Phoenix Lung Cancer Center

Lung cancer kills more Americans each year than the other three most common cancers — breast, prostate and colorectal — combined. But with screening, early detection and innovative treatment options, more lung cancer patients are living longer than ever before. 

At the Lung Cancer Center at City at Hope^® Phoenix, our team of experts works with patients and their primary care physicians to offer screening and diagnostic tests to determine or confirm a patient has lung cancer. Our pathologists will also quickly determine the specific type or subtype of cancer and its stage, so doctors have the critical information they need to develop a lung cancer treatment plan personalized to each patient’s need, diagnosis and goals. City of Hope doctors also consult with each patient’s family physician, to carefully transition his or her care back home when treatment is complete.

The Gold Seal of Approval from The Joint Commission
The Joint Commission has awarded City of Hope Phoenix the coveted Gold Seal of Approval for Lung Cancer Certification. This distinguished accreditation recognizes our Lung Cancer Center’s performance in providing high-quality, safe care for patients with all stages and types of lung cancer.

The Joint Commission, a global leader in driving patient safety and quality improvement, accredits 22,000 health care programs worldwide, consulting with doctors, nurses and quality and safety experts to review standards and make recommendations for improvement.

Each patient’s cancer care team at the Lung Cancer Center at City of Hope Phoenix is led by a medical oncologist and may also include a team of doctors, clinicians and supportive care providers who work together to not only treat the disease but help manage side effects and maintain quality of life. 

The doctors and clinicians at the Lung Cancer Center at City of Hope Phoenix are on the leading edge of new technologies and emerging lung cancer treatments, including: 

• Artificial intelligence technology to help determine whether a lung nodule may be malignant
• Robotic surgery techniques that allow a thoracic surgeon to perform less aggressive procedures 
• Reconstructive surgery, with the innovative techniques to repair and reconstruct the chest wall, restore physical function and improve appearance impacted by the cancer and/or surgery
• Precision medicine drugs, such as immune checkpoint inhibitors and targeted therapy, that may offer better outcomes than chemotherapy 

Other treatment options for lung cancer may include:

• ​Radiation therapy
• Cryotherapy
• Interventional pulmonology

The expert oncologists and other clinicians at the Lung Cancer Center at City of Hope Phoenix don’t just treat a patient’s cancer, they also collaborate to help manage symptoms and side effects. City of Hope is dedicated to treating all patients with innovative treatment tools and technologies, while also using supportive care services to help patients maintain their quality of life.

The experts at the City of Hope Phoenix Lung Cancer Center are also committed to improving treatment options for patients through clinical research. City of Hope clinicians have launched or participated in dozens of clinical trials for small cell and non-small cell lung cancer. These lung cancer trials offer patients the chance to access treatments that may not otherwise be available.

The combination of clinical research, experience and compassionate care is a cornerstone of City of Hope’s commitment to bringing patients new and innovative cancer treatment options.

Lung Biopsies with Ion
The experts at the Lung Cancer Center at City of Hope Phoenix employ the artificial intelligence tool Ion by Intuitive™, a robotic-assisted, minimally invasive biopsy tool that helps doctors and obtain biopsies from deep inside the lung.

Ion is designed to allow doctors to accurately map a path to a lung nodule, even those on the outer branches of the lung. Ion’s ultra-thin catheter helps doctors access lung nodules, gather tissue samples for a biopsy and, if cancer is found, determine the stage of the disease during the same procedure.

Our Four-Day Lung Nodule Diagnostic Program
Lung nodules are not that uncommon, but it’s critical to learn quickly if they are cancerous or benign. At City of Hope, our model of care allows doctors to collaborate and communicate more efficiently, so they can determine a diagnosis and develop a treatment plan, if necessary, in just a few days, not weeks. Lung nodule test results are typically available in a few as four days. 

If a patient’s nodule is benign, City of Hope doctors and clinicians will walk patients through the next steps, including follow-up tests and visits. If a nodule is cancerous, our doctors will work with the patient and his or her caregivers to an individualized plan tailored for the specific lung cancer type or subtype diagnosed.

It takes an experience team of doctors with diverse skills to treat lung cancer. The Lung Cancer Center at City of Hope Phoenix is led by medical oncologist Sagun Shrestha, M.D., and thoracic surgeon Peter Baik, D.O. They collaborate every day with a team of oncology-trained doctors, clinicians and supportive care providers committed to offering each patient quality and compassionate lung cancer care. Meet our Lung Cancer Center team:

If you’ve been diagnosed with lung cancer or are experiencing symptoms, you don’t need the stress of scheduling appointments, dealing with insurance and medical records or travel arrangements. We understand. City of Hope is available 24/7 to help handle those details. We’ll collect your medical records, verify your insurance, help you make travel and lodging arrangements and schedule your appointment — so you won’t have to be alone in juggling the logistics. Call us at (877) 524-4673 to make an appointment. 

City of Hope Phoenix is  conveniently located in Goodyear, Arizona,  just south of I-10, 40 minutes west of Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport.