CLINICAL TRIALS The goal of the Center for Thoracic Cancers is to treat patients through an approach
appointments
that represents the forefront of clinical care, which in some cases is on a clinical trial. The Center focuses much of their clinical research on areas of thoracic oncology where the standard treatment is unsatisfactory or where the optimal treatment approach remains unclear. In these areas, many patients are enrolled in a clinical trial providing them with access to innovative therapy options for their advanced disease, including immunotherapy treatments, which were first used in clinical trials at Smilow Cancer Hospital.
HOW TO MAKE AN APPOINTMENT For more information or to schedule an appointment with a member of the Center for Thoracic Cancers at Smilow Cancer Hospital and Yale Cancer Center, please contact (203) 200-5864. Our goal is to ensure that each patient has an outstanding and positive cancer care experience. When you call, a patient intake coordinator will help to arrange your appointments so that you will see all the specialists needed during an initial visit.
The Yale Specialized Programs of Research Excellence (SPORE) in Lung Cancer grant is one of only three in the country from the National Cancer Institute and harnesses the strengths of academic cancer centers by bringing together experts in oncology, immunobiology, pharmacology, molecular biology, pathology, epidemiology, and addiction science to collaborate on projects focused on non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), one of the world’s most prevalent forms of cancer. Recent studies conducted
We provide both in person and telehealth visits, although we recommend that the first visit be in person as this will enable a better assessment of your overall conditions. We also work in close coordination with our Smilow Cancer Hospital Care Centers, which are conveniently located across the state and often offer our patients and their families a closer trip for treatments and check-ups while still receiving the same high standard of care.
by Yale researchers have resulted in new treatment options for patients, including a new drug combination for patients with advanced NSCLC who previously were treated with a checkpoint inhibitor. Advances have also been made in immunotherapy treatment options for patients with NSCLC.
Cindy
Jack
For Cindy’s story: m.yale.edu/cindy-story
For Jack’s story: m.yale.edu/jack-story
Eight years after being told I had two years to live, I am still here. My doctors at Smilow were so confident about the treatment options available, I knew I was finally in the right place and could relax. – Jack
Cindy For Cindy’s story: m.yale.edu/cindy-story
p: 203-200-5864 | yalecancercenter.org | smilowcancer.org
© 2021 Yale Cancer Center
The Center for Thoracic Cancers AT SMILOW CANCER HOSPITAL AND YALE CANCER CENTER
CLINICAL TRIALS The goal of the Center for Thoracic Cancers is to treat patients through an approach
appointments
that represents the forefront of clinical care, which in some cases is on a clinical trial. The Center focuses much of their clinical research on areas of thoracic oncology where the standard treatment is unsatisfactory or where the optimal treatment approach remains unclear. In these areas, many patients are enrolled in a clinical trial providing them with access to innovative therapy options for their advanced disease, including immunotherapy treatments, which were first used in clinical trials at Smilow Cancer Hospital.
HOW TO MAKE AN APPOINTMENT For more information or to schedule an appointment with a member of the Center for Thoracic Cancers at Smilow Cancer Hospital and Yale Cancer Center, please contact (203) 200-5864. Our goal is to ensure that each patient has an outstanding and positive cancer care experience. When you call, a patient intake coordinator will help to arrange your appointments so that you will see all the specialists needed during an initial visit.
The Yale Specialized Programs of Research Excellence (SPORE) in Lung Cancer grant is one of only three in the country from the National Cancer Institute and harnesses the strengths of academic cancer centers by bringing together experts in oncology, immunobiology, pharmacology, molecular biology, pathology, epidemiology, and addiction science to collaborate on projects focused on non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), one of the world’s most prevalent forms of cancer. Recent studies conducted
We provide both in person and telehealth visits, although we recommend that the first visit be in person as this will enable a better assessment of your overall conditions. We also work in close coordination with our Smilow Cancer Hospital Care Centers, which are conveniently located across the state and often offer our patients and their families a closer trip for treatments and check-ups while still receiving the same high standard of care.
by Yale researchers have resulted in new treatment options for patients, including a new drug combination for patients with advanced NSCLC who previously were treated with a checkpoint inhibitor. Advances have also been made in immunotherapy treatment options for patients with NSCLC.
Cindy
Jack
For Cindy’s story: m.yale.edu/cindy-story
For Jack’s story: m.yale.edu/jack-story
Eight years after being told I had two years to live, I am still here. My doctors at Smilow were so confident about the treatment options available, I knew I was finally in the right place and could relax. – Jack
Cindy For Cindy’s story: m.yale.edu/cindy-story
p: 203-200-5864 | yalecancercenter.org | smilowcancer.org
© 2021 Yale Cancer Center
The Center for Thoracic Cancers AT SMILOW CANCER HOSPITAL AND YALE CANCER CENTER
CLINICAL TRIALS The goal of the Center for Thoracic Cancers is to treat patients through an approach
appointments
that represents the forefront of clinical care, which in some cases is on a clinical trial. The Center focuses much of their clinical research on areas of thoracic oncology where the standard treatment is unsatisfactory or where the optimal treatment approach remains unclear. In these areas, many patients are enrolled in a clinical trial providing them with access to innovative therapy options for their advanced disease, including immunotherapy treatments, which were first used in clinical trials at Smilow Cancer Hospital.
