The Pulmonary, Allergy and Critical Care Medicine clinic at UAB treats all types of lung cancer with a team of dedicated medical professionals who specialize in this field. Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer deaths in the United States for both men and women, and we pride ourselves on providing the best care available, while also focusing on research to find better treatments for this disease.

Our Services

• Diagnosis and management of interstitial lung disease
• Pulmonary breathing test
• Routine lung cancer care
• Lung cancer diagnosis and treatment

Our Team of Experts
The lung cancer clinic is made up of physicians dedicated to treating each type of lung cancer with the latest technology. Because our physicians are specialists in oncology, hematology, surgical oncology and radiation oncology, you can rest assured you’re receiving the best care available. We work with specialists in other areas of care when necessary to give you a comprehensive approach to treatment.

Search our physician directory to learn more about our team.

Location
Our clinic is located in downtown Birmingham at The Kirklin clinic, on the 4th floor at 2000 6th Avenue South, Birmingham, AL 35233.

Symptoms and Signs
Lung cancer usually does not cause symptoms when it first develops, but symptoms often become present after the tumor begins growing. A cough is the most common symptom of lung cancer. Other symptoms include:

• constant chest pain
• shortness of breath
• wheezing
• recurring lung infections, such as pneumonia or bronchitis
• bloody or rust colored sputum
• hoarseness
• a tumor that presses on large blood vessels near the lung can cause swelling of the neck and face
• a tumor that presses on certain nerves near the lung causing pain and weakness in the shoulder, arm, or hand
• fever for unknown reason

Like all cancers, lung cancer can cause:

• fatigue
• loss of appetite
• loss of weight
• headache
• pain in other parts of the body not affected by the cancer
• bone fractures

Diagnosis and Treatment
Lung cancers are generally divided into two types:

• Nonsmall cell lung cancer is more common than small cell lung cancer. The three main kinds of nonsmall cell lung cancer are named for the type of cells in the tumor:
  • Squamous cell carcinoma, also called epidermoid carcinoma, is the most common type of lung cancer in men. It often begins in the bronchi and usually does not spread as quickly as other types of lung cancer.
  • Adenocarcinoma usually begins along the outer edges of the lungs and under the lining of the bronchi. It is the most common type of lung cancer in women and in people who have never smoked.
  • Large cell carcinomas are a group of cancers with large, abnormal-looking cells. These tumors usually begin along the outer edges of the lungs.
• Small cell lung cancer, sometimes called oat cell cancer because the cancer cells may look like oats when viewed under a microscope, grows rapidly and quickly spreads to other organs.

How is lung cancer diagnosed?
In addition to a complete medical history to check for risk factors and symptoms, and a physical examination to provide other information about signs of lung cancer and other health problems, procedures used to diagnose lung cancer may include:

• chest x-ray - to look for any mass or spot on the lungs.
• computed tomography scan (Also called a CT or CAT scan.) - a diagnostic imaging procedure that uses a combination of x-rays and computer technology to produce cross-sectional images (often called slices), both horizontally and vertically, of the body. A CT scan shows detailed images of any part of the body, including the bones, muscles, fat, and organs. CT scans are more detailed than general x-rays.
• sputum cytology - a study of phlegm (spit) cells under a microscope.
• needle biopsy - a needle is guided into the mass while the lungs are being viewed on a CT scan and a sample of the mass is removed and evaluated in the pathology laboratory under a microscope.
• bronchoscopy - the examination of the bronchi (the main airways of the lungs) using a flexible tube (bronchoscope). Bronchoscopy helps to evaluate and diagnose lung problems, assess blockages, obtain samples of tissue and/or fluid, and/or to help remove a foreign body.
• mediastinoscopy - a process in which a small cut is made in the neck so that a tissue sample can be taken from the lymph nodes (mediastinal nodes) along the windpipe and the major bronchial tube areas to evaluate under a microscope.
• x-rays and scans of the brain, liver, bone, and adrenal glands - to determine if the cancer has spread from where it started into other areas of the body.
• PET scans - a tracer is given intravenously that collects at tumor sites, and can be indentified by the scanner.

Other tests and procedures may be used as well.

Treatment for lung cancer:
Specific treatment for lung cancer will be determined by your physician based on:

• your age, overall health, and medical history
• extent of the disease
• your tolerance for specific medications, procedures, or therapies
• expectations for the course of the disease
• your opinion or preference

Surgery, radiation therapy, and chemotherapy may be used in the treatment of lung cancer.

• surgery
  
  • segmental or wedge resection - to remove only a small part of the lung
  • lobectomy - removal of an entire lobe of the lung
  • pneumonectomy - removal of an entire lung
• radiation therapy (also called radiotherapy) - the use of high-energy rays to damage cancer cells and stop them from growing and dividing.
• chemotherapy - the use of drugs to kill cancer cells.

Our Clinical Trials
UAB’s lung cancer clinic is constantly working to find better treatments and a cure for all types of lung cancers. Talk to your doctor to see if you are a candidate for one of UAB’s lung cancer clinical trials.