Lung and Thoracic Cancers

Lung cancer is the second most common cancer in men and women, but it is the number one cause of death from cancer each year in both men and women. Cigarette smoking is the most common cause of lung cancer. Exposure to asbestos, radon, environmental factors and secondhand smoke can also cause lung cancer.

Because surgery and radiation can both be equally effective curative treatments for lung cancer, it is important to review all of your treatment options. Learn about the risks and benefits of both to see what best meets your goals balancing cure and quality of life.

The esophagus is part of the digestive system which breaks down food for the body to use.  It is a tube-shaped organ, almost 10 inches long, located toward the back of your chest just in front of your spine.  The wall of the esophagus has four main layers: mucosa, esophageal wall (submucosa), muscular is propria, and the adventitia.  Esophageal cancer often starts in cells that line the inside wall or starts in cells that make mucus.