HOW TO MAKE AN APPOINTMENT For more information or to schedule an appointment with a member of the Center for Thoracic Cancers at Smilow Cancer Hospital and Yale Cancer Center, please contact (203) 200-5864. Our goal is to ensure that each patient has an outstanding and positive cancer care experience. When you call, a patient intake coordinator will help to arrange your appointments so that you will see all the specialists needed during an initial visit.
The Yale Specialized Programs of Research Excellence (SPORE) in Lung Cancer grant is one of only three in the country from the National Cancer Institute and harnesses the strengths of academic cancer centers by bringing together experts in oncology, immunobiology, pharmacology, molecular biology, pathology, epidemiology, and addiction science to collaborate on projects focused on non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), one of the world’s most prevalent forms of cancer. Recent studies conducted
We provide both in person and telehealth visits, although we recommend that the first visit be in person as this will enable a better assessment of your overall conditions. We also work in close coordination with our Smilow Cancer Hospital Care Centers, which are conveniently located across the state and often offer our patients and their families a closer trip for treatments and check-ups while still receiving the same high standard of care.
by Yale researchers have resulted in new treatment options for patients, including a new drug combination for patients with advanced NSCLC who previously were treated with a checkpoint inhibitor. Advances have also been made in immunotherapy treatment options for patients with NSCLC.
Cindy
Jack
For Cindy’s story: m.yale.edu/cindy-story
For Jack’s story: m.yale.edu/jack-story
Eight years after being told I had two years to live, I am still here. My doctors at Smilow were so confident about the treatment options available, I knew I was finally in the right place and could relax. – Jack
Cindy For Cindy’s story: m.yale.edu/cindy-story
p: 203-200-5864 | yalecancercenter.org | smilowcancer.org
© 2021 Yale Cancer Center
The Center for Thoracic Cancers AT SMILOW CANCER HOSPITAL AND YALE CANCER CENTER
T
he Center for Thoracic Cancers at Smilow Cancer Hospital and Yale Cancer Center is a multidisciplinary program dedicated to providing cutting-edge evaluation and treatment to patients with thoracic malignancies in an efficient
and coordinated manner.
MEDICAL ONCOLOGY
RADIATION ONCOLOGY
Our medical oncologists are nationally recognized for their leadership and expertise in lung
The Center for Thoracic Cancers provides access to highly technically advanced radiation
cancer treatment and research and are dedicated to offering personalized treatment options.
therapy treatment planning. A non-invasive technique, stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT)
Biomarker testing is often performed on the tumor to look for specific mutations that can be
provides high doses of radiation with a high level of accuracy to lung cancer tumors. This precise
Through the Center, patients have access to nationally recognized expert clinicians, who
targeted by medication. There are currently FDA approved lung cancer treatments for tumors
treatment also results in less radiation delivered to surrounding tissue and fewer side effects.
deliver an organized, collaborative approach to cancer care, and the latest technologies
showing abnormalities in EGFR, KRAS, ALK, ROS1, BRAF V600E, MET, RET and NTRK genes. Available to some patients who are not able to (or don’t wish to) undergo surgery, radiosurgery
and treatments. Patients also benefit from newly available cancer therapies resulting from scientific insights gained in Yale laboratories and from other comprehensive cancer centers in the United States. The Center coordinates and integrates the diagnosis, evaluation, and treatment of patients diagnosed with a thoracic malignancy, including lung cancer, thymic cancers, mesothelioma, or chest wall tumors. They also coordinate the surgical care of patients with esophageal cancer. Specialties include medical oncology, radiation oncology, thoracic surgery, pulmonary medicine, interventional oncology, pulmonary intervention, pathology,
Recent studies conducted at Yale have led to FDA approval of drugs for the treatment of lung
requires an array of specialized equipment and a well-trained staff of physicists, dosimetrists,
cancer, such as the immunotherapy drug Tecentriq (atezolizumab), which has been proven to
and therapists. Radiation treatment is available to our patients at Smilow Cancer Hospital and
improve patient survival for newly diagnosed NSCLC. This drug is designed to block PD-L1,
conveniently at our Smilow Cancer Hospital Care Centers throughout Connecticut.
a protein that was discovered by scientists at Yale and has been instrumental in improving survival for lung cancer patients. Another FDA approved drug stemmed from research
PULMONARY MEDICINE AND PULMONARY INTERVENTION PROGRAM
including Yale Cancer Center and Smilow Cancer Hospital researchers, osimertinib was
Our pulmonary medicine experts provide seamless care for patients from lung cancer screening
approved for the treatment of adults with early-stage NSCLC with EGFR gene mutations.
and diagnosis through survivorship care. The Pulmonary Intervention Program (PIP) is a joint program between pulmonary/critical care medicine and thoracic surgery at Smilow Cancer
SURGERY
Hospital. This collaboration combines advanced, state-of-the-art technology with physicians
Many patients in need of surgery are referred for a minimally invasive surgery known as a
dedicated to the evaluation and treatment of patients with lung diseases. Our Pulmonary and
Cancer Screening Program has proven to be a critical tool in providing patients at risk with
video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS), which is done through several small incisions,
Critical Care Medicine services are nationally and internationally recognized for providing
individualized, evidence-based screening, and helping to detect these cancers earlier.
versus a major chest incision, and requires no rib spreading. Most lung cancer patients in
advanced care for patients.
