Lung cancer

Lung cancer overview

You are at the center of everything we do at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center. Here, we surround you with a team of specialists who work together closely to provide expert, targeted care and compassionate support throughout your treatment and beyond.

Lung cancer treatment has changed dramatically in recent years, with more options and significantly higher survival rates. As treatment becomes more complex, it's more important than ever to see experts who can determine the best way to treat your particular disease.

The Fred Hutch Lung Cancer Program is the largest, most experienced program of its kind in the Pacific Northwest. We guide you every step of the way, combining our deep clinical expertise in lung cancer with a commitment to meet your unique needs.

Following the merger of long-time partners, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center and Seattle Cancer Care Alliance, the organization was renamed to Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center. We are an independent, nonprofit organization that also serves as UW Medicine's cancer program. 

Why choose Fred Hutch for lung cancer treatment?

  • Comprehensive lung cancer treatment 
    Our doctors are experts in the full spectrum of complex treatments lung cancer may require. Based on the unique characteristics of your cancer, your team may recommend surgery, chemotherapy, immunotherapy, targeted therapy, proton therapy or other radiation therapy, all available at Fred Hutch.
  • Lung cancer clinical trials
    To give you access to the most innovative therapies, we unite the leading researchers and cancer specialists of Fred Hutch and UW Medicine so you can take part in lung cancer clinical studies not available everywhere. More clinical studies on lung cancer take place here than anywhere else in the region.
  • Detecting lung cancer early
    Our Lung Cancer Early Detection and Prevention Clinic evaluates patients with pulmonary nodules or other abnormalities that might be signs of lung cancer. We also offer the latest information on risk factors and screening for people at high risk.
  • A national leader in cancer care
    Fred Hutch is the leading cancer treatment center in the region and among the top nationally, according to U.S. News & World Report.
  • NCI comprehensive cancer center
    We are a comprehensive cancer center, a designation from the National Cancer Institute that reflects our scientific leadership and the depth and breadth of our research to prevent, diagnose and treat cancer.
Chemotherapy Treatment that uses drugs to stop the growth of cancer cells, either by killing the cells or by stopping them from dividing. It may be given alone or with other treatments. Treatment that uses drugs to stop the growth of cancer cells, either by killing the cells or by stopping them from dividing. Chemotherapy may be given by mouth, injection, infusion or on the skin, depending on the type and stage of the cancer being treated. It may be given alone or with other treatments, such as surgery, radiation therapy or biologic therapy. Clinical trial A type of research study that tests how well new medical approaches work in people. These studies test new methods of screening, prevention, diagnosis or treatment of a disease. Immunotherapy A type of therapy that uses substances to stimulate or suppress the immune system to help the body fight cancer, infection and other diseases. A therapy that uses substances to stimulate or suppress the immune system to help the body fight cancer, infection and other diseases. Some immunotherapies only target certain cells of the immune system. Others affect the immune system in a general way. Types of immunotherapy include cytokines, vaccines, bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG) and some monoclonal antibodies. Radiation therapy The use of high-energy radiation from X-rays, gamma rays, neutrons, protons and other sources to kill cancer cells and shrink tumors. The use of high-energy radiation from x-rays, gamma rays, neutrons, protons and other sources to kill cancer cells and shrink tumors. Radiation may come from a machine outside the body (external-beam radiation therapy), or it may come from radioactive material placed in the body near cancer cells (internal radiation therapy or brachytherapy). Systemic radiation therapy uses a radioactive substance, such as a radiolabeled monoclonal antibody, that travels in the blood to tissues throughout the body. Screening Checking for disease when there are no symptoms. Because screening may find diseases at an early stage, there may be a better chance of curing the disease Checking for disease when there are no symptoms. Because screening may find diseases at an early stage, there may be a better chance of curing the disease. Examples of cancer screening tests are the mammogram (for breast cancer), colonoscopy (for colon cancer) and Pap and HPV tests (for cervical cancer). Screening can also include a genetic test to check for a person’s risk of developing an inherited disease. Sign In medicine, a sign is something found during a physical exam or from a laboratory test that shows that a person may have a condition or disease. In medicine, a sign is something found during a physical exam or from a laboratory test that shows that a person may have a condition or disease. Some examples of signs are fever, swelling, skin rash, high blood pressure and high blood glucose. Targeted therapy A type of treatment that uses drugs or other substances to identify and attack specific types of cancer cells while causing less harm to normal cells. A type of treatment that uses drugs or other substances to identify and attack specific types of cancer cells while causing less harm to normal cells. Some targeted therapies block the action of certain enzymes, proteins or other molecules involved in the growth and spread of cancer cells. Other types of targeted therapies help the immune system kill cancer cells, or they deliver toxic substances directly to cancer cells and kill them. Targeted therapy may have fewer side effects than other types of cancer treatment. Most targeted therapies are either small molecule drugs or monoclonal antibodies.

