Message from the Director

Welcome to the Thoracic Oncology Program

Our goal is to provide compassionate, state-of-the-art multidisciplinary care to patients diagnosed with lung cancer, mesothelioma and other thoracic malignancies.

A diagnosis of lung cancer is especially difficult. Patients must deal not only with disease itself, but with the stigma associated with the diagnosis. Even patients who have quit smoking or never smoked at all shoulder these burdens. I reject these attitudes, which are totally unjust. At UCSF, our sole focus is on treatment and hope, not on blaming the victim.

We are proud to be a regional, national, and international referral center for lung cancer. Our surgeons are known for their willingness to be aggressive in the appropriate case. We are also a high volume center for thoracic surgery, the largest on the West Coast. Our post-operative mortality rates are among the lowest anywhere.

UCSF Medical Center earned a “high performance” rating – the highest rating possible – for lung cancer surgery in the most recent U.S. News & World Report Best Hospitals survey. The survey evaluated data from more than 4,500 hospitals.

We have extensive experience in performing minimally invasive thoracic surgery. That means shorter hospital stays, less post-operative pain, and a more rapid return to normal activities. For patients who need chemotherapy after surgery, it means they can begin their treatment faster and are better able to tolerate higher doses.

Our medical oncology group is led by Matthew A. Gubens, MD, one of the region's foremost and highly regarded thoracic oncologists. . Other specialists treating patients, from radiation oncology, pulmonology, pathology, and imaging, are similarly dedicated and highly skilled. All have special expertise in treating patients with lung cancer and other thoracic malignancies.

Our scientists have the same commitment to eradicating lung cancer as I do. Our lab researchers work tirelessly seeking to discover new therapies and cures. Our clinical investigators offer a broad menu of clinical trials that allow patients to access the latest treatments.

Sincerely,