In addition, patients spend less time recovering in the hospital and generally return to work in two to three weeks. The GW Cardiothoracic Institute is one of the leading centers for the minimally invasive treatment of lung cancer, and the only center providing this treatment in the Washington metropolitan area.
Lung cancer remains the leading cause of cancer-related mortality in the western hemisphere.
Every year there are approximately 170,000 new cases of lung cancer in the United States. Improving the outcome for treatment of lung cancer is a major challenge for society. This dismal survival statistic is due, in part, to late diagnosis and treatment. In fact, greater than half the patients are Stage III and IV at time of diagnosis, with locally and systemically advanced disease. Early diagnosis is key to improving outcomes for treatment of lung cancer.