Thoracic Oncology Program
The Thoracic Oncology Program of the IU Simon Cancer Center brings leading-edge care to men and women with cancers of the chest, including lung, esophagus, pleura, chest wall, and mediastinum. Our team is composed of specialists in thoracic surgery, radiation oncology, pulmonology, medical oncology, dietetics, psychology, and nursing who work together to develop individualized treatment plans for each patient.
Our program was the first of its kind in Indiana – a multidisciplinary team of experts in diagnosing and treating thoracic cancer that allows patient to see a number of physicians with one visit. Lawrence Einhorn, MD, medical oncologist, and Ken Kesler, MD, thoracic surgeon, began the program in 1992. Dr. Einhorn is world-renowned in the oncology arena, having developed chemotherapy regimens which have changed the treatment of cancer patients. Dr. Kesler has a national reputation in the surgical care of thoracic germ cell cancers as well as esophageal cancers.
The Thoracic Oncology Program combines clinical and laboratory expertise. Basic science research is an important and unique component of the program. Our campus maintains many state-of-the-art laboratories where we are using advanced molecular biology to better understand the biology of tumors and improve patient care. Promising scientific discoveries undergo rigorous testing in the laboratory and clinic and help lead to new and improved patient care options. The IU Simon Cancer Center is at the forefront of these discoveries and our patients are among the first to benefit, having unique access to both standard of care and clinical trial options.