD

Pulmonologist

Christine L Campbell-Reardon, MD

Pulmonologist

Katrina A Steiling, MD

Pulmonologist, Critical Care Physician

Radiologists

Gustavo A Mercier, MD, PhD

Radiologist, Nuclear Cardiologist, Chief, Molecular Imaging and Nuclear Medicine

Avneesh Gupta, MD

Radiologist

Patient Resources

Lung Cancer Diagnosis

At a patient’s first visit to BMC, he or she will receive highly coordinated, multidisciplinary care that is managed by a thoracic surgeon, a physician who specializes in treating conditions of the lungs, chest wall, and diaphragm.

Additional Information

Follow-Up Care

Periodic follow-up care is very important after treatment for lung cancer to make sure the patient remains free of tumors. At BMC, each patient’s treatment plan includes services that go well beyond the procedures to remove the cancer. A patient’s plan will include

Services and guidance to relieve side effects
Procedures to monitor and control pain during and after treatment
Guidance and follow-up on the details of home care

Management of care continues over the weeks, months, and years following treatment. And for out-of-town patients, this care includes collaboration with local health care providers for follow-up, using the hospital’s nationwide network of health care institutions.

Research Overview

Cancer researchers are dedicated to understanding the causes of cancer and improving treatment options. Promising new techniques in the diagnosis, treatment, and care of patients with cancer are tested in research studies called clinical trials. A research nurse will screen all willing patients to determine if they are eligible to participate in a study.

BMC thoracic surgeons lead or take part in a number of national studies advancing new treatment options for patients with all stages of lung cancer. The number and types of clinical trials available for lung cancer patients are constantly changing. View an up-to-date list of ongoing trials here. Those interested in participating in any clinical trials at BMC should talk with their physician.