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is quite curable," he says. "I-ELCAP registry data suggests that when lung cancer is iden- tified earlier, survival can be as high as 80 percent at 10 years. Screenings must be done in a careful setting by professionals trained in screening asymptomatic patients to mini- mize harm and maximize survivorship." Advanced Diagnostics Major components of Health Quest's Thoracic Oncology program are the advanced imaging technology and expert clinicians in place to diagnose cancers in their earliest stages through minimally invasive procedures, including: + Bronchoscopy: the process of inserting a flexible tube with a camera through the mouth or nose to assess and evaluate the bronchi. + Mediastinoscopy: the evaluation and sampling of lymph nodes with a scope through a small neck incision. + Na v i g a t i o n a l b r o n c h o s c o p y : a pro c e du re u si n g a s p e c i a l i z e d electromagnetic-guided scope that can achieve further insertion into bronchi otherwise inaccessible by normal bronchoscopy. + Thoracoscopy: a modality using a scope with a camera inserted through a small incision in the chest to evaluate the outer lungs and interior wall of chest. + Thoracotomy: the use of an inci- sion between the ribs that allows the surgeon to perform the f ull range of procedures needed to treat chest disorders. "We have a well-trained and experienced radiology team working across our unified system to provide patients with an accurate diagnosis," Dr. Connery says. "When there's an abnormality in screening, the next step is follow-up imaging. If a patient requires a biopsy, one of our interventional radiologists may perform a percutaneous procedure through the skin with a needle, usually guided with a CT scan or ultrasound, to examine a lesion." VATS and da Vinci Once patients receive a diagnosis of lung cancer, esophageal cancer or other thoracic disease, surgical intervention is often the first step of the treatment process. At Health Quest, Dr. Connery and the thoracic surgeon team — Rohit Shahani, MD, and Peter Zakow, MD — employ leading-edge video-assisted thoracic surgery (VATS). LEADING THE THORACIC ONCOLOGY TEAM CREATING A COMPREHENSIVE thoracic oncology program is the objective of Cliff P. Connery, MD, FACS, Medical Director for the Dyson Center for Cancer Care at Vassar Brothers Medical Center and Medical Director for Health Quest Medical Practice's Division of Thoracic Oncology. Triple board-certified in general, critical care and thoracic cardiovascular surgery, Dr. Connery earned his medical degree from Eastern Virginia Medical School and completed his fellowship training at State University of New York at Stony Brook and the University of Rochester. Dr. Connery brings more than 20 years of experience at a major Manhattan medical center to Health Quest, including his vast expertise with video- and robotic-assisted surgi- cal techniques. "We have everything here at Health Quest, from screening, prevention and diagnostics to minimally invasive surgical treatments, stereotactic ablative radiation, innovative chemotherapy and targeted therapies," Dr. Connery says. "We treat lung and other cancers effectively for the best possible outcomes." Lung Cancer Screening Center of Excellence Health Quest's Vassar Brothers Medical Center achieved recognition from the Lung Cancer Alliance as a Screening Center of Excellence, making it one of only 32 such programs in the state of New York and 300 nationwide. Dr. Connery (L) and Rohit Shahani, MD, FACS, FACC, plan a procedure. Dr. Connery (L) and James Nitzkorski, MD, FACS, review a radiation treatment plan before an esophageal surgical procedure. COV ER FE AT UR E 8 | Mid Hudson MD NEWS ■ M D N E W S . CO M