Lung and Thoracic Cancer Program at Providence Cancer Institute of Orange County
At Providence Cancer Institute of Orange County, you receive complete cancer care that doesn’t just treat your lung cancer but also you – body, mind and spirit.
Our expert team, advanced technology – including our robotics program – and robust support services help us detect and treat your cancer as early as possible.
Lung and Thoracic Cancer Program at Providence Cancer Institute of Orange County
At Providence Cancer Institute of Orange County, you receive complete cancer care that doesn’t just treat your lung cancer but also you – body, mind and spirit.
Our expert team, advanced technology – including our robotics program – and robust support services help us detect and treat your cancer as early as possible.
Our Approach to Lung and Thoracic Cancer Care
When it comes to lung and thoracic cancer treatment, you deserve to be informed, empowered and in charge of your care. At our Institute, you have the full support of a multidisciplinary care team.
We bring together thoracic surgeons, pulmonologists, radiologists, oncologists, radiation oncologists, pathologists, researchers and geneticists to review your lung scans for any changes or suspicious features. Then, we come to a consensus on the best next steps and possible treatment options for your specific cancer.
Your oncology nurse navigator is always available to help you understand your treatment plan and all the available support services.
With quick access to assessments, an early and accurate diagnosis and today’s best, evidence-based approaches for monitoring lung cancer, you can trust that you’re in good hands.
Lung and Thoracic Cancer Conditions We Treat
We focus on treating patients with lung cancer, including:
- Malignant mesothelioma: A rare, aggressive cancer that affects the lungs’ thin lining and is often caused by outside factors like asbestos exposure
- Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC): A cancer that starts in larger cells that line your airways and makes up about 85% of lung cancer cases
- Small cell lung cancer (SCLC): A cancer that usually starts in the center of the chest and advances more quickly but only makes up 10–15% of lung cancer cases
We also treat conditions related to lung and thoracic cancer, such as:
- Carcinoid tumors
- Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
- Lymphoma
- Mediastinum tumors
- Pleural effusion
- Thymic tumors
Meet Our Expert Cancer Team
At the Providence Orange County Cancer Institute, our multi-disciplinary team is committed to providing expert care to every patient. We work together to deliver a personalized approach to prevention and treatment, supporting you at every stage. With our collaborative expertise, you receive dedicated guidance and compassionate support throughout your journey.
Testing and Diagnostics
Our care team uses many tools to provide a diagnosis and learn which therapies will work best to treat your cancer type based on your individual needs.
The bronchoscopy procedure helps your doctor look in your lungs, using a bronchoscope – a thin tube with a light on the end. The tube goes through your nose or mouth, down into your airway.
Some Providence locations also offer ION robotic bronchoscopy to help diagnose lung cancer in its earliest stages. This technology uses a robot arm attached to a camera and scope, allowing doctors more visibility and maneuverability to biopsy lung nodules.
Endobronchial ultrasound (EBUS) is a type of bronchoscopy combined with ultrasound technology. It’s a procedure where an endoscope – a thin tube with a small video camera – is also fitted with an ultrasound transducer that enhances the images, guiding biopsies and allowing your doctor to see your lungs in greater detail.
A specific type of EBUS, called a staging EBUS, also looks at the lymph nodes and surrounding tissues to determine if conditions like lung cancer have spread. This advanced procedure is available at select locations.
A gene expression assay is a lab test that looks for DNA changes specific to cancer tumors. These changes can tell us more about your lung cancer, its stage and how to treat it.
Genomic tumor profiling for lung cancer is a type of molecular testing that looks for specific genetic changes or mutations, common in cancer tumors. Identifying a specific mutation can tell us more about your cancer and help us target your treatment based on what we know about that mutation.
A PET scan is a nuclear imaging procedure that uses a combination of computer technology and a radioactive imaging agent called a tracer to produce clear, high-resolution images of the body and its various functions in real-time and in 3D. They allow doctors to evaluate a wide range of conditions – including brain disorders such as Alzheimer’s disease and a variety of cancers – and provide more accurate diagnoses, targeted treatments and better outcomes for our patients.
Services and Treatments
Each treatment plan is unique, personalized to your cancer type and individual needs. Your care team collaborates with you and discusses your treatment plan in detail, which may include a combination of therapies.
Medical oncology uses systemic therapies that travel through the bloodstream to treat cancer that has spread to other areas of the body or has a high risk of spreading. Sophisticated genetic analysis allows some of these therapies to target specific DNA mutations that cause cancer cells to develop and grow.
Adjuvant chemotherapy is treatment given after your main therapy, often surgery, to help destroy any cancer cells that may still be in the body. The goal is to lower the chance of cancer recurrence.