diagnostic imaging, and nursing. Collaboration with the Smilow Cancer Hospital Lung
need of surgery at Smilow Cancer Hospital are scheduled for a VATS procedure. VATS for Any patient cared for by one of our physicians benefits from the collective expertise of
extremely experienced using this technology to perform lobectomies for the treatment of
The following minimally invasive procedures are some highlights of the program: Peripheral endobronchial ultrasound (EBUS): Smilow Cancer Hospital is one of only a few hospitals in the state with this technology. This technology improves diagnostic sensitivity for lung nodules, masses or infiltrates, compared to bronchoscopy without ultrasound-guidance. Our physicians have the most experience in the state with EBUS and provide the greatest diagnostic accuracy possible.
lung cancer. Together, they perform the most robotic lung procedures in Connecticut. Smilow
•
lung cancer is only available in a small minority of hospitals in the U.S.
the entire Center’s physicians because of the team approach to care. Patients also benefit from a comprehensive program to help with the physical, emotional, and psychological issues that are part of effectively confronting cancer. Finally, because cutting-edge care is at times complex, patients also benefit greatly from the involvement of the team’s care coordinators, who make management of even the most detailed multidisciplinary treatment plan less complicated, which ensures that all of our patients are offered state-of-the-art care in all aspects.
I felt like I would be helping science and other patients by participating in a clinical trial. If things didn’t work out, I would still be able to go on chemotherapy or other treatments. It was a pretty clear path to choose. – Cindy
The da Vinci Robotic System is also available and provides patients with a less invasive surgical option, quicker recovery time, and decreased side effects. Our thoracic surgeons are
Cancer Hospital’s robotic technology, the da Vinci Xi, is the most advanced robotic platform
•
available. Smaller incisions, greater surgical precision, less pain for the patient, and a quicker return to normal activity, are just some of the benefits this technology allows for. Yale was one of the earliest institutions in the country to provide robotically assisted thoracic surgery for lung cancer. Your thoracic surgeon will discuss the surgical options available to you, and the benefits of each option.
Electromagnetic navigation: an innovative procedure using electromagnetic technology that allows for better access to obtain tissue samples of lung masses. Smilow Cancer Hospital is the only hospital in the state of Connecticut offering this “GPS-like” bronchoscopic guidance through the lungs to nodules or masses in need of diagnosis.
•
Confocal microscopy: physicians at Yale are among the first in the world to use and research this endomicroscopic system that enables visualization of microscopic cells in the lung.
•
Whole Lung Lavage: PIP physicians are trained to treat patients with pulmonary alveolar proteinosis (PAP) through this and other techniques.
INTERVENTIONAL ONCOLOGY The Smilow Interventional Oncology Program offers cutting edge specialized services supporting all disciplines at Smilow Cancer Hospital. For the care of patients with thoracic malignancies, a team of dedicated and committed professionals with the highest level of expertise offer image-guided therapies, among other services. These minimally invasive therapies can be used either as primary or adjuvant treatments, and contribute to care that is truly multidisciplinary at Smilow Cancer Hospital. The program complements medical, surgical, and radiation oncology to provide optimal patient care. PATHOLOGY In partnership with the Yale Thoracic Pathology Service, patient tissue obtained from the thorax, including lungs, trachea, and chest wall, are carefully reviewed. The Service includes evaluation of prognostic features relative to tumor immunotherapy (PD-L1 expression levels), and team members have extensive experience in diagnosing and classifying the full range of histopathology of lung disease, which is vital when making an accurate diagnosis that ultimately directs treatment planning. In this highly specialized area, our pathology team utilizes stateof-the-art techniques and approaches to provide diagnostic and prognostic pathology reports that are critical for the care of our patients. Characteristic mutations can be used as markers for the detection of very small numbers of tumor cells to increase the sensitivity and accuracy of pathologic diagnosis. SUPPORT SERVICES Smilow Cancer Hospital places great emphasis on taking care of all our patients’ needs with the best medical care available and a network of supportive care services. Advanced practice nurses with dedicated knowledge and skills related to the treatment of esophageal and lung cancers are available to care for patients through the continuum of their illness. Patients and their families are also provided with access to social workers to ensure psychosocial support during their treatment. Additional resources for our patients and/or families include nutritional counseling, physical therapy, art therapy, and pastoral support. The Tobacco Treatment Program at Smilow Cancer Hospital operates on the principles of the U.S. Public Health Service Clinical Practice Guidelines and aims to help patients quit smoking by combining counseling and drug treatment. The program is available for patients being treated at any Smilow location. The Smilow Multidisciplinary Pain Program, in collaboration with other services such as Palliative Care, provides integrative pain medicine for patients who suffer from pain as a result of their cancer treatments including radiation, chemotherapy, surgery, and pain caused by the disease itself.
