In addition to the work of Drs. Samir Hanash, David Madtes and Renato Martins, numerous research efforts under way at the Hutchinson Center and SCCA are paving the way for better outcomes for lung cancer patients. Among them:

• Patients diagnosed with chronic bronchitis or emphysema before their cancer diagnosis are about 30 percent more likely to develop lung cancer than those without such a diagnosis, according to a study led by Dr. Alyson Littman and her Center colleagues. The risk associated with a form of the disease known as squamous cell carcinoma was even higher, at about 50 percent. These findings are important because they may help doctors identify patients who are most likely to get lung cancer.
• Current and former heavy smokers may reduce their risk of getting lung cancer as well as any kind of cancer by increasing the amount that they exercise, Center researchers found. Results varied by age group and gender.
• Dr. Michael Mulligan, an SCCA physician and University of Washington researcher, is a national leader in minimally invasive surgical techniques that get lung cancer patients back on their feet more quickly. By inserting a tiny camera through a millimeters-long incision, the surgeon can see inside a patient’s chest and operate with less trauma to surrounding tissue that occurs with traditional, open-chest surgery. The technique, known as video-assisted thoracic surgery, is well suited to removing early stage lung cancer.