If you had to guess which cancer took the most lives in America, what would your guess be?
“Lung cancer is the No. 1 cancer killer in the U.S. for both women and men since 1986,” said Dr. Daniel Miller. Miller is the chief of thoracic surgery and the director of the Wellstar Georgia Cancer Center lung cancer screening program.
About 80% of lung cancer cases are associated with cigarette smoking, including secondhand smoke. Unfortunately, when symptoms begin showing, the cancer has already spread, making treatment very time-sensitive. When a patient is diagnosed, their care team typically includes not just one, but four doctors: a thoracic surgeon, an interventional pulmonologist, a medical oncologist and a radiation oncologist. There are many benefits to having a large care team, but a huge drawback can be the wait time between appointments with each doctor.
“When you have cancer, you want to be seen now and be treated now,” said Miller.
The speed of treatment time for patients is what inspired the creation of the Thoracic-Oncology NOW (New Oncology Workgroup) Clinic at Wellstar Georgia Cancer Center. The multidisciplinary clinic is staffed by specialized physicians in the treatment of thoracic malignancies. The staff includes Miller and Dr. John Kuckleman as the thoracic surgeons, Dr. Rabih Bechara as the interventional pulmonologist, Dr. Girindra Raval as the medical oncologist, and Dr. William Grubb as the radiation oncologist.
The clinic has seen 50 patients since opening in October 2022 and treats not just lung cancer, but also esophageal cancer, metastatic disease to the lungs and malignant pleural effusions.
“You’re cutting back on treatment time, waiting time, travel time and, more importantly, you have a group of doctors, rather than a doctor, who are talking about your care,” said Raval.
The clinic operates on Wednesdays and acts as a one-stop shop for patients, saving their time and the time of their loved ones who join them for treatments. Patients also have access to Wellstar Georgia Cancer Center’s registered dietitians and social workers, along with a scheduler, financial personnel and medical assistants, creating one large care team ready to help them on their treatment journey.
“There is a degree of reassurance for the patient that there is a team who are all engrossed in caring for that patient,” said Raval.
To learn more about the Thoracic-Oncology NOW Clinic or make an appointment, call (706) 721-6744 for more information.
