Treating Lung Cancer

Treating lung cancer takes a team approach 

Collaboration among specialists creates the most effective lung cancer care at the Nancy N. and J.C. Lewis Cancer & Research Pavilion

The journey begins with the discovery of an irregular spot in the lungs. It is often found by accident when a patient gets an X-ray or CT scan for an unrelated reason.

Now that it has been found, the patient needs a team.

Treating lung cancer requires highly personalized precision and is not a job for one specialist. Patients at the Nancy N. and J.C. Lewis Cancer & Research Pavilion are treated by physicians who serve on multidisciplinary tumor boards and who collaborate to design tailored treatment plans for each case. 

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Pictured above: Dr. Marc Bailey, Dr. John Mikell, Dr. M. Douglas Mullins and Dr. Gary Thomas

A clear map

The spot on the lungs, called a nodule, first needs to be evaluated. M. Douglas Mullins, MD, a pulmonologist with Southeast Lung Associates and medical director of St. Joseph’s/Candler’s Advanced Thoracic Oncology Center (located at 300 New River Parkway to serve Bluffton and Hilton Head patients), will use an advanced robotic bronchoscopy system called Monarch.

“The Monarch technology allows me to navigate the lung’s narrowest airways with extreme stability and precision,” Dr. Mullins says.

Upon reaching the nodule, Dr. Mullins performs a biopsy to confirm malignancy. He also deploys fiducial markers, which act as microscopic navigational tools. They tag the tumor's exact boundaries, leaving a clear roadmap for cardiothoracic surgeon Marc Bailey, MD, FACS.

Guided by the markers placed during the bronchoscopy, Dr. Bailey uses the da Vinci robotic surgical system to remove the nodule and sample surrounding lymph nodes for staging the cancer.

“Through this unified approach, we can diagnose, stage, and treat early-stage lung cancer all in one setting," Dr. Bailey says.

Seamless and efficient

Not every lung cancer patient is a candidate for surgery. If poor lung function or heart conditions make the operating room too risky, or if pathology reveals the cancer has already spread to advanced stages, the team expands to include a radiation oncologist such as John L. Mikell, MD, who has offices in both Bluffton and Hilton Head.

Dr. Mikell uses advanced CT and PET imaging to pinpoint the tumor's dimensions and location. Over a number of sessions, radiation beams target the tumor while preserving surrounding tissue.

“We can destroy the cancer cells with incredible precision and accuracy,” Dr. Mikell says.

Some patients require both radiation and chemotherapy—treatments that may be delivered sequentially or administered together.

“This requires seamless and efficient coordination,” Dr. Mikell says. “We work hand-in-hand with our medical oncology colleagues just down the hall to ensure each patient's care is as effective as possible.”

Gary W. Thomas, MD, is one of those medical oncologists down the hall. He has treated patients in Bluffton and Hilton Head for more than 30 years. Dr. Thomas works not only with Dr. Mikell but with Dr. Mullins and Dr. Bailey as well.

“They are excellent physicians, and we all collaborate very well,” Dr. Thomas says. “Most importantly, patients get the treatment done right here at home.”

Some patients will require traditional chemotherapy, but analysis of a tumor’s genetic profile may determine if a patient will benefit from other options, such as targeted oral pills that shut down cancer growth. Other patients may be candidates for immunotherapy, through which a patient's own immune system is directed to hunt down and eliminate stray cancer cells.

“Prevention and early detection have improved survival rates significantly,”  Dr. Thomas says. “So, of course, don’t smoke. And if you are a former smoker, ask your doctor about lung cancer screening.”

The power of a team

A unified continuity of care defines the standard of excellence at the Nancy N. and J.C. Lewis Cancer & Research Pavilion. By blending robotic diagnostics and surgery, precise imaging, and personalized medicine together, a team of specialists can transform a terrifying diagnosis into a coordinated plan.

“No single physician holds the complete answer to lung cancer,” Dr. Thomas says. “This is truly a team effort.”