Lung Cancer
The Lung Cancer Program at Torrance Memorial’s Hunt Cancer Institute, an affiliate of Cedars-Sinai Cancer, is focused on providing expert treatment for lung cancer, with a multidisciplinary team of experts dedicated to delivering the highest quality, personalized treatment to lung cancer patients.
What is Lung Cancer?
Lung cancer describes malignant cells that grow and multiply, usually quickly, eventually replacing the normal cells in the lung. Lung cancer that starts in the lung is called primary lung cancer; if the cancer started in another part of the body and metastasizes to the lung, it is called secondary lung cancer.
There are two main types of lung cancer:
- Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer (NSCLC): The most common type of lung cancer, NSCLC accounts for about 85% of lung cancers. Squamous cell carcinoma, adenocarcinoma, and large cell carcinoma are all subtypes of non-small cell lung cancer.
- Small Cell Lung Cancer: Also called oat-cell cancer, small cell lung cancer accounts for about 10-15% of lung cancers. This type of lung cancer tends to spread quickly.
Low-Dose CT Lung Screening
The best method to detect lung cancer is achieved through low-dose CT screening. Torrance Memorial offers low-dose CT screenings for those at increased risk for lung cancer. Research from the National Cancer Institute indicates that people at high risk who undergo this type of screening annually have a 20% less chance of dying of lung cancer than those who get a standard chest x-ray.
Learn more about Low-Dose CT Screening
Diagnosis
If symptoms or a screening test reveal possible lung cancer, a biopsy will be required to determine whether or not cancer is present. The biopsy may be done in several ways:
- Needle Biopsy
- Electromagnetic Navigation Bronchoscopy (ENB): A minimally invasive procedure, ENB enables a physician to examine the major air passages of the lungs through a thin lighted tubed called a bronchoscope.
- Endobronchial Ultrasound (EBUS): Combining ultrasound with a bronchoscope for visualization and precise localization.
- Endoscopic Ultrasound (EUS): A type of imaging technology that adds ultrasound to endoscopy for close examination of the lungs and nearby structures.
Introducing the Ion Endoluminal System
Torrance Memorial is pleased to announce the recent acquisition of the Ion endoluminal system. The Ion endoluminal system is a robotic-assisted platform for minimally invasive biopsy in the lung. Ion helps address a challenging aspect of lung biopsy by enabling physicians to obtain tissue samples from deep within the lung. The system features an ultra-thin, ultra-maneuverable1 catheter that allows navigation far into the peripheral lung, and unprecedented stability enables the precision needed for biopsy compared to manual techniques. Ion is made by Intuitive, the company that makes the da Vinci surgical system, and is built on more than two decades of leadership in robotic-assisted technology. We are truly thrilled to be a leader in this field and look forward to continue bringing our patients in the South Bay minimally invasive lung nodule biopsy.
Treatment
Our multidisciplinary lung cancer team provides compassionate, leading edge, personalized care. Cancer treatment is tailored to each person, including overall health, age, and individual beliefs and preferences. The goal of cancer treatment is to eradicate the tumor or slow its growth. Your cancer treatment plan may include one or more of the following:
