Lung Cancer Treatment in Baltimore

For many, lung cancer is a very treatable disease, especially if diagnosed early. Whatever the stage at diagnosis, treatment by a coordinated team of highly experienced lung cancer experts can only improve outcomes for patients.

At University of Maryland Greenebaum Cancer Center, our university-based experts in thoracic, medical, surgical and radiation oncology, as well as in other medical specialties, consult with one another to determine the best lung cancer treatment plan for you.

Treatment depends on the type of lung cancer, the stage of cancer and the health of the patient. With the current lung cancer treatments, we are able to obtain impressive results, including curing a significant proportion of early-stage cancers and better controlling more advanced disease.

Techniques, such as radiation therapy or chemotherapy drugs (both given intravenously or taken by mouth), are often in combination to treat this disease.

Lung Cancer Surgery

Surgery also plays an important role, particularly when the disease is only in the chest. At the University of Maryland, patients undergoing surgery-based treatments stay in a specialized thoracic unit designed to provide the intensive, high-quality and compassionate care required after routine and complex thoracic surgical procedures. Our Thoracic Intermediate Care Unit is the region's first and only fully integrated unit dedicated solely to the care of general thoracic surgical patients.

New Lung Cancer Research and Therapies

The lung cancer treatment landscape has changed dramatically in the last few years. The latest therapeutic options for controlling this disease include:

New techniques in surgery
Specialized radiotherapy (including proton therapy),
Therapies targeted against different genetic aberrations in the tumor
Immunotherapy compounds as first-line treatment for certain lung cancers

At UMGCCC, we have an active research program, from studies in the lab to clinical trials for patients, with our experts from multiple disciplines working together to come up with new therapies. This is a very exciting time for lung cancer research, and we are getting long-awaited results in a very short period of time.