Robotic Thoracic Surgery
525 East 68th Street, M-404
New York, NY 10065
Thoracic surgeons at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medical Center are expanding the use of robotic surgery to the treatment of lung, esophageal, mediastinal, and thymic cancers and other disorders. They are able to perform some lobectomy, esophagectomy, and thymectomy procedures using this approach.
Advanced thoracic surgical options at Weill Cornell Medicine
During the robotic procedure, a Weill Cornell Medicine thoracic surgeon sits at a console, viewing the surgical field through the robot's "vision system." The surgeon uses controls to operate the various arms and cameras of the robot, which are placed into position in by surgical assistants.
Robotic thoracic surgery benefits patients by:
• Improving the surgeon’s vision of the area requiring operation
• Increasing precision
• Improving the overall success of minimally invasive surgical techniques, which decrease blood loss, minimize pain, and require a shorter recovery period
Expert surgical treatment for thymoma
The thymus gland produced white blood cells, which protect the body from infections. It is found in the upper chest, under the breastbone.
Thymomas are cancerous tumors that develop on the surface of the thymus gland. People living with an autoimmune disease (such as Myasthenia gravis) have a greater risk of developing thymoma. Symptoms include coughing, trouble breathing, and chest pain.
This condition is most frequently found during routine chest x-rays. The diagnosis is confirmed with additional imaging tests, such as a CT scan, MRI, or PET scan.
The most common treatment is surgery to remove the tumor. Additional treatments may include radiation therapy, hormone therapy, or chemotherapy.
Why choose Weill Cornell Medicine for robotic thoracic surgery?
The Department of Cardiothoracic surgery offers patients:
• The most advanced equipment and technology is used for all of our procedures
• An excellent network of medical professionals, including oncologists, gastroenterologists, and pathologists, working with our thoracic surgeons to ensure patients receive truly comprehensive care
• Treatments tailored specifically to each individual patient
• Our record of excellent outcomes — among the best in the nation — with a very low rate of complications
• Expertise in operating on patients with other health problems (such as diabetes, kidney problems, or others) and those who are elderly
Clinical Trials Open to Thoracic Surgery Patients
Durvalumab (MEDI4736)
The purpose of this study is to find out the effectiveness of the drug, called durvalumab (MEDI4736), for treating Stage I, II, and IIIA non-small cell lung cancer, either prior to surgery and one year following surgery.
Principal Investigator: Nasser Altorki, MD
Contact: Cathy Spinelli, R.N. caf2007@med.cornell.edu, (212) 746-3328
ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT02904954
Atezolizumab (MPDL3280A)
This is a phase III, global, multicenter, open-label, randomized study. The purpose of this trial is to compare the efficacy and safety of 16 cycles (one cycle duration = 21 days) of atezolizumab (MPDL3280A) treatment with best supportive care (BSC).
This study focuses on patients with Stage IB and IIIA non-small cell lung cancer following resection and adjuvant chemotherapy, as measured by disease-free survival (DFS) as assessed by the investigator and overall survival (OS). After completing up to four cycles of adjuvant cisplatin-based chemotherapy, participants will be randomized in a 1:1 ratio to receive atezolizumab for 16 cycles or BSC.
Principal Investigator: Nasser Altorki, MD
Contact: Cathy Spinelli, R.N. caf2007@med.cornell.edu, (212) 746-3328
ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT02486718
