Lung Cancer—
When listening is life-saving.

“With lung cancer,
as with most cancers, early detection is key."
—Professor of Surgery Leslie Kohman, MD Department of Surgery Thoracic Oncology Program

Helen knows her health facts: she knows that lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death. She also knows the importance of following her doctors' orders, and she believes this simple strategy has helped her outsmart lung cancer. Thirty-five years ago, Helen followed her doctor's advice and quit her pack-a-day smoking habit. Nine years ago, a routine chest x-ray suggested lung cancer.

Helen turned to University Hospital, where she'd had an excellent experience with open-heart surgery.

"What would you do if this were your cancer?" Helen asked her thoracic surgeon, Dr. Leslie Kohman, director of the Thoracic Oncology Program (TOP) and one of 91 cancer specialists at University Hospital.

When Dr. Kohman recommended aggressive treatment—surgical removal of Helen’s upper right lung lobe—Helen followed her advice. Almost a decade later, Helen is the picture of health. She volunteers at the Salvation Army senior center four days a week, ushers at church and keeps up with her 26 grandchildren.

She checks in with Dr. Kohman every few months and continues to follow her advice.

At University Hospital, Dr. Kohman's TOP initiative features an assembly of a multidisciplinary specialists— surgeons, oncologists, radiologists, radiation oncologists and others. Together, they evaluate, advise and treat patients like Helen. It has become a model for other multidisciplinary programs in the hospital.

"With lung cancer, early detection is key," says Dr. Kohman. "A stage-one tumor can often be removed completely by surgery."