At the AHN Lung and Pleural Cancer Center of Excellence, we offer some of the most innovative, comprehensive, and compassionate care for diagnosing and treating lung cancer.
Our experienced team of lung cancer specialists include:
When receiving care from an accredited cancer program, like AHN's, the facilities and team of specialists undergo rigorous review to ensure care meets or exceeds industry standards. AHN's accreditations in medical and hematology oncology, surgical oncology, and radiation oncology include:
In addition to our extensive accreditations, AHN also continually receives the highest designation from the Society of Thoracic Surgeons for our focus on minimally invasive surgeries.
At the AHN Lung and Pleural Cancer Center of Excellence, we work with you to tailor a comprehensive treatment plan that meets your specific needs. Your team of lung cancer specialists may use a single treatment or a combination of therapies to give you the best results possible.
The Division of Thoracic and Esophageal Surgery is focused on using minimally invasive surgical procedures to treat conditions in the chest cavity. By employing state-of-the-art robotic technology, driven by skilled surgeons, AHN patients can experience more precise care, reduced recovery times, and shorter hospital stays.
By tailoring treatments through genomics — using your specific genes — the precision cancer medicine and genomics services team at AHN can treat cancer on a personalized basis. This highly personalized approach allows for:
Interventional pulmonology is a specialized field dedicated to treating diseases in the lungs and chest cavity using minimally invasive procedures. AHN's highly trained, experienced surgeons use advanced techniques and technology to improve health outcomes and reduce lung condition symptoms.
Medical oncology is a specialized branch of medicine that focuses on the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of cancer using medications. Medical oncologists are doctors who use a variety of therapies, including:
Metastatic lung cancer is a complex and challenging disease. Traditional treatments often have limited efficacy and significant side effects. Precision medicine and developmental therapeutics offer promising new approaches to improve patient outcomes.
Lung cancer treatment options at AHN include new options and minimally invasive surgical techniques. From pleural mesothelioma to malignant lung cancer, our team sees you as a person first and finds specialized treatment for you.
At AHN, we believe that cancer care must be comprehensive and collaborative. We approach treatment using all resources at our disposal. That means you have a team of doctors working on your specific case. With one combined clinic for pulmonary and thoracic treatment, the Drs. Sohini Ghosh and Benny Weksler and their teams work closely and examine all avenues to treatment. Patient diagnoses and progress are discussed and tracked, while ensuring the utmost care and respect are given, so treatment can be adjusted or improved upon. You have access to two doctors present during appointments so your questions are answered holistically.
AHN is accredited by the Screening Center of Excellence and Lung Cancer Screening Center. For you, that means you’re getting the most comprehensive care. To earn this accreditation, AHN must operate at the highest level of experience, qualifications, and technical specifications.
Lung cancer screening begins with a low-dose compute tomography or LDCT. This is used to screen for lung cancer in people who are at high risk, such as those who smoke, have smoked, or have a history of lung cancer. There is no prep work for an LDCT, and it is safe and painless — taking only 15 minutes to complete.
AHN sees a person first and a patient second. That means your cancer case is approached in a way that is as unique as you are, and your treatment plan is personalized to your specific needs.
Depending on the stage of the lung cancer, your treatment might include pioneering robotic surgery, award-winning radiation therapies, or the latest forms of chemotherapy. We also offer innovative immunotherapy, which uses your own immune system to fight the cancer. In addition, your doctor considers if you would benefit from the clinical trials available. If you are eligible, you could help test the latest approaches to care.
In some cases, it’s possible to take oral medications that target specific cancer cells. Our skilled team of physicians, oncologists, and surgeons works with you to determine the right course of treatment for you, which may include:
Surgery can be an intimidating word. Rest assured, our highly trained and skilled surgeons use the most state-of-the-art, minimally invasive procedures to get you back to the life you love. AHN is the top provider of minimally invasive surgeries in the Pittsburgh area and continually receives the highest designation from The Society of Thoracic Surgeons.
AHN has the only radiation oncology program in western Pennsylvania with facilities accredited by the American College of Radiology. The accreditation highlights our expertise and ensures we follow best practices for better outcomes. At the AHN Cancer Institute, you're receiving the highest quality care available.
Our medical oncologists care for patients using techniques like chemotherapy, immunotherapy, and targeted therapy. You typically take these medicines by mouth (oral) or by vein (intravenous). Throughout your care, your physician will coordinate your medication needs. Your Navigation Team can also coordinate care and help you manage side effects.
