David J. Finley, MD

I am a thoracic surgeon specializing in the diagnosis and treatment of cancer. My particular focus is minimally invasive surgery for lung cancer, esophageal cancer, pulmonary metastases, mediastinal tumors, thymomas, and pleural mesothelioma. I have a special interest in the use of video assisted thoracic surgery (VATS) — a minimally invasive technique for diagnosing and treating lung and esophageal cancers. In an effort to reduce patient discomfort, our group has begun to stage lung cancer using endobronchial ultrasound (EBUS) with needle biopsy. EBUS allows the diagnosis and staging of lung cancer to be performed in one setting, on an outpatient basis, with reduced risk, no scars, no incision, and minimal discomfort to patients.

I am also co-director of MSKCC’s airway service, a multidisciplinary team that treats benign and malignant diseases of the airway. Tracheal diseases require not only appropriate diagnosis and treatment, but continued surveillance. Our team provides comprehensive care for patients with benign and malignant tracheal diseases. I have advanced training in the treatment of these diseases; including: benign tracheal stenosis, idiopathic tracheal stenosis, benign tracheal tumors, malignant tracheal tumors, tracheal resections, tracheal reconstruction, tracheal laser surgery, and tracheobronchial airway stents.

I have dedicated my research to studying molecular profiling of lung cancer and translating that into clinical diagnostic and treatment advances. Currently, I am working with Dr. William Pao and Dr. Nicolas Girard to diagnose lung cancer based on its molecular signature (genetic changes). With the information this translational research will provide, we hope to diagnose and treat patients with lung cancer using genetic information. This will help us tailor treatment for patients with lung cancer and ideally improve their responses to chemotherapy. In addition, we are studying the use of molecular profiling on needle biopsy specimens to diagnose patients with lung cancer. This should allow for a minimally invasive approach (using EBUS) to diagnose patients with lung cancer and provide molecular profiling information to help customize their treatment.