Providence Thoracic Oncology Program
Forms & Information
Information for Healthcare Professionals on how to access Providence Cancer Conferences.
Learn clinical best practices and the latest advances in techniques, treatments, technology and research. Newsletter articles are reviewed by physician editorial boards and are written by Providence specialists in brain, spine, cancer, orthopedics, and heart and vascular medicine.
Providence Cancer Center offers several multidisciplinary specialty clinics that provide a vital "one-stop" resource for patients with cancer and certain other conditions.
Come for one appointment. See multiple specialists. Receive one comprehensive treatment plan. All on one day.
Join Providence Cancer Center and Lung Cancer Alliance to honor those who have been touched by lung cancer.
Lung cancer educational seminars are offered annually in November. These are on a three-year rotation with seminars specific to primary care providers, lung specialists and patients.
From the experts
Providence Lung Cancer Clinic aims to improve outcomes by shortening time to treatment. – By Rachel E. Sanborn, M.D., medical oncologist
Bringing science education to life, Providence School Outreach hosted more than 125 Portland-area high school students for a live “Chest Watch” surgery as Dr. John Handy, thoracic surgeon with Providence Thoracic Oncology Program, performed an initial lung thoracoscopy and then lobectomy on a life-long smoker.
In early studies, nearly 90 percent of patients with an ALK genetic mutation responded to the drug, which targets metastatic non-small cell lung cancer. – By Rachel E. Sanborn, M.D., co-medical director, Providence Thoracic Oncology Program
Providence's involvement with the International Immuno-Oncology Network, along with other early-phase studies, is broadening treatment options for patients with advanced cancers. – By Rachel E. Sanborn, M.D., co-medical director, Providence Thoracic Oncology Program
Q: "I have stage IV lung cancer. Why is chemotherapy sometimes used to treat later stage (Stage IV) lung cancer? What would happen if I did not take chemotherapy?"
Q: "I have lung cancer, what risk is there that my family will develop lung cancer?"
Q: "What are the different types of lung cancer and what treatments are used for each type?"
Q: "What is the real risk of getting lung cancer if you smoke cigarettes and is there a "safe" smoking level?"
Q: I stopped smoking ten years ago, how much risk is there that I will develop lung cancer?
Q: My father and mother smoked during my childhood, what is my risk of lung cancer from this second hand smoke?
Q: What symptoms of lung cancer would be important to have checked out by a physician?
Q: What is a bronchoscopy and why is it used to detect lung cancer?
John R. Handy, Jr., M.D., discusses the epidemiology of lung cancer and sets the stage for the remainder of the presentations at Providence Thoracic Oncology Program's seventh annual lung cancer symposium.
Advanced imaging now leads to earlier detection and better outcomes. Which of your patients will benefit most from annual screening? – By Jonathan Daniel, M.D., thoracic surgeon
Your questions answered by Providence lung cancer experts. Find answers to many questions that are commonly asked about smoking, tobacco use and lung cancer.
A large national study reports that suspicious findings were three times greater with CT scans than with chest X-rays. – By Rachel E. Sanborn, M.D., medical oncologist
Providence Cancer Center offered this state-of-the-art symposium to lung cancer specialists in the Pacific Northwest on November 17, 2007.
The most recent technological advances in pulmonology, thoracic surgery, interventional pulmonology and radiation oncology were presented by internationally renowned physicians who share Providence Thoracic Oncology Program's dedication to advancing state-of-the-art care for lung cancer patients nationwide.
Follow the links below to view the symposium presentations in their entirety.
You already know that smoking is unhealthy. The word has been out since the first Surgeon General’s Report in 1964. One out of four smokers will die from their tobacco addiction. More than 420,000 will die this year. It is the single most preventable cause of death or illness in our country.
Many teenagers and adults think that there are no effects of smoking on their bodies until they reach middle age. Smoking-caused lung cancer, other cancers, heart disease, and stroke typically do not occur until years after a person's first cigarette. However, there are many serious harms from smoking that occur much sooner. In fact, smoking has numerous immediate health effects on the brain and on the respiratory, cardiovascular, gastrointestinal, immune and metabolic systems.
A trial testing apricoxib with erlotinib showed longer survival in younger patients with metastatic lung cancer, but failed to meet its goal. – By Rachel E. Sanborn, M.D., medical oncologist
Imagine, for a moment, being inside your lungs, watching the millions of tiny hairs called cilia do their job of filtering out impurities. Then, observe as the smoke from one cigarette invades the lungs, paralyzing the cilia for 24 hours.
Let’s get specific: Reivew this chart to remind yourself of the risks of smoking and the benefits of quitting.
Providence Thoracic Oncology Program takes a multidisciplinary care approach to treating lung cancer. Your multidisciplinary thoracic oncology care team consists of the following trained specialists:
Recommended Resources