Lung Cancer Treatment at Cancer Care Northwest

Cancer Care Northwest specializes in the treatment of the following lung cancer conditions:

• Non small cell lung cancer
• Squamous cell carcinoma
• Adenocarcinoma
• Bronchoalveolar carcinoma
• Large cell carcinoma
• Small cell lung cancer
• Thymic malignancies
• Mesothelioma
• Pulmonary neuroendocrine tumors

Cancer Care Northwest is home to an elite team of lung cancer experts.
Specialists who may be involved in your lung cancer care include:

Brenen Swofford, DO

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Bryan J. Ager, MD

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Christopher Lee, MD

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Corbin D. Jacobs, MD

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Elizabeth M. Gunderson, MD

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Lia Head, MD

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Maury Blitman, MD

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O. Kenneth Macdonald, MD

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Saritha Thumma, MD

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Srivalli Gopaluni, MD

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Stephen Thatcher, MD

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Susan Laing, MD

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Wayne T. Lamoreaux, MD

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We know you want the best for your patient. When you refer your patient to Cancer Care Northwest, you assure that he or she has access to the highest level of lung cancer expertise, the latest treatment options, and some of the most advanced technologies in the Inland Northwest.

If you are ready to make a referral to Cancer Care Northwest, please visit our referral page for further instruction. Thank you for choosing Cancer Care Northwest as a partner in the care of your patient.

Quitting smoking can have a big impact on your overall health and quality of life. Tobacco cessation can reduce your risk of smoking related cancers, heart disease and lung disease. It is never too late to quit – even if you have been diagnosed with cancer, reducing tobacco use can improve how well cancer-related treatment works and minimize the chance of getting a second cancer. 

Here are some helpful tips to quit:

1. Know your why

• Make a list of the reasons you want to be smoke-free. Keep it in a place where you can reference it especially during times of cravings or setbacks.
• Think about how quitting smoking may impact your health, lifestyle or family life.

2. Make a plan

• Set a quit date (not too far away) and work up to that date.
• Remove smoking products (such as cigarettes, lighters, ashtrays) from your home, car and workspace.
• Talk to your family, friends, and healthcare provider about your plan.

3. Identify your triggers for tobacco use, then make a plan for each one

• This may include certain activities that you have associated with tobacco use (i.e. drinking coffee, driving, talking on the phone) or strong emotions (anxiety, stress, anger, etc.)
• Think of an alternative behavior or activity for each trigger.
• Smoking cessation counselors and quit lines are available to help identify and manage triggers

4. Know how to manage cravings. Strategies that may help include:

• Physical activity
• Support from a loved one
• Medication – nicotine replacement therapy (patches, lozenges) or varenicline
• Smoking cessation counseling

Additional Smoking Cessation Resources

There is a variety of local and national agencies and organizations can help smokers quit:

Local Resources:

• Spokane Regional Health District Done My Way program. Visit https://srhd.org/done-my-way to learn more.
• Inland Northwest Health Services Community Wellness – Quit for Good free online tobacco cessation course. Provides free nicotine replacement therapy products if not covered by insurance. Visit https://psjhcrmwebsites.microsoftcrmportals.com/home
• Providence Pharmacotherapy Clinic at Holy Family and Sacred Heart Medical Center – provides one-on-one counseling with a pharmacist with personalized quit plan, goal setting, support, and medication prescribing. Call Holy Family at 509-482-3057 or Sacred Heart 509-474-2232
• Washington State Quit Line – provides telephone counseling and nicotine replacement therapy. Call 800 QUIT-NOW

National Resources:

• Go to Smokefree.gov, a website created by National Cancer Institutes’ (NCI) Tobacco Control Research Branch and use the Step-by-Step Quit Guide.
• Download a 24/7 Smokefree app for your smartphone, such as QuitGuide or quitSTART.