Molecular Analysis of Breast Sentinel Lymph Nodes
Lymphatic mapping and sentinel lymph node (SLN) biopsy have become the standard of care for staging the axilla in patients with invasive breast cancer. Current histologic methods for SLN evaluation…
Hepatic Tumor Ablation: Application in a Community Hospital Setting
Primary liver tumors are a common clinical problem in the United States and worldwide. Resection has historically been used to treat liver lesions. Commonly used liver-directed therapies include transarterial chemoembolization,…
A Community Hospital Clinical Trials Program: Infrastructure for Growth
This article discusses the growth and infrastructure of a clinical trials program in a large community hospital. An association between increased patient accrual and establishment of site-specific tumor boards and…
Breast Conservation Therapy Versus Mastectomy in the Community-Based Setting: Can This Rate Be Used as a Benchmark for Cancer Care?
Despite strong evidence supporting the use of breast conservation therapy (BCT) in the treatment of breast carcinoma, the actual rates of use remain low. This article is a retrospective review…
American College of Surgeons Oncology Group and the Community Surgeon
The American College of Surgeons Oncology Group (ACOSOG) conducts cancer trials that are relevant to surgeons who treat patients with breast, thoracic, and gastrointestinal cancers. ACOSOG is funded by the…
Building a Community-Based Cancer Center Program
Developing a successful cancer center within the community is achievable. This article provides an understanding of the standards and guidelines of the Commission on Cancer (CoC), the different community cancer…
Surgical and Endoscopic Palliation of Advanced Lung Cancer
Pulmonary symptoms from advanced-stage lung cancer often require palliative treatments for compassionate patient care. Although many of these symptoms can result from complications of advanced lung cancer treatment regimens (ie,…
Role of Surgery in Small Cell Lung Cancer
Conventional treatment for small cell lung cancer (SCLC) is currently thoracic radiation and combination chemotherapy, and surgery has been traditionally stated to have little to no role in disease management….
Role of Adjuvant Chemotherapy in NSCLC (Stages I to III)
Complete surgical resection is the main therapy for early-stage non-small cell lung cancer. Survival rates remain, at best, 80% for stage IA, necessitating the development of effective systemic therapy. Several…
Extensive Resections: Pancoast Tumors, Chest Wall Resections, En Bloc Vascular Resections
Infiltration by lung tumor of adjacent anatomic structures including major vessels, main bronchi, and chest wall not only influences the oncologic severity of the disease but also increases the technical…
