“The program dramatically shortens wait times by consolidating all aspects of care in a single location,” says Glen Justice, M.D., medical director of the MemorialCare Cancer Center at Orange Coast. “We’ve assembled an outstanding physician team dedicated to the diagnosis, prevention and treatment of lung cancer. For patients, it’s comparable to getting several second opinions simultaneously. When care is highly integrated, patients can avoid traveling to various specialists’ offices and facing delays when time is of the essence.”

This multidisciplinary team—composed of a pulmonologist, pathologist, radiologist, radiation oncologist, surgeon and medical oncologist—collaborate closely on each case. When the lung cancer program moves to the new Patient Care Pavilion in July, patients will be seen in a multidisciplinary clinic where they can be examined consecutively by these specialists. “This will allow individuals with lung cancer to be seen by every physician involved in their care and to talk to each one—all in a single visit,” says Dr. Justice. “Normally, this would take a series of appointments spread over several weeks or more. But with the new approach, the patient is spared a great deal of anxiety, time and effort.”

This multidisciplinary approach to cancer diagnosis and treatment isn’t new. Nancy Lean, R.N., M.H.S.A., director of oncology services, says that a similar model has been used successfully at Orange Coast Memorial for the treatment of breast cancer. “With the many advances in diagnosing and treating lung tumors, we believe this is the optimal way of caring for patients,” she says.

“We’ve assembled an outstanding physician team dedicated to the diagnosis, prevention and treatment of lung cancer. For patients, it’s comparable to getting several second opinions simultaneously.”

The lung cancer program provides a full range of diagnostic testing, from conventional chest X-rays and biopsies to sophisticated PET/CT scans. The latter combines two imaging tests into a single procedure. The CT portion provides detailed information about the location, size and shape of tumors. The PET scan detects chemical (metabolic) changes in cancerous tissue and can determine whether the disease has spread. Combined, the two tests provide a more complete picture of a patient’s condition than either test alone.

Treatment is equally advanced, including state-of-the-art minimally invasive procedures such as video-assisted thoracic surgery, or VATS. This approach can be used to remove the portion of the lung containing the tumor. The procedure is performed using a slender tube equipped with a tiny fiber-optic camera called a thorascope. The instrument is inserted into the lung through a small incision between the ribs. Images from the camera sent to a video screen are used to guide the surgeon throughout the operation. Because VATS doesn’t require a large chest incision, recovery is typically faster and less painful than with conventional surgery. Several other leading-edge therapies are also available, including procedures that destroy lung tumors with radiofrequency energy and lasers.

“Treatment typically involves a combination of different types of treatment that may include surgery, radiation therapy and chemotherapy,” explains Dr. Justice. On the forefront of cancer treatment, Orange Coast offers a complete range of radiation treatments, including intensity modulated radiation therapy. IMRT involves precisely measured doses of radiation that exactly match the contours and depth of the tumor, sparing healthy surrounding tissue. Chemotherapy is also used to combat certain types of lung cancer. The hospital participates in a wide range of clinical trials, providing the newest treatments for cancer. As of July 2009, all of these services will be conveniently centralized in the new Patient Care Pavilion, including diagnostics, radiation therapy, chemotherapy, outpatient surgery and the offices of the lung cancer team.

This summer, Orange Coast will have a CyberKnife, a revolutionary therapy for some types of cancer. This sophisticated instrument, which will also be located in the Patient Care Pavilion, beams powerful, precisely targeted radiation at tumors once considered untreatable. The radiation is delivered by a robotic arm that revolves slowly around the patient, its movements minutely calibrated by a futuristic guidance system.