T
Th
he Center for Thoracic Cancers at Smilow Cancer Hospital and Yale Cancer Center is a multidisciplinary program dedicated to providing cutting-edge
MEDICAL ONCOLOGY
RADIATION ONCOLOGY
Our medical oncologists are nationally recognized for their leadership and expertise in lung
The Center for Thoracic Cancers provides access to highly technically advanced radiation
cancer treatment and research and are dedicated to offering personalized treatment options.
therapy treatment planning. A non-invasive technique, stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT)
Biomarker testing is often performed on the tumor to look for specific mutations that can be
provides high doses of radiation with a high level of accuracy to lung cancer tumors. This precise
Through the Center, patients have access to nationally recognized expert clinicians, who
targeted by medication. There are currently FDA approved lung cancer treatments for tumors
treatment also results in less radiation delivered to surrounding tissue and fewer side effects.
deliver an organized, collaborative approach to cancer care, and the latest technologies
showing abnormalities in EGFR, KRAS, ALK, ROS1, BRAF V600E, MET, RET and NTRK genes.
evaluation and treatment to patients with thoracic malignancies in an efficient
and coordinated manner.
Available to some patients who are not able to (or don’t wish to) undergo surgery, radiosurgery
and treatments. Patients also benefit from newly available cancer therapies resulting from scientific insights gained in Yale laboratories and from other comprehensive cancer centers in the United States. The Center coordinates and integrates the diagnosis, evaluation, and treatment of patients diagnosed with a thoracic malignancy, including lung cancer, thymic cancers, mesothelioma, or chest wall tumors. They also coordinate the surgical care of patients with esophageal cancer. Specialties include medical oncology, radiation oncology, thoracic surgery, pulmonary medicine, interventional oncology, pulmonary intervention, pathology, diagnostic imaging, and nursing. Collaboration with the Smilow Cancer Hospital Lung
Recent studies conducted at Yale have led to FDA approval of drugs for the treatment of lung
requires an array of specialized equipment and a well-trained staff of physicists, dosimetrists,
cancer, such as the immunotherapy drug Tecentriq (atezolizumab), which has been proven to
and therapists. Radiation treatment is available to our patients at Smilow Cancer Hospital and
improve patient survival for newly diagnosed NSCLC. This drug is designed to block PD-L1,
conveniently at our Smilow Cancer Hospital Care Centers throughout Connecticut.
a protein that was discovered by scientists at Yale and has been instrumental in improving survival for lung cancer patients. Another FDA approved drug stemmed from research
PULMONARY MEDICINE AND PULMONARY INTERVENTION PROGRAM
including Yale Cancer Center and Smilow Cancer Hospital researchers, osimertinib was
Our pulmonary medicine experts provide seamless care for patients from lung cancer screening
approved for the treatment of adults with early-stage NSCLC with EGFR gene mutations.
and diagnosis through survivorship care. The Pulmonary Intervention Program (PIP) is a joint program between pulmonary/critical care medicine and thoracic surgery at Smilow Cancer
SURGERY
Hospital. This collaboration combines advanced, state-of-the-art technology with physicians
Many patients in need of surgery are referred for a minimally invasive surgery known as a
dedicated to the evaluation and treatment of patients with lung diseases. Our Pulmonary and
Cancer Screening Program has proven to be a critical tool in providing patients at risk with
video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS), which is done through several small incisions,
Critical Care Medicine services are nationally and internationally recognized for providing
individualized, evidence-based screening, and helping to detect these cancers earlier.
versus a major chest incision, and requires no rib spreading. Most lung cancer patients in
advanced care for patients.
need of surgery at Smilow Cancer Hospital are scheduled for a VATS procedure. VATS for Any patient cared for by one of our physicians benefits from the collective expertise of
extremely experienced using this technology to perform lobectomies for the treatment of
The following minimally invasive procedures are some highlights of the program: • Peripheral endobronchial ultrasound (EBUS): Smilow Cancer Hospital is one of only a few hospitals in the state with this technology. This technology improves diagnostic sensitivity for lung nodules, masses or infiltrates, compared to bronchoscopy without ultrasound-guidance. Our physicians have the most experience in the state with EBUS and provide the greatest diagnostic accuracy possible.
lung cancer. Together, they perform the most robotic lung procedures in Connecticut. Smilow
•
lung cancer is only available in a small minority of hospitals in the U.S.
the entire Center’s physicians because of the team approach to care. Patients also benefit from a comprehensive program to help with the physical, emotional, and psychological issues that are part of effectively confronting cancer. Finally, because cutting-edge care is at times complex, patients also benefit greatly from the involvement of the team’s care coordinators, who make management of even the most detailed multidisciplinary treatment plan less complicated, which ensures that all of our patients are offered state-of-the-art care in all aspects.
I felt like I would be helping science and other patients by participating in a clinical trial. If things didn’t work out, I would still be able to go on chemotherapy or other treatments. It was a pretty clear path to choose. – Cindy
The da Vinci Robotic System is also available and provides patients with a less invasive surgical option, quicker recovery time, and decreased side effects. Our thoracic surgeons are
Cancer Hospital’s robotic technology, the da Vinci Xi, is the most advanced robotic platform available. Smaller incisions, greater surgical precision, less pain for the patient, and a quicker return to normal activity, are just some of the benefits this technology allows for. Yale was one of the earliest institutions in the country to provide robotically assisted thoracic surgery for lung cancer. Your thoracic surgeon will discuss the surgical options available to you, and the benefits of each option.
Electromagnetic navigation: an innovative procedure using electromagnetic technology that allows for better access to obtain tissue samples of lung masses. Smilow Cancer Hospital is the only hospital in the state of Connecticut offering this “GPS-like” bronchoscopic guidance through the lungs to nodules or masses in need of diagnosis.
