Thoracic Surgery & Oncology

Our areas of expertise in thoracic surgery and oncology

UCSF Health is a regional, national and international referral center for people with lung cancer and other thoracic diseases. Patients and physicians worldwide trust us to evaluate and care for the most challenging cases. Thanks to our wide range of treatments and clinical trials, we can offer patients more options to live longer, fuller lives.

Robot-assisted thoracic surgery

Our surgeons have been innovators in minimally invasive surgery for decades. Currently, we use robotic-assisted minimally invasive techniques to treat benign (noncancerous) and malignant (cancerous) tumors in the lungs and chest.

During robotic thoracic surgery, our surgeons control robotic arms that have better range of motion and more precision than human arms. This technology allows us to operate through tiny incisions with exceptional accuracy. We can now treat conditions that would previously have required major open surgery — or were considered inoperable — with a minimally invasive procedure.

Robotic lung cancer surgery offers many benefits to patients, including:

• Less blood loss

• Less pain after surgery

• Shorter hospital stay

• Lower risk of complications

Minimally invasive esophagectomy

UCSF Health is among a few specialty centers on the West Coast to offer minimally invasive esophagectomy (surgery to remove all or part of the esophagus). We may use this approach to treat Barrett's esophagus (a precancerous condition) or esophageal cancer.

Expertise in complex cases

Our specialists are known for their ability to treat complex, high-risk cases, including people who have been turned down for surgery at other institutions. Thoracic surgeons work with neurosurgeons, vascular surgeons and other experts to treat thoracic tumors that are large or near critical structures, such as the heart or spine.

Enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS)

UCSF Health was among the first in the country to establish ERAS guidelines for people undergoing lung or esophageal surgery. We use evidence-based methods before, during and after your procedure to keep you safe and help you feel better faster.

As part of ERAS protocols, we:

• Provide education and counseling before surgery

• Use minimally invasive techniques, when appropriate

• Tailor pain control to each patient's needs

• Help patients move again as soon as possible after surgery

More effective treatment, fewer side effects

Our medical oncologists provide leading-edge therapies, including targeted therapy and immunotherapy, that are generally more effective and have fewer side effects than chemotherapy or radiation therapy.

Targeted therapy attacks cancer without damaging healthy cells. Immunotherapy harnesses your immune system to fight cancer. We do advanced molecular testing on all tumors to determine which treatments are most likely to be effective for you. We can also offer these therapies to patients with advanced cancers to help ease symptoms and improve quality of life (palliative care).