I see about 1,000 patients per year. Most are concerned about their outcomes following cancer treatment and how it will impact their lives moving forward. I try to reassure them by explaining that we offer a number of treatment options that not only offer good long-term outcomes but also help people heal quickly so they can return to their daily activities. I perform most operations using minimally invasive techniques, which require smaller incisions and have been shown to minimize discomfort and speed up recovery.
I chose to become a thoracic cancer surgeon because surgery can often offer the highest likelihood of a cure for people with early stage disease. In fact, people with early stage lung cancer can often be successfully treated with minimally invasive surgery and other techniques that have a lower long-term impact on their breathing and overall health. I also focus on techniques and procedures to improve symptoms and quality of life in people with advanced cancer. Working with my colleagues in medical and radiation oncology, we offer treatment plans that are unique and tailored to each patient’s needs.
MSK is a world leader in developing and refining new approaches to care for people with cancer. There are a number of exciting developments in the treatment of lung and esophageal cancer. Immunotherapy, which was pioneered at MSK, has become an important treatment option and I am co-investigator on a number of clinical trials to evaluate its effectiveness prior to surgery in people with early stage disease. We are also performing lung biopsies using newer techniques such as robotic bronchoscopy, which is extremely safe and effective.
A significant portion of my time is spent conducting scientific research to better understand how tumors form and investigating new ways to treat them. Using a patient-centered approach, I am working to design new models to study cancer and then use these experimental models to develop better treatments. It is my hope that discoveries made in the laboratory will result in more-effective therapies and will ultimately help to cure people afflicted by thoracic diseases.
Outside of work I enjoy spending time with my family. My children are active in a variety of sports such as baseball and soccer as well as scouting. We also enjoy outdoor activities like skiing, hiking, fishing, and running, and have even completed two marathons with my wife.
I am especially fond of traveling, periodically visiting family in Germany and France and exploring places like Peru, Vietnam, Cambodia, Australia, and China. In medical school I participated in a mission trip to Ghana to deliver medical care to remote villages.
