In this episode of Thinking Thoracic, co-host Dr. Jeff Yang welcomes Dr. Gavitt Woodard and Dr. Christopher Seder to discuss their recent research on lobectomy versus sublobar resection for early-stage non-small cell lung cancer. Their studies, leveraging data from The STS General Thoracic Surgery Database, provide valuable insights into the long-term survival outcomes of these surgical approaches.

Hear from Dr. Woodard on how her study, recognized as the Richard E. Clark Memorial Paper, aimed to evaluate patient populations that were not well represented in prior randomized trials, such as older adults and those with poorer pulmonary function. Dr. Seder explains how his research took a complementary approach, examining over 32,000 patients from 2012 to 2022, with a focus on distinguishing the survival outcomes between lobectomy, segmentectomy, and wedge resection. Listen today.

In this episode of Thinking Thoracic, Dr. Jane Yanagawa talks with Dr. Olujimi Ajijola, UCLA Health, about cardiac sympathetic denervation. They cover the basics, such as indications for CSD, and the latest advances to make surgery less invasive. The focus is on patients with severe ventricular arrhythmias for whom none of the conventional therapies available are effective. Listen today.

In this episode, hear from Thinking Thoracic hosts, Drs. Erin Gillaspie, Hari Keshava, Jeff Yang, and Jane Yanagawa as they participated in a sublobar debate on extent of resection that took place at the 2025 STS Annual Meeting. Are you Team Wedge or Team Segment? Hear the unique perspectives and best practices from these experts on the extent of resection and quality metrics in lung cancer care, as well as other changing trends. 

In this episode, Dr. Hari Keshava talks with Dr. Sid Murthy, section head, thoracic surgery at Cleveland Clinic, about thoracic surgical emergencies related to pulmonary and lung surgeries...and how optimal management of these situations often requires surgeons to anticipate, collaborate and be prepared with a well-thought-out action plan. 

In this episode of Thinking Thoracic, Dr. Jane Yanagawa talks with Dr. Stephanie Worrell, clinical associate professor and thoracic section chief, division of cardiothoracic surgery, University of Arizona, about her expertise in esophageal perforation management. Hear how esophageal surgery can involve complications such as anastomotic leak, pain, bleeding, infection, and reflux and how surgeons can best handle them. 

A traveling, mobile lung screening program has the potential to diagnose cancer earlier, leading to a higher cure rate and lower death rate. In this episode of Thinking Thoracic, STS’s new podcast series, host Dr. Jeffrey Yang talks with Dr. Robert Headrick about CHI Memorial’s “Breathe Easy” mobile lung screening program and how meeting people where they are with quality healthcare services like this one is saving lives. Learn how to build a mobile lung screening program at a hospital and gain tips on assembling a multidisciplinary team, identifying eligible patient populations, securing funding and the necessary equipment, and more.

In this first episode of Thinking Thoracic, Dr. Erin Gillaspie talks with Dr. Wade Iams about notable takeaways on key clinical trials presented at the 2024 World Conference on Lung Cancer and how these findings will help shape the thoracic surgery landscape.