Lung and Esophageal Cancer

Three smiling individuals, two women and a man, standing together in front of a building.

Unwavering Cancer Care Focused on Your Whole Health

You’re fighting for yourself. For everything you love about life. And with our team of nationally renowned lung and esophageal cancer physicians by your side, you’ll be cared for by experienced specialists — in your corner, always working hard for you. We’ll work to answer your questions, ease your mind and deliver the most well-rounded care possible.

At the AdventHealth Cancer Institute, our approach to patient care extends beyond physical treatments, too. We're dedicated to treating your body, mind and spirit to help you face lung and esophageal cancer with confidence and support.

Leading Thoracic Cancer Experts

Experience matters. Our team of respected cancer physicians has helped countless patients successfully treat or manage lung cancer, all with an unrivaled emphasis on whole-person care.
Nationally Recognized Care

Across our institute network, our locations hold national recognition from organizations like U.S. News & World Report for our unwavering commitment to excellent lung cancer treatment.
Better Patient Outcomes

Anticipate a better tomorrow. Trust in proven results. Our multidisciplinary approach to care has led to outcomes that often surpass the national average with incredible five-year survival rates.

A lung or esophageal cancer diagnosis could include conditions like these, all of which our oncologists are well-versed in treating. No matter what your unique diagnosis is, you can rest assured you’ll be in the best hands here with our team.

As you begin your treatment journey, it’s important to know that because no two cancer diagnoses are the same, your oncology team will personalize your course of treatment strategically, prescribing individual therapies as needed. Depending on your diagnosis, your treatment plan may include some, none or a combination of the therapies below.

Chemotherapy: Chemotherapy in Comfort

A Team Approach to Treating Cancer | Chemotherapy

Chemotherapy Treatment: What to Expect
Nothing matters more to us than getting you well, and getting you home. Depending on what type of cancer you have and how advanced it is, chemotherapy may play an essential role in successfully treating lung cancer, esophageal cancer, and mesothelioma. From the moment you arrive for your chemo treatment, one of our nurses will be there to greet you and guide you, keeping you and your loved one informed, comfortable, and in good spirits throughout your visit.
How Does Chemotherapy Work?
Using a combination of specialized drugs, chemotherapy has the power to destroy or slow down the growth of fast-growing cancer cells. It can be administered intravenously or orally, depending on whether you have lung cancer, esophageal cancer, or mesothelioma. At AdventHealth Cancer Institute, our oncology experts take an individualized approach to your chemotherapy treatment. Your diagnosis and overall health will determine which treatment(s) is best for you.
Chemotherapy may be the only treatment you receive, or, more commonly, it’s used in combination with surgery and/or radiation therapy. Along the way, we're here to help however we can, answering any questions and helping you stay strong and optimistic before, during, and after your treatment.

Learn More About Chemotherapy Treatment
Radiation: Understanding Your Treatment Options
Radiation Therapy: What to Expect
While radiation therapy is one of the most common treatments for lung and esophageal cancer, at AdventHealth Cancer Institute, we do it with uncommon expertise, guidance, and compassion. Your Nurse Navigator and physician teams will guide every aspect of your treatment, educating you on how to feel your best before, during and after. Using sophisticated radiation technology, we can target tumors in and around your lungs and esophagus with amazing precision, easing your pain and leaving healthy tissue untouched. Depending on your diagnosis, your dedicated team may recommend radiation alone, but in many cases, we combine it with surgery and chemotherapy.
How Does Radiation Therapy Work?
Across our cancer institute, our oncology experts take an individualized approach to every patient’s treatment plan. Radiation therapy targets specific areas of the body, shrinking tumors and killing cancer cells by damaging their DNA.
When treating lung or esophageal cancer, radiation therapy can be delivered in multiple ways with various technologies:
Image-guided radiation therapy (IGRT) relies on fluoroscopic CT images of the constantly moving lungs, allowing for more precise dosing.
External radiation delivers radiation in a concentrated beam to keep nearby healthy tissue unaffected.
Intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) is a highly accurate tool used for higher doses of radiation while keeping your comfort in mind.
3D simulation and treatment planning visualizes the area and allows the radiology team to create a personalized plan for treatment.
Trilogy^® is a system that provides a range of treatments all in one machine, giving your team fuller access to more tools and precision.
Stereotactic radiosurgery and radiotherapy concentrate higher doses over a shorter period of time for early stage lung cancers to make treatment go by faster.
Endobronchial HDR (high dose radiation) delivers highly targeted, high doses of radiation to the bronchial tree area to reduce or remove any obstruction caused by a tumor.
Throughout your treatment, your nurses and your radiology care team are there to keep you and your loved ones informed, comfortable, and uplifted.

