Despite earlier detection efforts and improved treatment options, lung cancer remains the top cancer killer in the United States.

According to Adam D. Lye, M.D., medical oncologist/hematologist with Norton Cancer Institute, the majority of lung cancer clinical trials there focus on non-small cell lung cancer, the most common form of lung cancer.

“We’re working with targeted therapies that can identify a specific mutation within a tumor,” Dr. Lye said. “This allows us to deliver treatment directed at that specific mutation.”

Dr. Lye credits new targeted therapies and our multidisciplinary program for giving hope to the many patients and families touched directly and indirectly by lung cancer.

The multidisciplinary team’s expertise encompasses medical oncology, radiation oncology, thoracic surgery and pulmonary medicine. The group meets every Wednesday to review images, pathology and other relevant tests prior to seeing prospective patients. This allows the team to move quickly when developing multimodality treatment plans for patients. The same day that patients meet with the team, they can leave with a personalized treatment plan highly tailored for their specific tumor and needs.