Lung Cancer
Lung cancer is cancer that begins in the lungs, the two spongy organs in the chest that take in oxygen when breathing in and release carbon dioxide when breathing out. It is a leading cause of cancer death among men and women in the United States and is among the most common cancers worldwide. Most lung cancers begin in the cells that line the tubes of the lungs, called bronchi. Lung cancer is most often caused by cigarette smoking, but exposure to asbestos and other toxic chemicals, radon gas, high levels of air pollution, and secondhand smoke also may play a role, as can a family history of lung cancer.
Why UAB
The UAB Medicine Lung Cancer Program offers patients a multidisciplinary team of physicians and surgeons to evaluate and manage lung cancer. The collaboration of medical and surgical specialists helps ensure the most efficient and effective means of caring for your cancer. UAB is an ACR Lung Cancer Screening Center, as designated by the American College of Radiology’s Committee on CT Accreditation, which certifies that we maintain the most advanced imaging equipment and techniques.
The Pulmonary Medicine component of the Lung Cancer Program is focused on the initial diagnosis and staging of suspected neoplasms in the chest and on managing neoplastic complications such as malignant pleural effusions. The Thoracic Surgery area of the program offers one of the most experienced teams of thoracic surgeons, nurses, and anesthesiologists in the world, and the group routinely performs complicated lung surgeries on patients referred by other physicians.
In addition, UAB Medicine is home to an up-to-date Thoracic Surgery Unit, one of only a handful of its kind in the world dedicated solely to caring for diseases and disorders of the lungs and esophagus.
The Lung Cancer Program is part of the O'Neal Comprehensive Cancer Center at UAB, which is the only National Cancer Institute-designated comprehensive cancer center located in a four-state area that includes Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana and Arkansas. The center is home to an outstanding faculty of more than 350 physicians and researchers, many of whom are nationally and internationally recognized for their oncology expertise.
From bench to bedside, the O'Neal Comprehensive Cancer Center is at the forefront of cancer prevention, diagnosis, and treatment, and researchers have pioneered advances in chemotherapy, surgery, radiotherapy, immunotherapy and nutrition. With its multidisciplinary teams and state-of-the-art technology, the center provides ongoing care to more than 20,000 cancer patients each year.
VIDEOS
UAB interventional pulmonologists and thoracic surgeons collaborate in treating lung cancer with less invasive procedures.
Medical Minute: Pulmonary & Thoracic Surgery
Hitesh Batra, MD, and Benjamin Wei, MD, discuss the collaborative relationship between UAB Medicine's interventional pulmonologists and thoracic surgeons and how less invasive treatments for lung nodules and lung cancer lead to faster recovery times.
RELATED SERVICES
CLINICAL TRIALS
UAB is an active participant in research and clinical trials. We encourage you to speak to your physician about research and clinical trial options and browse the link below for more information.
View Clinical TrialsMORE INFO
- Supportive Care and Survivorship Clinic
Supportive Care and Survivorship Clinic
The Supportive Care and Survivorship Clinic takes an interdisciplinary approach to caring for patients with serious illnesses, whether they are in active treatment or have completed treatment. Our goal is to help patients fulfill their maximum physical, emotional, spiritual, vocational, and social potential.
The health professionals at the Supportive Care and Survivorship Clinic help patients manage the side effects associated with cancer. Referrals to the Supportive Care and Survivorship Clinic can be made by any treating physician or nurse or by patient self-referral. A broad range of insurance is accepted.
Patient appointment scheduling is flexible and based on patient needs and other concurrent treatments. Clinic sessions are held Wednesday and Friday mornings with palliative care physicians and fellows. A physician assistant is available Monday through Friday.
Our Team
Physicians and physician assistants have special expertise in complex symptom management including depression, anxiety, insomnia, fatigue, loss of appetite, pain syndromes, and others.
Nurses support patients by facilitating the clinic sessions as well as managing communication with patients. They are the front line of patient care.
Physical therapists develop individualized programs for each patient to help with coordination, balance, strength, endurance, flexibility, or range of motion. Counselors are experienced in structuring counseling sessions to meet the specific needs of each person. Individual, couple, and family sessions are available.
Nutritionists have expertise in nutrition for patients with serious illnesses.
Massage therapists are trained in all types of massage, including oncology massage, which is a specialized approach that supports the body's health before, during, and after treatment for cancer.
Our clinic is an active teaching environment with fellows, residents, and students in both medicine and nursing participating in patient care.
Location
The UAB Supportive Care and Survivorship Clinic is located on the 3rd floor of The Kirklin Clinic of UAB Hospital.
Patients can request an appointment online or by calling UAB Healthfinder at 205.934.9999 or 800.822.8816.