Pulmonary Care

About lung cancer

Lung cancer is the second most common cancer in the United States, and more people die from lung cancer than any other type of cancer. However, lung cancer screenings are the best way to detect lung cancer at an early stage. When detected early, the 5-year survival rate for lung cancer increases to 92%.

One way to stay ahead of your lung health is to be aware of lung cancer symptoms. Lung cancer symptoms include:

• Chest pain
• Coughing that doesn’t go away or gets worse
• Coughing up blood
• Feeling tired all the time
• Weight loss with no known cause

If you are experiencing any or all of these symptoms, speak to your primary care physician right away.

Lung cancer screening

The Lung Center at Hillcrest Medical Center offers a nurse navigator who can guide you through a lung cancer risk assessment. First, patients should click here to determine if they are a candidate for a lung cancer screening. This website will also provide other details of your potential screening, including how much it will cost and whether your insurance will cover it.

To schedule a lung cancer diagnostic test or other pulmonary screenings, please obtain a referral from your primary care provider. We also offer self-referrals for patients who meet the criteria for a lung cancer screening. You can determine if you qualify for a self-referral by clicking here.

The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) recommends annual lung cancer screenings for people who:

• Are between 50 and 80 years old
• Are a current or former smoker
• Have quit smoking within the past 15 years
• Have a minimum of a 20 pack-year history (e.g., smoked 1 pack per day for 20 years or 2 packs per day for 10 years)
• Have no symptoms of lung cancer

Our lung cancer screenings use low-dose computerized tomography (LDCT) scans to obtain a clear view of your lungs. During your lung screening, you will lie on a table while the CT machine uses low dose radiation to make detailed images of your lungs. The scan is completely painless and only takes a few minutes.

Pulmonary health check-ups are an important part of early lung cancer detection. We offer lung disease screenings at the following locations:

• Bailey Medical Center
• Hillcrest Hospital Claremore
• Hillcrest Hospital Cushing
• Hillcrest Hospital Pryor
• Hillcrest Hospital South
• Hillcrest Medical Center
• Hillcrest Hospital Henryetta

Our screening program employs a multidisciplinary team of physicians that review and scrutinize every lung screening result that contains abnormalities. After your screening, we will provide a thorough and comprehensive analysis which may include a treatment plan.

Deep lung biopsy with Ion

Deep lung biopsies are a more precise, minimally invasive procedure available only at Hillcrest Medical Center. Patients who need a biopsy deep within their lung can get that procedure thanks to the Ion endoluminal system. The Ion system uses an ultra thin maneuverable catheter that allows for unprecedented stability and precise navigation far into the peripheral lung.

Our surgeons also use Ion robotic technology to perform bronchoscopy. This procedure allows your doctor to see the airways in the lungs. With this system, your physician navigates a catheter that can move 180 degrees in any direction. This allows the catheter to pass through small, hard-to-navigate airways to reach all 18 segments of the lung.

Ion’s peripheral vision probe provides direct vision around navigation. Once the catheter reaches the pulmonary nodule, it will lock in place. A Flexision™ biopsy needle is then passed through the catheter to take a sample.

The Ion system is made by Intuitive, the same company that created the da Vinci surgical system. Our surgical team at Hillcrest Medical Center are thrilled to be a leader in robot-assisted technology and look forward to more precise detection and treatment of lung cancer. 

Questions to ask your doctor or care team about deep lung biopsies:

• What biopsy options are available to me?
• Which is best for my situation?
• Are there alternatives to undergoing a biopsy procedure?
• Is a lung biopsy painful?
• Will I receive anesthesia?
• When will I get lung biopsy results?
• What are the effects of a lung biopsy procedure?
• What are the differences among the various biopsy approaches?
• What does robotic-assisted biopsy mean?
• How long does the procedure take?
• What happens if I choose not to get a biopsy?

For more information about deep lung biopsies or any other lung screening services, please contact Utica Park Clinic pulmonary care by calling 918-382-2560.

Comprehensive Thoracic Oncology Program (CTOP)

At Hillcrest Medical Center, we are proud to offer one of only six CTOP programs in the US. The Comprehensive Thoracic Oncology Program’s mission is to use a multidisciplinary approach to providing leading-edge care for patients with lung, esophageal, and other thoracic cancers, such as mesothelioma and thymoma.

Our CTOP program offers clinical expertise in the future of lung care, with strong clinical alignment at its core. With a multidisciplinary team of experts at the helm, our CTOP program offers:

• Active case observation site
• Commitment to data collection
• Dedicated lung nodule program
• State-of-the-art treatments for lung cancer
• Strategically aligned diagnostic and therapeutic physician leaders 
• Support services to ensure the wellbeing of our patients
• Unmatched procedural efficiency

To learn more about our CTOP program, please call us.

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