Immunotherapy boosts or restores the body’s natural defenses. Cellular therapies, stem cell transplants and biologic therapies use your own cells to fight disease and support recovery.
Molecularly targeted therapy uses drugs – including oral and intravenous (IV) biologics – to target specific molecules that allow cancer to grow. This therapy enables personalized treatment for patients, especially those who carry certain genetic mutations or abnormalities.
You receive neoadjuvant chemotherapy before your main treatment to help improve outcomes. Starting treatment earlier can sometimes shrink a tumor, make surgery less complex or lower the risk of cancer spreading. For some patients, it may also help reduce long-term side effects or lower the risk of complications, especially if lymph nodes are involved.
Surgical therapies involve an operation or procedure to remove cancer from the body. Surgery may be the main treatment for some invasive cancers, but it’s only one part of the entire treatment plan.
Lung lobectomy is the surgical removal of one the lung's five lobes. It’s the most commonly performed surgery for lung cancer, removing the entire lobe with the goal of getting rid of all cancer cells.
It can be performed with a traditional thoracotomy, or with a less invasive treatment option called video-assisted thoracic surgery (VATS).
During an open lung wedge resection, your surgeon makes an incision in the chest to remove a small, wedge-shaped section of diseased lung tissue. This procedure removes less lung tissue than a lobectomy, which can preserve greater lung function and result in a faster recovery.
Pleuroscopy, also called thoracoscopy, is a minimally invasive diagnostic surgery procedure where a small video camera – called an endoscope – is inserted through the ribs into the pleural cavity. It provides a clear, magnified view of the space between the lungs and chest wall to help with lung cancer diagnosis, biopsy, fluid drainage or medication administration. This advanced procedure is available at select locations.
Robotic-assisted surgery is a new way of performing minimally invasive procedures, incorporating techniques that allow a surgeon to operate through several small incisions, or ports, about the size of a dime. Robotic-assisted surgery uses technology proven to effectively treat a wide range of conditions with less pain, faster recovery and reduced risk of complications following surgery.
Robotic wedge resection is a type of robotic lung resection where a wedge-shaped section of diseased or damaged lung tissue is removed with robotic assistance. This procedure allows for greater precision and smaller incisions than traditional surgery, which can lead to less pain, faster recovery and minimal scarring for patients. It is available at select locations.
A segmentectomy is a surgical procedure to remove a part of an organ that contains a tumor. This approach helps preserve as much healthy tissue as possible while effectively treating the affected area, offering a less invasive option than removing the entire organ.
Sleeve lobectomy is a surgical procedure to remove a lung tumor while saving that part of the lung. It involves removing the cancer growth and part of the main bronchus, or the airway, then rejoining the ends of the bronchus and the lung.
Wedge resection using VATS is a minimally invasive procedure in which a wedge-shaped section of diseased or damaged lung tissue is removed with video-camera assistance.
With video-camera assistance, surgeons have a clear and magnified view of the surgical area, allowing them to use smaller instruments and move with greater precision. This often results in less pain and scarring and a quicker recovery. This advanced procedure is available at select locations.
Video mediastinoscopy is a minimally invasive diagnostic surgery procedure to inspect the area behind the breastbone, known as the mediastinum. A surgeon guides a mediastinoscope – a flexible, narrow tube with a small video camera on the end – through a small incision just above the breastbone.
Radiation is effective in killing cancer cells and shrinking tumors. It can be used alone or in combination with other cancer treatments.
Image-guided radiation therapy delivers high-dose radiation, guided by imaging, directly to tumors. It provides precise and accurate cancer treatment while preserving healthy tissue and potentially keeping the side effects that you experience to a minimum.
IMRT and VMAT are advanced types of radiation therapies:
- IMRT uses advanced technology to manipulate the radiation beams to conform to the shape of a tumor.
- VMAT is a subtype of IMRT in which the machine actively delivers radiation beams while moving in an arc around the patient.
The arc-based therapy provided via VMAT delivers high doses of radiation to more focused areas, reducing side effects, toxicity and harm to vital organs and the overall treatment time.
Learn more about intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT)
Both SABR and SBRT deliver high-dose radiation to a specific area with very precise targeting through special immobilization and imaging techniques. These therapies can include stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) systems like CyberKnife, which delivers precisely targeted radiation using a robotic delivery system with sub-millimeter accuracy. SABR and SBRT are often outpatient procedures, so you could go home the same day.
SGRT/SIGRT uses real-time beam guidance and surface-recognition technology to target tumors, reducing side effects and harm to vital organs. This therapy can be used in conjunction with IMRT and VMAT to help guide your positioning during treatment and account for any involuntary movement, making it less invasive and potentially more comfortable for you.