Facts

We offer comprehensive treatment from a team of experts who specialize in lung cancer.

Treatment

At Fred Hutch, we have been personalizing lung cancer care for decades. Our experts offer comprehensive care — from prevention, screening and diagnosis to treatment and surveillance.

Screening Checking for disease when there are no symptoms. Because screening may find diseases at an early stage, there may be a better chance of curing the disease Checking for disease when there are no symptoms. Because screening may find diseases at an early stage, there may be a better chance of curing the disease. Examples of cancer screening tests are the mammogram (for breast cancer), colonoscopy (for colon cancer) and Pap and HPV tests (for cervical cancer). Screening can also include a genetic test to check for a person’s risk of developing an inherited disease. Surveillance Closely watching a patient’s condition but not treating it unless there are changes in test results. Surveillance is also used to find early signs that a disease has come back. In medicine, surveillance means closely watching a patient’s condition but not treating it unless there are changes in test results. Surveillance is also used to find early signs that a disease has come back. It may also be used for a person who has an increased risk of a disease, such as cancer. During surveillance, certain exams and tests are done on a regular schedule. In public health, surveillance may also refer to the ongoing collection of information about a disease, such as cancer, in a certain group of people. The information collected may include where the disease occurs in a population and whether it affects people of a certain gender, age or ethnic group.

Providers

At Fred Hutch, you receive care from a team of providers with extensive experience in your disease. Your team includes physicians, a patient care coordinator, a registered nurse, an advanced practice provider and others, based on your needs. You also have access to experts like nutritionists, social workers, acupuncturists, psychiatrists and more who specialize in supporting people with cancer or blood disorders.

Clinical trials

We bring promising new treatments to patients. For liver cancer patients, this means more treatment options at Fred Hutch than you might find elsewhere, including the chance to participate in one of many ongoing clinical trials conducted at Fred Hutch and UW Medicine.

Resources

There are many resources online for learning about your disease, as well as organizations that provide community and support for your cancer diagnosis. Health educators at the Fred Hutch Patient and Family Resource Center have compiled a list of trusted sources to help you get started.

Featured Stories

A smoker until age 65, Bill Eberhart is grateful for routine screening that found his lung cancer early
A smoker until age 65, Bill Eberhart is grateful for routine screening that found his lung cancer early

When Bill Eberhart relocated to Sequim, Wash., from Hawaii, several years ago, he needed to find new doctors. Eberhart made an appointment with a new primary care provider, who asked if he was a smoker. “I used to be,” Eberhart responded, “but I haven’t smoked in over five years.” Still, when the doctor heard that Eberhart, 71, had smoked for more than 40 years before that, he immediately recommended lung cancer screening. 

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A smoker until age 65, Bill Eberhart is grateful for routine screening that found his lung cancer early
Sunshine Pegues, lung cancer patient
Sunshine Pegues, lung cancer patient

Beverly “Sunshine” Pegues dons her helmet, adjusts her gloves, swings her leg over her saddle and rides into the early dawn sunshine in Seattle. Birdsong punctuates the hushed morning sounds. Her bicycle tires crunch along the sandy road. Riding strong and confident, she picks up speed. She is on the road, training for Obliteride, an annual 25-to-100-mile fundraiser for Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center (Fred Hutch).

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Sunshine Pegues, lung cancer patient
Tom Boyle
Tom Boyle

Tom Boyle was screened at SCCA and UW's Lung Cancer Screening Program. The senior parachute instructor's lung cancer was detected early and was treated with surgery.

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Tom Boyle
Randall Broad
Randall Broad

Most of us expect to go through an interview before starting a job, but have you ever thought about interviewing your physician before you work together ? Randall Broad did — in fact, he interviewed four physicians before deciding to receive his lung cancer treatment at Seattle Cancer Care Alliance (SCCA) and UW Medicine. 

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Randall Broad
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