Conditions We Treat

Carcinoid tumors grow slowly and usually appear in the gastrointestinal tract or lung. Gastrointestinal symptoms include skin flushing and diarrhea, and symptoms that appear if the tumor is in the lung include difficulty breathing. Carcinoid tumors typically begin in the cells that produce hormones of various organs in the gastrointestinal tract like stomach or intestines, though they can develop in the pancreas or the testicles in men and the ovaries in women.

Sometimes tumors arise on the chest wall, which covers the chest cavity. The chest cavity is a cage of bone and muscle that holds the lungs, heart, and other vital organs. Like all tumors, chest wall tumors may be malignant (cancerous) or benign (non-cancerous), and may originate there or have spread from elsewhere. Only about five percent of chest wall tumors are found to be cancerous. Either type of tumor may interfere with the body's functioning.

Esophageal cancer is the uncontrolled growth of abnormal cells in the esophagus, which is a flexible tube connecting the throat to the stomach. Generally between 10 and 13 inches long, the esophagus contracts when one swallows, to push food down into the stomach. Mucus helps move this process along.

Lung cancer is cancer that begins in the lungs, two sponge-like organs in the chest that take in oxygen when breathing. It is the leading cause of cancer deaths in the United States, and smokers have the greatest risk. Some lung cancers are not related to smoking but to exposure to things like asbestos, while others occur for unknown reasons.

The mediastinum lies between the right and left pleurae (a delicate membrane that encloses the lungs) in and near the median sagittal plane of the chest. It extends from the sternum in front to the vertebral column behind, and contains the heart, aorta (the body's largest artery), esophagus, thymus (one of the glands), trachea, lymph nodes, and nerves. The mediastinum is bordered by the breastbone (sternum) in front, the spine in back, and the lungs on either side. Mediastinal tumors are growths that form in this area.

Mesothelioma is cancer of the tissue that lines many of the organs in the body. This lining is called the mesothelium. Mesothelioma is a rare type of cancer that is very serious.

Thymoma and thymic carcinoma are types of rare cancers that grow on thymus. The thymus is a small organ in the upper chest that is part of the lymph system. It makes white blood cells that help the body fight infection.