Screening and Diagnosis | Personalized Treatment | Research and Clinical Trials | Additional Patient Support
NorthShore’s Thoracic Oncology Program (TOP) offers state-of-the-art care for patients with lung cancer and other thoracic malignancies.
The experienced specialists at NorthShore Kellogg Cancer Center combine the most advanced scientific knowledge and technology with a comprehensive approach to care. Drawing from the diverse skills of physicians, surgeons, nurses, researchers and a host of other highly trained healthcare professionals, the Kellogg Cancer Center team works collaboratively to place patients—and families—at the center of a healthcare experience that delivers compassionate, personalized care.
Patients who are newly diagnosed with lung cancer have the added support of a specialized oncology nurse navigator to guide them through their lung cancer diagnosis and treatment.
Lung Cancer Screening and Diagnosis
An active participant in the International Early Lung Cancer Action Project (I-ELCAP), NorthShore has been an early advocate for low dose annual CT scanning for high-risk patients. The use of annual screening CT scans for people at high risk for developing lung cancer has shown in multiple international clinical trials to reduce the risk of dying from lung cancer by up to 40 percent. Medicare and many insurance companies now cover this diagnostic lung cancer screening for patients who meet certain criteria.
NorthShore’s emphasis on early detection allows our experienced specialists to diagnose a greater proportion of lung cancer at an early stage, when it can be treated with minimally invasive techniques and has a much higher chance of cure.
Personalized Lung Cancer Treatment
Lung cancer treatment options are rapidly evolving. The Kellogg Cancer Center is on the leading edge of care, using the latest molecular diagnostics to determine genetic profiles of individual tumors and develop personalized treatment plans for each patient. Our thoracic surgeons are renowned for performing minimally invasive thoracic surgery. This modern approach involves only several small incisions on the chest. Patients avoid a larger incision and rib spreading associated with traditional open surgery. Other advantages include:
- Reduced pain after surgery
- Better quality of life
- Faster recovery and return to normal function
For patients with more advanced disease, our team of expert medical oncologists has access to the latest non-surgical treatments. Among the most promising developments in cancer treatment in recent years is immunotherapy. Unlike chemotherapy, which attacks cancer cells, immunotherapy targets the patient’s immune system, spurring the body’s own immune function to unleash an attack on the disease. NorthShore has been an early adopter of immunotherapy. We offer progressive treatment options to our patients and support ongoing clinical trials and research to further advance this revolutionary field.
Our multidisciplinary team meets regularly in a multidisciplinary conference to discuss your case in detail. For lung cancer, your team may include your medical oncologist, surgeon, radiation oncologist, oncology nurse, geneticist, pathologist, nutritionist, pharmacist, interventional radiologist, social worker and researchers, all focused on you. This "meeting of the minds" provides critical input, resulting in an individualized care plan outlining the best course of action and lung cancer treatment option for your care.
Research and Clinical Trials
A vital research enterprise allows Kellogg patients access to the latest lung cancer treatment options, as well as a wide array of clinical trials.
Our extensive data warehouse and tumor bank enables physicians and researchers to integrate molecular and genomics data with clinical data to determine a patient’s best course of lung cancer treatment. This information—specific to each patient—helps create an individually tailored treatment plan based on the patient’s genetic makeup and type of cancer.
Additional Patient Support
Kellogg Cancer Center’s unique services and resources assist patients and family members with a variety of challenges they may face from lung cancer diagnosis, treatment and beyond. A wide array of support services are available to patients that include our integrative medicine services, financial advocacy and survivorship, to name a few.
The Kellogg Cancer Center also offers a comprehensive tobacco cessation program for patients and their families.
For More Information
For more information on lung cancer screening, diagnosis and treatment or to schedule an appointment with one of our specialists, please call 847.570.2112.