Advanced medical oncology therapies for lung cancer include:
Genomic profiling is like creating a detailed map of your entire genetic makeup. It's a powerful tool used in medicine, especially in cancer care, to understand your unique genetic blueprint and how it might affect your health. At AHN, we conduct biopsies and test against 523 genes for cancer markers to get a whole view of your health. Using full blood samples, instead of partial, we can test for tumor recurrence faster.
Our cancer navigation team includes highly trained nurses, financial advocates, and other supportive care professionals to help plan your care. Our nurse navigators can help explain your treatment to you and your family, schedule appointments, coordinate your care from home, and provide you with emotional support throughout your cancer treatment journey.
We have a cancer nurse line dedicated to you and your loved ones. It's free to anyone, at any time, 24/7. Call (412) 578-HOPE (412) 578-4673, and a cancer nurse will answer your questions, schedule an appointment, and provide support. If you're in Erie, call (814) 452-HOPE (814) 452-4673.
At the AHN Cancer Institute, our team of lung cancer specialists are ready to provide the most effective treatments, should you or someone close to you ever need it. The AHN Lung Cancer Leadership team meets regularly to discuss and confirm the right combination of therapies for a patient. We work with you to get an accurate diagnosis and to create an effective strategy for your treatment.
Learn more about the doctors below:
Chairperson/Surgical Lead, Lung and Pleural Cancer
Pulmonary Lead
Medical Oncology/Clinical Trials Lead
Radiation Oncology Lead
See all AHN providers who treat lung and pleural cancer on Find Care.
If you want to be tested for or have been diagnosed with lung cancer, we're here to help.
Early cancer detection saves lives. Find out more about AHN cancer screening dates, locations, and eligibility requirements for each screen offered. Then, call to register for your cancer screenings.
Your nurse navigator and support professionals will guide you through the process, and doctors will explain everything and answer any questions you or your loved ones have.
Visit our locations page to find a Cancer Institute location near you.
To stay at the forefront of innovation for our patients, AHN is continually researching and engaging in clinical trials. Lung cancer research is an area of continued research and development. Past trials have included advancements in lowering patient pain, stage IV lung cancer treatment, genetic markers for cancer recurrences, and immunotherapy before and after surgery.
We have and continue to be part of trials for lung cancers in all stages.
Clinical trials are studies that try to answer questions about new ways to treat cancer with medications, radiation, or surgical techniques. Previous trials have shown how new methods of treatment improve survival and quality of life, and reduce the risk of cancer returning.
You participate in a clinical trial only if you volunteer to do so and meet criteria for inclusion in the study. You can stop participating in a trial at any time.
The plan for the trial, called a protocol, explains what the trial will do and how the study will be done. Based on the questions the research is trying to answer, each clinical trial protocol outlines specific criteria necessary to be eligible to join the trial.
Common criteria for entering a trial are:
Federal rules help ensure that clinical trials are run in an ethical manner, with your rights and safety protected. It's to ensure that you're not put at increased risk by participating in the trial, and that the results of the study are accurate and meaningful.
Conducting clinical trials helps us contribute to Cancer Moonshot — an initiative created by President Joe Biden and the White House. The goal is to prevent more than 4 million cancer deaths by 2047 and improve the experience for people affected by cancer. We're doing our part to join this fight by collaborating with more than 60 private companies, patient groups, academic institutions, and nonprofits.
There are three ways for medical professionals, who are not a part of Allegheny Health Network, to refer their patients to an AHN Cancer Institute specialist and request their first appointment.
For more information about referring your patient to an AHN specialist, read the Independent Physician Referral FAQs.
After referring your patient to an AHN specialist, use the EpicCare Link platform to collaborate with their AHN specialist, view your patient's test results, treatment plan, and progress.
Log in to your EpicCare Link account now.
If you are new to EpicCare Link, or need to request your own EpicCare Link account, read: EpicCare Link for Patient Follow-up, for user instructions and new account request forms.
If you can't access your patient's AHN test results through the EpicCare Link platform, your patient will need to complete and submit the correct AHN Medical Records Release form, based on their state of residency. Support your patient's request by downloading the correct medical records release form for them:
EpicCare® is a registered trademark of Epic Systems Corporation and used with permission.
EpicCare® Link™ is a trademark of Epic Systems Corporation and used with permission.
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