Fox Chase Cancer Center and Temple Health Redefine Lung Cancer Care

Through innovation, collaboration, and community outreach, Fox Chase Cancer Center and Temple Health are transforming the future of lung cancer detection and treatment.

For decades, lung cancer had one of medicine's darkest reputations because it was often detected too late and was notoriously difficult to treat. Today, that picture has brightened dramatically. Through collaboration between Fox Chase Cancer Center and Temple Health, patients have more hope and are living longer thanks to advanced screening, precision medicine, and a level of multidisciplinary expertise that's setting new standards nationwide.

Fox Chase patient, Donna Thompson.

A Patient's Second Chance

For Donna Thompson, that expertise meant everything. In 2015, she was diagnosed with non-small cell adenocarcinoma after a chest X-ray revealed a mass. She was only 45 and had never smoked. Her pulmonologist referred her to Stacey Su, MD, FACS, Chief of Thoracic Surgery at Fox Chase, who performed Thompson's first lung surgery. "Dr. Su was empathetic and reassuring," Thompson says. "I felt confident she could get me through this."

After surgery, Thompson met with Hossein Borghaei, DO, MS, Chief of Thoracic Medical Oncology at Fox Chase, who explained her cancer's rare pattern of spread and recommended chemotherapy to reduce the risk of recurrence.

Years later, a new tumor appeared. Before Thompson underwent surgery elsewhere, Su reached out to encourage a second opinion. Patients routinely come to Fox Chase for second opinions dues to its high level of subspecialty expertise. Advanced imaging and biomarker testing at Fox Chase clarified her diagnosis, leading to a targeted treatment plan that spared more of her lung and improved her outcome.

Catching this early and being treated by specialists saved my life and my lungs."

-Donna Thompson, Lung Cancer Survivor

Today, Donna's an advocate with The White Ribbon Project and the American Lung Cancer Association, raising awareness about early screening and the importance of expert care.

Breakthroughs That Change Outcomes

According to the Lung Cancer Research Foundation, one in 16 people will be diagnosed with lung cancer in their lifetime. It remains the leading cause of cancer death, but survival rates have improved significantly over the past decade.

"This is a new era in lung cancer care," says Martin J. Edelman, MD, FACP, Chair of the Department of Hematology/Oncology and Associate Cancer Center Director for Clinical Research Integration at Fox Chase.

For the first time, I can realistically talk to a patient with advanced disease about a five-year survival. Not long ago, one-year survival was a 50/50 proposition."

-Martin J. Edelman, MD, FACP, Chair, Department of Hematology/Oncology, Fox Chase Cancer Center

These gains stem from years of investment in targeted therapy, immunotherapy, and early detection. Over 30 new Food and Drug Administration-approved drugs have reshaped treatment options, while low-dose CT (LDCT) screening is detecting cancer earlier than ever. But despite these tools, screening rates remain too low nationally, a challenge Temple Health is tackling head-on.

Temple's Healthy Chest Initiative: Expanding Access

Dr. Gerard Criner reviews each of his patient's scans and results with care and attention.

At the forefront of this effort is Gerard J. Criner, MD, FACP, FACCP, Chair and Professor of Thoracic Medicine and Surgery at the Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University and Director of the Temple Lung Center. Criner and his team created the Temple Healthy Chest Initiative, a pioneering program that uses LDCT scans to detect lung cancer, COPD, emphysema, and other pulmonary diseases in their earliest stages.

"Lung cancer screening is the single most effective way to save lives," says Criner. "But awareness and access remain barriers."

By bringing screening closer to where people live and work, we're changing the equation, especially for populations that have been historically underserved."

-Gerard J. Criner, MD, FACP, FACCP, Director, Temple Lung Center

"Moreover, identifying important lung, heart, and comorbid conditions that can also be identified on LDCT provides added value to patients and their providers to identity and potentially treat unrecognized comorbid diseases."

The Temple Healthy Chest Initiative continues to make LDCTs more accessible for patients across the region and beyond-the success of the program has attracted international attention, inspiring other hospitals and health systems to model similar community-based programs.

Precision Medicine and Team-Based Expertise

For patients whose screenings lead to a diagnosis, the strength of the Temple Health-Fox Chase partnership becomes clear. Each patient's care is guided by a team of specialists including oncologists, surgeons, pulmonologists, radiologists, and researchers who meet regularly to determine the most effective, individualized treatment plan.

"Specialization is really what sets our team apart," says Borghaei. "Our physicians treat nothing but lung cancer. That depth of expertise allows us to offer highly nuanced, rapidly evolving care."

Dr. Hossein Borghaei knows that progress in lung cancer care starts with a commitment to discovery.

For example, Fox Chase's molecular pathology lab conducts reflex testing, which automatically analyzes tumors for genetic mutations that can inform targeted therapies, a process that is harmonized between Fox Chase and Temple Health. "That means faster results and earlier access to the most effective treatments," says Borghaei.

Sukhmani Kaur Padda, MD, a Professor in the Department of Hematology/Oncology at Fox Chase and Vice Chair of Medical Oncology at Fox Chase Cancer Center at Temple University Hospital, noted that lung cancer now has 10 genomic targets with unique and targeted FDA-approved drugs. "It's not enough to know a tumor has a genomic mutation," she says. "We have to know exactly what gene the mutation has occurred in and what the specific subtype of the mutation is, as it impacts treatment choice. This is what makes precision oncology possible, and it's transforming outcomes."

Fox Chase also operates a Phase 1 Clinical Trials Program that gives patients access to emerging drugs years before they become standard therapy. Many of today's approved treatments were first tested through this program.

Serving Every Patient

For Padda, another aspect of the progress in treating lung cancer is pushing back against the stigma around it. "Many patients still feel blamed for their diagnosis," she says. "That question, 'Did you smoke?' can make people hesitate to get screened. Anyone can get lung cancer, regardless of smoking history."

To serve this growing population, Fox Chase launched the Never Smoker Lung Cancer Clinic in 2019, the first of its kind in the region. The clinic offers specialized care and clinical trial access for patients who have been diagnosed with lung cancer despite never having smoked or having only light smoking exposure, ensuring they receive the same attention and innovation as other lung cancer patients.

Looking Ahead: Hope and Discovery

Together, Fox Chase and Temple Health are not just treating lung cancer, they're reshaping its trajectory. Ongoing research into racial disparities in tumor biology, innovations like robotic bronchoscopy, and a shared commitment to community engagement continue to expand the reach of their programs.

"Lung cancer may be complex, but it's also more hopeful than it has ever been," says Edelman. "The pace of progress is remarkable, and it's saving lives."

Lung Cancer Screening Locations