3DCRT uses 3D planning and CT imaging to better target tumors and cancerous areas and improve the outcome of radiation treatment. It also limits the damage to healthy tissue, potentially decreasing risks like infection and minimizing side effects.
Learn more about three-dimensional conformal radiation therapy (3DCRT)
Lung Cancer Screenings
At Providence Cancer Institute of Orange County, we offer screenings to detect lung cancer in the early stages – when it’s most treatable.
We strive to empower you to take control of your respiratory health. Undergoing a lung cancer screening can help detect early-stage lung cancer, even if symptoms aren’t apparent. If you’re at risk, take this important step and schedule your screening today.
Patient Resources & Support
Get a second opinion from our world-class cancer experts, so that you can make important decisions about your treatment plan and move forward with confidence. Our web page will walk you through the next steps and let you know how to prepare for your appointment.
Are you looking for a clinical trial, either for yourself or a patient? Currently, Providence Cancer Institute of Orange County is involved in over 100 ongoing clinical trials.
We offer comprehensive support services – including oncology nurse navigators, transportation services and financial counseling – to help you and your loved ones throughout your cancer journey.
Frequently Asked Questions
Your lung cancer is unique to you. The severity of your cancer and its symptoms depend on several factors:
- Type of lung cancer
- Tumor size
- Where and if the cancer has spread
- If you have another lung condition
Not all cancer treatments include chemotherapy drugs. Your cancer care team will review your options in detail to find the best approach for your treatment.
If your treatment plan does include chemotherapy, you may experience certain side effects. Some of the most common chemotherapy side effects include:
- Anemia
- Easier bleeding and bruising
- Extreme tiredness
- Hair loss
- Inability to focus
- Loss of appetite
- Lowered immunity and increased infections
- Mood changes
Lung cancer is complex and so is treatment, which can look different for everyone. Your oncology nurse navigator, along with your care team, can answer any questions you have about your personalized treatment plan.
Based on your needs, you may require additional pathology testing to check for genetic mutations. Then, you may have regular chemotherapy, targeted therapy, immunotherapy, surgery or radiation.
It can take 1-2 weeks to receive the results from your pathology tests, but these results are important.
Additional pathology tests help us look for mutations in your lung cancer, which can tell us how to treat your specific cancer and provide targeted treatments that will lead to the best outcomes.
Our hospitals are some of the few in the nation to offer minimally invasive robotic removal of lung cancer. Robotic-assisted surgeries and other procedures help you get treatments, such as biopsies, resections and lobectomies, more quickly and effectively.
With less-invasive options for biopsies and other procedures, patients experience less pain, less blood loss, reduced scarring and faster recovery. Some patients can even go directly from their lung biopsy to the operating room because of the efficiency of surgical robotics technology.
Yes, our support services at Providence Cancer Institute of Orange County include financial navigation to help ease your way through financial concerns and barriers.
Our staff can help you:
- Evaluate insurance health plans to ensure the right choices are made for your care
- Leverage available programs and services, such as co-pay assistance and patient assistance programs to help reduce financial barriers
- Optimize external assistance programs, such as patient financial support programs
Your oncology nurse navigator can refer you to a social worker, who can connect you with financial support as needed.
You have access to many supportive services to help you during and after lung cancer treatment. Your oncology nurse navigator can provide you with a full list.
One support service that’s helpful for many patients with lung cancer is dietitian services. When you have lung cancer, you may struggle with eating or keeping on weight. A dietitian can help you find calorie-dense foods, support your spouse or loved one as they cook for you and optimize your nutrition to prepare for and heal from surgery.
An oncology nurse navigator is a nurse or registered clinician who personally guides you from diagnosis through survivorship. They are your advocate, here to provide support and reassurance tailored to your needs – whether that's occasional conversations or daily check-ins.
Your navigator can coordinate your appointments, speak directly with your primary care physician, provide support to lower your stress, talk to your loved ones and help you access all the resources that you need.
You can ask about clinical trials as early as you’d like. Every patient has a right to investigate their treatment options. Your care team may know of clinical trials that could offer you a promising, innovative therapy option.
Many people assume that to join a clinical trial, other treatment options must have failed, but that’s not always the case. You don’t need to wait before you ask your care team.
Not necessarily. Palliative care isn’t just hospice care. Palliative care offers additional support alongside your treatment, and it can start as soon as you’re diagnosed. It helps you define treatment goals, manage symptoms and improve your overall quality of life.
With palliative care, you get support managing pain, symptoms and side effects from your cancer treatment. Your palliative care team also helps you deal with physical and emotional stress, spiritual needs and more.
You have the option to incorporate palliative care into your treatment plan right from the start, which can help keep you comfortable and receive the extra support that you need.