•
Confocal microscopy: physicians at Yale are among the first in the world to use and research this endomicroscopic system that enables visualization of microscopic cells in the lung.
•
Whole Lung Lavage: PIP physicians are trained to treat patients with pulmonary alveolar proteinosis (PAP) through this and other techniques.
INTERVENTIONAL ONCOLOGY The Smilow Interventional Oncology Program offers cutting edge specialized services supporting all disciplines at Smilow Cancer Hospital. For the care of patients with thoracic malignancies, a team of dedicated and committed professionals with the highest level of expertise offer image-guided therapies, among other services. These minimally invasive therapies can be used either as primary or adjuvant treatments, and contribute to care that is truly multidisciplinary at Smilow Cancer Hospital. The program complements medical, surgical, and radiation oncology to provide optimal patient care. PATHOLOGY In partnership with the Yale Thoracic Pathology Service, patient tissue obtained from the thorax, including lungs, trachea, and chest wall, are carefully reviewed. The Service includes evaluation of prognostic features relative to tumor immunotherapy (PD-L1 expression levels), and team members have extensive experience in diagnosing and classifying the full range of histopathology of lung disease, which is vital when making an accurate diagnosis that ultimately directs treatment planning. In this highly specialized area, our pathology team utilizes stateof-the-art techniques and approaches to provide diagnostic and prognostic pathology reports that are critical for the care of our patients. Characteristic mutations can be used as markers for the detection of very small numbers of tumor cells to increase the sensitivity and accuracy of pathologic diagnosis. SUPPORT SERVICES Smilow Cancer Hospital places great emphasis on taking care of all our patients’ needs with the best medical care available and a network of supportive care services. Advanced practice nurses with dedicated knowledge and skills related to the treatment of esophageal and lung cancers are available to care for patients through the continuum of their illness. Patients and their families are also provided with access to social workers to ensure psychosocial support during their treatment. Additional resources for our patients and/or families include nutritional counseling, physical therapy, art therapy, and pastoral support. The Tobacco Treatment Program at Smilow Cancer Hospital operates on the principles of the U.S. Public Health Service Clinical Practice Guidelines and aims to help patients quit smoking by combining counseling and drug treatment. The program is available for patients being treated at any Smilow location. The Smilow Multidisciplinary Pain Program, in collaboration with other services such as Palliative Care, provides integrative pain medicine for patients who suffer from pain as a result of their cancer treatments including radiation, chemotherapy, surgery, and pain caused by the disease itself.
T
he Center for Thoracic Cancers at Smilow Cancer Hospital and Yale Cancer Center is a multidisciplinary program dedicated to providing cutting-edge evaluation and treatment to patients with thoracic malignancies in an efficient
and coordinated manner.
MEDICAL ONCOLOGY
RADIATION ONCOLOGY
Our medical oncologists are nationally recognized for their leadership and expertise in lung
The Center for Thoracic Cancers provides access to highly technically advanced radiation
cancer treatment and research and are dedicated to offering personalized treatment options.
therapy treatment planning. A non-invasive technique, stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT)
Biomarker testing is often performed on the tumor to look for specific mutations that can be
provides high doses of radiation with a high level of accuracy to lung cancer tumors. This precise
Through the Center, patients have access to nationally recognized expert clinicians, who
targeted by medication. There are currently FDA approved lung cancer treatments for tumors
treatment also results in less radiation delivered to surrounding tissue and fewer side effects.
deliver an organized, collaborative approach to cancer care, and the latest technologies
showing abnormalities in EGFR, KRAS, ALK, ROS1, BRAF V600E, MET, RET and NTRK genes. Available to some patients who are not able to (or don’t wish to) undergo surgery, radiosurgery
and treatments. Patients also benefit from newly available cancer therapies resulting from scientific insights gained in Yale laboratories and from other comprehensive cancer centers in the United States. The Center coordinates and integrates the diagnosis, evaluation, and treatment of patients diagnosed with a thoracic malignancy, including lung cancer, thymic cancers, mesothelioma, or chest wall tumors. They also coordinate the surgical care of patients with esophageal cancer. Specialties include medical oncology, radiation oncology, thoracic surgery, pulmonary medicine, interventional oncology, pulmonary intervention, pathology,
Recent studies conducted at Yale have led to FDA approval of drugs for the treatment of lung
requires an array of specialized equipment and a well-trained staff of physicists, dosimetrists,
cancer, such as the immunotherapy drug Tecentriq (atezolizumab), which has been proven to
and therapists. Radiation treatment is available to our patients at Smilow Cancer Hospital and
improve patient survival for newly diagnosed NSCLC. This drug is designed to block PD-L1,
conveniently at our Smilow Cancer Hospital Care Centers throughout Connecticut.
a protein that was discovered by scientists at Yale and has been instrumental in improving survival for lung cancer patients. Another FDA approved drug stemmed from research
PULMONARY MEDICINE AND PULMONARY INTERVENTION PROGRAM
including Yale Cancer Center and Smilow Cancer Hospital researchers, osimertinib was
Our pulmonary medicine experts provide seamless care for patients from lung cancer screening
approved for the treatment of adults with early-stage NSCLC with EGFR gene mutations.
