November 14, 2025

Ep. 589 Lung Cancer Tumor Boards: Multidisciplinary Approaches & Best Practices with Dr. Karen Reckamp, Dr. Scott Atay, Dr. Scott Oh, Dr. Alan Lee

55 minutes

As lung cancer treatments become more complex, is a collaborative tumor board more essential than ever? We’re kicking off the 2025 NSCLC Creator Weekend™ series with an in-studio panel discussion on the multidisciplinary management of lung cancer. The panel includes experts from medical oncology, thoracic surgery, radiation oncology, and interventional pulmonology from major institutions in Los Angeles.

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This podcast is supported by an educational grant from Johnson & Johnson and Varian.

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SYNPOSIS

They discuss the operation of tumor boards at their respective institutions, the impact of virtual meetings, optimal strategies for mediastinal staging, the management of early-stage lung cancer, and the emerging role of ablation therapy. The conversation dives into the complexities of treating patients with recurrence or metastatic disease, highlighting the importance of collaborative decision-making in navigating these challenging scenarios. The episode emphasizes the critical role of multidisciplinary tumor boards in providing informed, patient-centered care.

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TIMESTAMPS

00:00 - Introduction
06:59 - Role of Pulmonologists in Tumor Boards
12:08 - Importance of Tissue Diagnosis
24:52 - Lung Cancer Screening and Stigma
34:01 - Interventional Radiology and Biopsies
46:21 - Challenges with Immunotherapy and Radiation
53:44 - The Importance of Multidisciplinary Teams
54:24 - Final Thoughts

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RESOURCES

American Lung Association 2024 Data
https://www.lung.org/getmedia/12020193-7fb3-46b8-8d78-0e5d9cd8f93c/SOLC-2024.pdf

National Lung Screening Trial
https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa1102873

Checkmate 816
https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa2202170

PACIFIC Trial
https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa1709937

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