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Lung Cancer Treatment Program

The Center for Thoracic Cancers offers patients and families access to one of New England's most experienced programs for lung cancer.
Justin Gainor, MD
Justin Gainor, MD
Justin Gainor, MD, Director of the Center for Thoracic Cancers.

Explore the Lung Cancer Treatment Program

Overview

At the Center for Thoracic Cancers, our multidisciplinary team of lung cancer specialists put together a comprehensive treatment plan just for you. Many lung patients benefit from our approach. You will see lung cancer specialists from medical oncology, radiation oncology and surgery. We:

  • Offer a collaborative approach to lung cancer diagnosis and treatment
  • Provide care and support tailored to each patient’s needs
  • Combine clinical expertise, cutting-edge research and medical technologies to offer patients the most appropriate therapies
  • Ensure patients fully understand their diagnosis and treatment options
  • View patients and their family and friends involved in their care as team members

Patients are usually seen within one week of referral. Next day appointments are available - learn more in this video.

Innovative Approaches

The Center for Thoracic Cancers is among the first in the nation to provide new targeted therapies for non-small cell lung cancer. Consistently ranked as one of the best in the country by U.S. News & World Report, we provide promising new therapies and innovative approaches to clinical care, including:

  • Expertise in minimally invasive surgery for lung cancer, including lung-sparing techniques
  • Genotyping (molecular fingerprinting) to determine which lung cancers carry genetic mutations that might be treated with targeted therapies
  • Rapid diagnosis and staging of all biopsied tumors by pathologists who specialize in lung cancer
  • Groundbreaking research regarding the molecular basis of some lung cancers
  • Access to Proton Therapy at New England’s only proton radiation facility
  • Access to one of New England’s only Advanced Endoscopy Services

Lung Cancer Treatment

Expertise in Diagnosing and Staging Lung Cancer

All members of our team of pathologists and radiologists are nationally recognized for their expertise. Our pathologists participate in weekly tumor board meetings, sharing information about each patient’s unique cancer with the entire team to help guide care planning. Our radiologists use the most advanced imaging tools to diagnose and stage thoracic cancers and to detect changes in tumors. Our imaging methods include:

  • Chest radiograph
  • Computed tomography scan (CT or CAT scan)
  • MRI
  • PET and nuclear medicine scans

Our minimally invasive image-guided procedures for diagnosis include:

  • Percutaneous needle biopsy and molecular diagnostic tests
  • Esophageal ultrasound
  • Navigation bronchoscopy for biopsy of peripheral lung nodules

Excellence in Surgical Care

Our team of dedicated surgeons treats some of the most challenging and complex cases from across the US. We focus only on thoracic surgery and have pioneered many now-standard procedures used to treat thoracic cancers. The team provides state-of-the-art evaluation, treatment and post-surgical services, including:

  • Chest and airway reconstruction
  • Laser surgery
  • Minimally invasive video-assisted thorascopic surgery
  • Resection of tumors in the chest wall, lungs and mediastinum
  • Lung-sparing techniques for benign and malignant neoplasms of the lung
  • Resection of tumors obstructing a bronchus or in the trachea

We offer many minimally invasive surgical procedures, such as:

  • Bronchoscopy to explore the bronchial passages
  • Navigation bronchoscopy to biopsy peripheral lung nodules or placement of radiosurgical markers to enhance tracking of the lung tumors during radiation treatment
  • Esophagoscopy to sample lymph nodes around the airway or lung
  • Mediastinoscopy to explore the area between the lungs and nearby lymph nodes
  • Thoracoscopy to explore the thorax
  • Esophageal endoscopic ultrasound
  • Endobronchial ultrasound

Learn more about Mass General's Lung Cancer Surgery Program.

Pioneering Radiation Therapy Programs

Specialists in the Thoracic Radiation Oncology Program employ high-precision radiation therapy to treat patients with lung cancers and other cancers in the chest with the overarching goal of causing little or no side effects. Pioneering technological advances for the benefit of our patients include:

  • Intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) and Volumetric Modulated Arc Therapy (VMAT) for reducing side effects and improving tumor kill
  • Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy (SBRT) for the treatment of early stage lung cancers and increasingly also metastatic cancers
  • 4-dimensional (4D) CT scanning and respiratory gating for treatment of lung tumors that move around with breathing
  • Proton beam therapy in patients with certain lung cancers

Our radiation oncologists are part of a highly specialized multidisciplinary team that closely coordinates the care of each patient. Cutting-edge research aims at increasing the efficacy and reducing the side effects of radiation therapy as well as integrating radiation with revolutionizing biological drug therapies.

For more information, please see the Thoracic Radiation Oncology Program.

 

Lung Cancer Clinical Trials

Clinical trials are research studies which are conducted to answer questions. They can test many things including new drugs, new combinations of drugs, or already approved drugs being studied to treat patients in new or different ways. They may include new drug doses or new ways (schedules) to give the drugs. Clinical trials are run under strict guidelines with specific criteria for eligibility and treatment. Their purpose is to help find out whether new cancer treatments are safe and effective or better than the standard (current) treatment.

Our program has a very active clinical research portfolio with the latest, top-notch investigational studies covering a wide spectrum of thoracic cancer care. The ultimate goal of clinical research is to improve the outcomes for all of our patients. If you are eligible for a clinical trial, your physician will offer you the chance for participation. We will comprehensively review the logistics and purpose of the trial and also offer alternatives including the standard of care.

Find Clinical Trials for Lung Cancer.

 



Patient Education

Cancer that begins in any part of the lungs is called lung cancer. The two basic types of lung cancer are non-small cell lung cancer and small cell lung cancer. Learn about the signs, symptoms and causes of lung cancer.

Lung Cancer Screening

Lung Cancer Screening

We use low-dose CT scans to screen for lung cancer among high-risk people.

Pulmonary Nodule Clinic

Pulmonary Nodule Clinic

We work with patients to develop personalized follow-up care following review of CT scans.

Smokefree Support Service

Smokefree Support Service

A free, phone-based, one-on-one tobacco counseling resource for Cancer Center patients.

Thoracic Radiation Oncology Program

Thoracic Radiation Oncology Program

Learn more about Mass General's Thoracic Radiation Oncology Program.

Lung Cancer Surgery Program

Lung Cancer Surgery Program

Learn about Mass General's Lung Cancer Surgery Program.

Lung Thermal Ablation Program

Lung Thermal Ablation Program

Learn more about Mass General's Lung Thermal Ablation Program.

Lung Cancer Forum

Lung Cancer Forum

This community strives to expand support & improve quality of life for lung cancer pts.

Scalp Cooling Program

Scalp Cooling Program

This program helps patients keep their hair or reduce how much hair they lose from chemo.

Supportive Care

Supportive Care

We offer a variety of education and support resources to help you and your family.


Patient Stories

These stories highlight the strength, courage and resiliency of our patients, and the coordinated effort of the thoracic oncology team to provide the best possible care.


Videos


Immunotherapy

The Mass General Cancer Center is committed to understanding the mechanisms by which the immune system works to kill cancer.


Honors & Awards

View thoracic oncology team members honored for their commitment to the fight against cancer.

Contact the Mass General Cancer Center

Contact us to make an appointment or to learn more about our programs.