and diagnosis through survivorship care. The Pulmonary Intervention Program (PIP) is a joint program between pulmonary/critical care medicine and thoracic surgery at Smilow Cancer
SURGERY
Hospital. This collaboration combines advanced, state-of-the-art technology with physicians
Many patients in need of surgery are referred for a minimally invasive surgery known as a
dedicated to the evaluation and treatment of patients with lung diseases. Our Pulmonary and
Cancer Screening Program has proven to be a critical tool in providing patients at risk with
video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS), which is done through several small incisions,
Critical Care Medicine services are nationally and internationally recognized for providing
individualized, evidence-based screening, and helping to detect these cancers earlier.
versus a major chest incision, and requires no rib spreading. Most lung cancer patients in
advanced care for patients.
diagnostic imaging, and nursing. Collaboration with the Smilow Cancer Hospital Lung
need of surgery at Smilow Cancer Hospital are scheduled for a VATS procedure. VATS for Any patient cared for by one of our physicians benefits from the collective expertise of
extremely experienced using this technology to perform lobectomies for the treatment of
The following minimally invasive procedures are some highlights of the program: Peripheral endobronchial ultrasound (EBUS): Smilow Cancer Hospital is one of only a few hospitals in the state with this technology. This technology improves diagnostic sensitivity for lung nodules, masses or infiltrates, compared to bronchoscopy without ultrasound-guidance. Our physicians have the most experience in the state with EBUS and provide the greatest diagnostic accuracy possible.
lung cancer. Together, they perform the most robotic lung procedures in Connecticut. Smilow
•
lung cancer is only available in a small minority of hospitals in the U.S.
the entire Center’s physicians because of the team approach to care. Patients also benefit from a comprehensive program to help with the physical, emotional, and psychological issues that are part of effectively confronting cancer. Finally, because cutting-edge care is at times complex, patients also benefit greatly from the involvement of the team’s care coordinators, who make management of even the most detailed multidisciplinary treatment plan less complicated, which ensures that all of our patients are offered state-of-the-art care in all aspects.
I felt like I would be helping science and other patients by participating in a clinical trial. If things didn’t work out, I would still be able to go on chemotherapy or other treatments. It was a pretty clear path to choose. – Cindy
The da Vinci Robotic System is also available and provides patients with a less invasive surgical option, quicker recovery time, and decreased side effects. Our thoracic surgeons are
Cancer Hospital’s robotic technology, the da Vinci Xi, is the most advanced robotic platform
•
available. Smaller incisions, greater surgical precision, less pain for the patient, and a quicker return to normal activity, are just some of the benefits this technology allows for. Yale was one of the earliest institutions in the country to provide robotically assisted thoracic surgery for lung cancer. Your thoracic surgeon will discuss the surgical options available to you, and the benefits of each option.
Electromagnetic navigation: an innovative procedure using electromagnetic technology that allows for better access to obtain tissue samples of lung masses. Smilow Cancer Hospital is the only hospital in the state of Connecticut offering this “GPS-like” bronchoscopic guidance through the lungs to nodules or masses in need of diagnosis.
•
Confocal microscopy: physicians at Yale are among the first in the world to use and research this endomicroscopic system that enables visualization of microscopic cells in the lung.
•
Whole Lung Lavage: PIP physicians are trained to treat patients with pulmonary alveolar proteinosis (PAP) through this and other techniques.
INTERVENTIONAL ONCOLOGY The Smilow Interventional Oncology Program offers cutting edge specialized services supporting all disciplines at Smilow Cancer Hospital. For the care of patients with thoracic malignancies, a team of dedicated and committed professionals with the highest level of expertise offer image-guided therapies, among other services. These minimally invasive therapies can be used either as primary or adjuvant treatments, and contribute to care that is truly multidisciplinary at Smilow Cancer Hospital. The program complements medical, surgical, and radiation oncology to provide optimal patient care. PATHOLOGY In partnership with the Yale Thoracic Pathology Service, patient tissue obtained from the thorax, including lungs, trachea, and chest wall, are carefully reviewed. The Service includes evaluation of prognostic features relative to tumor immunotherapy (PD-L1 expression levels), and team members have extensive experience in diagnosing and classifying the full range of histopathology of lung disease, which is vital when making an accurate diagnosis that ultimately directs treatment planning. In this highly specialized area, our pathology team utilizes stateof-the-art techniques and approaches to provide diagnostic and prognostic pathology reports that are critical for the care of our patients. Characteristic mutations can be used as markers for the detection of very small numbers of tumor cells to increase the sensitivity and accuracy of pathologic diagnosis. SUPPORT SERVICES Smilow Cancer Hospital places great emphasis on taking care of all our patients’ needs with the best medical care available and a network of supportive care services. Advanced practice nurses with dedicated knowledge and skills related to the treatment of esophageal and lung cancers are available to care for patients through the continuum of their illness. Patients and their families are also provided with access to social workers to ensure psychosocial support during their treatment. Additional resources for our patients and/or families include nutritional counseling, physical therapy, art therapy, and pastoral support. The Tobacco Treatment Program at Smilow Cancer Hospital operates on the principles of the U.S. Public Health Service Clinical Practice Guidelines and aims to help patients quit smoking by combining counseling and drug treatment. The program is available for patients being treated at any Smilow location. The Smilow Multidisciplinary Pain Program, in collaboration with other services such as Palliative Care, provides integrative pain medicine for patients who suffer from pain as a result of their cancer treatments including radiation, chemotherapy, surgery, and pain caused by the disease itself.