Learn More About Radiation Therapy
Surgery: Specialized Surgeries

The Benefits of Minimally Invasive Robotic Surgery

If surgery is part of your treatment plan, it’s reassuring to know that your health is in the hands of specialized thoracic surgeons. As a recognized leader in lung and esophageal cancer care, we’re helping patients heal through innovative surgical care day in and day out.
Options for Surgery
Surgery for lung or esophageal cancer can be a promising step forward on your path to healing. Your dedicated team of cancer specialists will review every detail of your medical history and recent tests to recommend the most effective treatment plan for you. Surgery may be the only treatment you need, or, more commonly, it’s used in combination with chemotherapy and/or radiation therapy.
We typically treat lung cancer through one of following surgery options:
Wedge resection removes the tumor and some surrounding tissue.
Lobectomy takes out a whole section, or lobe, of the lung.
Pneumonectomy removes the lung that is affected by cancer.
Sleeve resection targets the bronchus, the tubes that connect the lungs to the trachea.
As a different type of cancer, esophageal cancer requires different surgical procedures depending on the location of your tumor(s). Surgery is the most common treatment for these cancers, and can include:
Esophagectomy removes part of the esophagus and reattaches the new ending to the stomach, sometimes adding plastic tubing to connect the two.
Wide local excision targets the tumor and surrounding tissues for a precise procedure.
Pleurectomy and decortication removes part of the chest and lung linings.
Extrapleural pneumonectomy removes one lung and any cancerous parts of the lining of the chest or diaphragm.
Pleurodesis drains fluid from the pleura, a lining of the lungs.
Endoscopic mucosal resection removes abnormal lesions or tumors from the lining of your esophagus.
Regardless of what procedure you need, from pre- to post-op, we’ll be there with open arms to ease you into your recovery.

Learn More About Oncology Surgery
Immunotherapy: Immunotherapy

Immunotherapy Targeted Treatment

Your spirit is pulling you through. You’re willing your body to do the same. And with immunotherapy, it can. Over the last few decades, this amazing biological therapy has become an essential part of many patients’ cancer treatment.
How Does Cancer Immunotherapy Work?
Immunotherapy includes innovative treatment that works to help treat cancer in two primary ways:
Immunotherapy can stimulate your immune system to work harder, smarter, and quicker, and fight back against cancerous cells.
Immunotherapy can infuse you with immune system components, such as man-made immune system proteins, like monoclonal antibodies.
There are four main types of immunotherapy most commonly used:
Monoclonal antibodies are man-made versions of immune system proteins. We can design these to attack a very specific part of a cancer cell.
Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors are a combination of drugs that can help your immune system recognize and attack cancer cells.
Cancer vaccines can help jump-start an immune response against certain diseases.
Other non-specific immunotherapies boost your immune system in a general way.
Your physician and Nurse Navigator will talk you through the immunotherapy process, from choosing a specific immunotherapy treatment to managing the potential side effects.

Learn More About Immunotherapy

We take a collaborative, multidisciplinary approach to your cancer care, which means different types of specialists work together as a team to determine the most personalized and effective treatment plan for you.

Brandon Bowers, MD

Pulmonary Disease
Gary Chmielewski, MD, FACS

Cardiovascular and Thoracic Surgery, General Surgery
Marcelo C DaSilva, MD

Thoracic Surgery Medical Director — Central Florida

Thoracic Surgery
Colleen Gaughan, MD

Medical Director - SW Market/Esophageal (Foregut)

Thoracic Surgery
Brandon Hendriksen, MD, MPH

Thoracic Surgery
Samantha Kwon, MD, FACS

Cardiovascular and Thoracic Surgery, Plastic Surgery
Patrick T Mangonon, MD

Cardiovascular and Thoracic Surgery
Tarek Mekhail, MD

Hematology and Oncology
Cary Meyers, MD

Cardiovascular and Thoracic Surgery
Terry P Olivas, MD

Cardiovascular and Thoracic Surgery
Mark Socinski, MD

Hematology and Oncology

The more you know about lung and esophageal cancer, the more empowered you’ll be as you and your family take care of your health. We’re here to answer these frequently asked questions, and your care team will be there to answer any other questions you have — big or small — throughout your journey.

Question: What are the early signs and symptoms of lung or esophageal cancer?

Answer:

Lung and esophageal cancers often don’t cause symptoms until they’re more advanced. Their symptoms can also look like those of other health concerns, so it’s important to talk with your doctor about what you’re experiencing. If you have a cough that gets worse over time, a bloody cough, trouble swallowing, chest pain or heartburn, weight loss, hoarseness or vomiting after eating, talk with your trusted healthcare provider to rule out lung or esophageal cancer.
Question: What causes lung or esophageal cancer, and who is most at risk?

Answer:

The leading cause of lung cancer is smoking tobacco, but nonsmokers who are exposed to secondhand smoke, air pollution, asbestos and radon also face a higher-than-average risk of developing lung cancer.
With esophageal cancer, the exact cause of many cases is unknown, but smoking, excessive alcohol consumption and Barrett's esophagus can all increase your risk of developing it.
Gene changes called mutations may also lead to a lung or esophageal cancer diagnosis.
Question: Can lung or esophageal cancer be found early through screening?

Answer:

Yes, screenings can help catch these cancers early. However, screenings for lung and esophageal cancer are typically only recommended for people who are at a higher-than-average risk.
In people who have a high risk of lung cancer, like former smokers, a low-dose CT scan can help identify lung tissue that might be cancerous, which can help catch cancer earlier so treatment can begin sooner.
With esophageal cancer, upper endoscopy screenings can help identify cancerous tissue early in people who have a higher risk because of conditions like Barrett’s esophagus or an inherited syndrome.
Question: How is lung or esophageal cancer diagnosed?

Answer:

The diagnosis process for lung and esophageal cancer typically begins with a review of your medical history and a physical exam from your healthcare provider. If your doctor thinks you might have cancer, they’ll order more tests, like imaging tests or an endoscopy, to look for more signs of cancer. However, to make an official diagnosis, lung or esophageal cells must be collected, often via biopsy, and examined in a medical lab.
Question: What are the treatment options for lung or esophageal cancer?

Answer:

Treatment options for both lung and esophageal cancer can include chemotherapy, immunotherapy, radiation, surgery and targeted drug therapy.
Other treatments for esophageal cancer include endoscopic treatments and supportive therapies. For lung cancer, other treatments vary depending on the type. With non-small cell lung cancer, for example, radiofrequency ablation and tumor-treating fields therapy may be used.
Treatments for lung and esophageal cancer are largely determined by the stage and a person’s overall health, and in many cases, multiple types of treatment are used.
Question: Is surgery an option for lung or esophageal cancer?

Answer:

Yes, surgery is one of the ways to treat some forms of lung and esophageal cancer, like early-stage esophageal and non-small cell lung cancers. Surgery is not often used for small cell lung cancer, though.
Because each person’s situation varies, your oncology care team will work together to create the best treatment plan for your specific diagnosis. Your care plan may include surgery or a combination of surgery and other therapies like chemotherapy and radiation.

Whether you have a lung nodule that needs a closer look or have been recently diagnosed with a specific type of esophageal cancer, you’ll find the trusted expertise and wholehearted support you need at our AdventHealth Cancer Institute. We offer specialized care for mesothelioma, liposarcoma, thymoma and other lung and esophageal cancers — all coordinated through a trusted national network. Explore our locations or let our team guide you to the one that’s right for you, so you can focus on what matters most: healing.

Lung and Esophageal Cancer

Unwavering Cancer Care Focused on Your Whole Health

Where Expertise Meets Compassion

Leading Thoracic Cancer Experts

Nationally Recognized Care

Better Patient Outcomes