T
Th
he Center for Thoracic Cancers at Smilow Cancer Hospital and Yale Cancer Center is a multidisciplinary program dedicated to providing cutting-edge
MEDICAL ONCOLOGY
RADIATION ONCOLOGY
Our medical oncologists are nationally recognized for their leadership and expertise in lung
The Center for Thoracic Cancers provides access to highly technically advanced radiation
cancer treatment and research and are dedicated to offering personalized treatment options.
therapy treatment planning. A non-invasive technique, stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT)
Biomarker testing is often performed on the tumor to look for specific mutations that can be
provides high doses of radiation with a high level of accuracy to lung cancer tumors. This precise
Through the Center, patients have access to nationally recognized expert clinicians, who
targeted by medication. There are currently FDA approved lung cancer treatments for tumors
treatment also results in less radiation delivered to surrounding tissue and fewer side effects.
deliver an organized, collaborative approach to cancer care, and the latest technologies
showing abnormalities in EGFR, KRAS, ALK, ROS1, BRAF V600E, MET, RET and NTRK genes.
evaluation and treatment to patients with thoracic malignancies in an efficient
and coordinated manner.
Available to some patients who are not able to (or don’t wish to) undergo surgery, radiosurgery
and treatments. Patients also benefit from newly available cancer therapies resulting from scientific insights gained in Yale laboratories and from other comprehensive cancer centers in the United States. The Center coordinates and integrates the diagnosis, evaluation, and treatment of patients diagnosed with a thoracic malignancy, including lung cancer, thymic cancers, mesothelioma, or chest wall tumors. They also coordinate the surgical care of patients with esophageal cancer. Specialties include medical oncology, radiation oncology, thoracic surgery, pulmonary medicine, interventional oncology, pulmonary intervention, pathology, diagnostic imaging, and nursing. Collaboration with the Smilow Cancer Hospital Lung
Recent studies conducted at Yale have led to FDA approval of drugs for the treatment of lung
requires an array of specialized equipment and a well-trained staff of physicists, dosimetrists,
cancer, such as the immunotherapy drug Tecentriq (atezolizumab), which has been proven to
and therapists. Radiation treatment is available to our patients at Smilow Cancer Hospital and
improve patient survival for newly diagnosed NSCLC. This drug is designed to block PD-L1,
conveniently at our Smilow Cancer Hospital Care Centers throughout Connecticut.
a protein that was discovered by scientists at Yale and has been instrumental in improving survival for lung cancer patients. Another FDA approved drug stemmed from research
PULMONARY MEDICINE AND PULMONARY INTERVENTION PROGRAM
including Yale Cancer Center and Smilow Cancer Hospital researchers, osimertinib was
Our pulmonary medicine experts provide seamless care for patients from lung cancer screening
approved for the treatment of adults with early-stage NSCLC with EGFR gene mutations.
and diagnosis through survivorship care. The Pulmonary Intervention Program (PIP) is a joint program between pulmonary/critical care medicine and thoracic surgery at Smilow Cancer
SURGERY
Hospital. This collaboration combines advanced, state-of-the-art technology with physicians
Many patients in need of surgery are referred for a minimally invasive surgery known as a
dedicated to the evaluation and treatment of patients with lung diseases. Our Pulmonary and
Cancer Screening Program has proven to be a critical tool in providing patients at risk with
video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS), which is done through several small incisions,
Critical Care Medicine services are nationally and internationally recognized for providing
individualized, evidence-based screening, and helping to detect these cancers earlier.
versus a major chest incision, and requires no rib spreading. Most lung cancer patients in
advanced care for patients.
need of surgery at Smilow Cancer Hospital are scheduled for a VATS procedure. VATS for Any patient cared for by one of our physicians benefits from the collective expertise of
extremely experienced using this technology to perform lobectomies for the treatment of
The following minimally invasive procedures are some highlights of the program: • Peripheral endobronchial ultrasound (EBUS): Smilow Cancer Hospital is one of only a few hospitals in the state with this technology. This technology improves diagnostic sensitivity for lung nodules, masses or infiltrates, compared to bronchoscopy without ultrasound-guidance. Our physicians have the most experience in the state with EBUS and provide the greatest diagnostic accuracy possible.
lung cancer. Together, they perform the most robotic lung procedures in Connecticut. Smilow
•
lung cancer is only available in a small minority of hospitals in the U.S.
the entire Center’s physicians because of the team approach to care. Patients also benefit from a comprehensive program to help with the physical, emotional, and psychological issues that are part of effectively confronting cancer. Finally, because cutting-edge care is at times complex, patients also benefit greatly from the involvement of the team’s care coordinators, who make management of even the most detailed multidisciplinary treatment plan less complicated, which ensures that all of our patients are offered state-of-the-art care in all aspects.
I felt like I would be helping science and other patients by participating in a clinical trial. If things didn’t work out, I would still be able to go on chemotherapy or other treatments. It was a pretty clear path to choose. – Cindy
The da Vinci Robotic System is also available and provides patients with a less invasive surgical option, quicker recovery time, and decreased side effects. Our thoracic surgeons are
Cancer Hospital’s robotic technology, the da Vinci Xi, is the most advanced robotic platform available. Smaller incisions, greater surgical precision, less pain for the patient, and a quicker return to normal activity, are just some of the benefits this technology allows for. Yale was one of the earliest institutions in the country to provide robotically assisted thoracic surgery for lung cancer. Your thoracic surgeon will discuss the surgical options available to you, and the benefits of each option.
Electromagnetic navigation: an innovative procedure using electromagnetic technology that allows for better access to obtain tissue samples of lung masses. Smilow Cancer Hospital is the only hospital in the state of Connecticut offering this “GPS-like” bronchoscopic guidance through the lungs to nodules or masses in need of diagnosis.
•
Confocal microscopy: physicians at Yale are among the first in the world to use and research this endomicroscopic system that enables visualization of microscopic cells in the lung.
•
Whole Lung Lavage: PIP physicians are trained to treat patients with pulmonary alveolar proteinosis (PAP) through this and other techniques.
INTERVENTIONAL ONCOLOGY The Smilow Interventional Oncology Program offers cutting edge specialized services supporting all disciplines at Smilow Cancer Hospital. For the care of patients with thoracic malignancies, a team of dedicated and committed professionals with the highest level of expertise offer image-guided therapies, among other services. These minimally invasive therapies can be used either as primary or adjuvant treatments, and contribute to care that is truly multidisciplinary at Smilow Cancer Hospital. The program complements medical, surgical, and radiation oncology to provide optimal patient care. PATHOLOGY In partnership with the Yale Thoracic Pathology Service, patient tissue obtained from the thorax, including lungs, trachea, and chest wall, are carefully reviewed. The Service includes evaluation of prognostic features relative to tumor immunotherapy (PD-L1 expression levels), and team members have extensive experience in diagnosing and classifying the full range of histopathology of lung disease, which is vital when making an accurate diagnosis that ultimately directs treatment planning. In this highly specialized area, our pathology team utilizes stateof-the-art techniques and approaches to provide diagnostic and prognostic pathology reports that are critical for the care of our patients. Characteristic mutations can be used as markers for the detection of very small numbers of tumor cells to increase the sensitivity and accuracy of pathologic diagnosis. SUPPORT SERVICES Smilow Cancer Hospital places great emphasis on taking care of all our patients’ needs with the best medical care available and a network of supportive care services. Advanced practice nurses with dedicated knowledge and skills related to the treatment of esophageal and lung cancers are available to care for patients through the continuum of their illness. Patients and their families are also provided with access to social workers to ensure psychosocial support during their treatment. Additional resources for our patients and/or families include nutritional counseling, physical therapy, art therapy, and pastoral support. The Tobacco Treatment Program at Smilow Cancer Hospital operates on the principles of the U.S. Public Health Service Clinical Practice Guidelines and aims to help patients quit smoking by combining counseling and drug treatment. The program is available for patients being treated at any Smilow location. The Smilow Multidisciplinary Pain Program, in collaboration with other services such as Palliative Care, provides integrative pain medicine for patients who suffer from pain as a result of their cancer treatments including radiation, chemotherapy, surgery, and pain caused by the disease itself.
CLINICAL TRIALS The goal of the Center for Thoracic Cancers is to treat patients through an approach
appointments
that represents the forefront of clinical care, which in some cases is on a clinical trial. The Center focuses much of their clinical research on areas of thoracic oncology where the standard treatment is unsatisfactory or where the optimal treatment approach remains unclear. In these areas, many patients are enrolled in a clinical trial providing them with access to innovative therapy options for their advanced disease, including immunotherapy treatments, which were first used in clinical trials at Smilow Cancer Hospital.
HOW TO MAKE AN APPOINTMENT For more information or to schedule an appointment with a member of the Center for Thoracic Cancers at Smilow Cancer Hospital and Yale Cancer Center, please contact (203) 200-5864. Our goal is to ensure that each patient has an outstanding and positive cancer care experience. When you call, a patient intake coordinator will help to arrange your appointments so that you will see all the specialists needed during an initial visit.
The Yale Specialized Programs of Research Excellence (SPORE) in Lung Cancer grant is one of only three in the country from the National Cancer Institute and harnesses the strengths of academic cancer centers by bringing together experts in oncology, immunobiology, pharmacology, molecular biology, pathology, epidemiology, and addiction science to collaborate on projects focused on non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), one of the world’s most prevalent forms of cancer. Recent studies conducted
We provide both in person and telehealth visits, although we recommend that the first visit be in person as this will enable a better assessment of your overall conditions. We also work in close coordination with our Smilow Cancer Hospital Care Centers, which are conveniently located across the state and often offer our patients and their families a closer trip for treatments and check-ups while still receiving the same high standard of care.
by Yale researchers have resulted in new treatment options for patients, including a new drug combination for patients with advanced NSCLC who previously were treated with a checkpoint inhibitor. Advances have also been made in immunotherapy treatment options for patients with NSCLC.
Cindy
Jack
For Cindy’s story: m.yale.edu/cindy-story
For Jack’s story: m.yale.edu/jack-story
Eight years after being told I had two years to live, I am still here. My doctors at Smilow were so confident about the treatment options available, I knew I was finally in the right place and could relax. – Jack
Cindy For Cindy’s story: m.yale.edu/cindy-story
p: 203-200-5864 | yalecancercenter.org | smilowcancer.org
© 2021 Yale Cancer Center
The Center for Thoracic Cancers AT SMILOW CANCER HOSPITAL AND YALE CANCER CENTER