Lung Cancer Program
Accelerating Access to Lung Cancer Diagnosis and Treatment
City of Hope® Cancer Center Chicago, located in Northern Illinois provides specialized, collaborative care to treat all stages of lung cancer, including early and advanced stages, as well as metastatic and recurrent disease. Our program is locally founded on over 30 years of clinical expertise and is led by physicians at the forefront of lung cancer research. We integrate advanced treatment modalities, including the use of immunotherapy following chemoradiation for patients with locally advanced small cell lung cancer, as well as offer access to leading-edge clinical trials, allowing patients the possible benefit of the latest innovations in oncologic care.
Meet Our Illinois Lung Physicians
Our program is comprised of a multidisciplinary team of experts specializing in lung cancer, including thoracic surgeons, medical and radiation oncologists, interventional pulmonologists, supportive care team members and more.
Kumar Gaurav, M.D.
Assistant Clinical Professor, Department of Medicine
Interventional Pulmonologist and Critical Care Physician
Dr. Gaurav is a triple board-certified interventional pulmonologist, specializing in lung cancer screening, diagnosis, staging and management of malignant airway obstructions. He also practices critical care medicine and treats a broad range of complex pulmonary conditions.
Ajaz Khan, M.D., M.B.A., C.P.E.
President, Medical Staff
Chief, Department of Medical Oncology
Assistant Clinical Professor, Department of Medical Oncology & Therapeutics Research Medical Oncologist
Dr. Khan is chief of medical oncology and president of the medical staff at City of Hope Cancer Center Chicago, where he leads clinical standards and physician recruitment. As a practicing medical oncologist, he has a primary focus on lung and breast cancer care and is primary investigator in multiple oncology clinical trials.
Meng Gan, M.D.
Assistant Clinical Professor, Department of Radiation Oncology
Radiation Oncologist
Dr. Gan specializes in advanced radiation techniques including IMRT, stereotactic radiosurgery, brachytherapy and VMAT for a variety of cancers, including lung. She is committed to compassionate, patient-centered care and contributes to multidisciplinary treatment planning while actively publishing in the field.
About Our Program
Our program in Northern Illinois is part of the national City of Hope network, which has been instrumental in lung cancer treatment breakthroughs, including a novel mechanism underlying mitochondrial regulation by MET, leading to a novel strategy to treat non-small cell lung cancer.
Types of lung cancer we treat:
Additionally, our teams treat certain benign lung diseases, including hemoptysis and airway obstructions.
We offer a comprehensive range of oncology services to diagnose and treat lung cancer, including:
Rapid Undiagnosed Lung Nodule Program
With an increasing focus on lung cancer screening, the incidence of indeterminate pulmonary nodules has also risen. Additionally, delays in diagnostics and treatment services for cancer patients have a direct correlation to increased mortality rate.
To urgently address this concern, City of Hope Chicago in Northern Illinois offers a Rapid Undiagnosed Lung Nodule Program, providing safe, minimally invasive biopsy for suspicious nodules less than 8 mm, and a diagnosis and treatment plan in as little as one week.
Interventional Pulmonology
At City of Hope in Lake County, our interventional pulmonologists offer minimally invasive endoscopic procedures for diagnosis and therapeutic interventions in patients with malignant and nonmalignant disorders of the lung and the pleura. Through several modalities, our team treats obstructions quickly and precisely to help patients return to treatment and maintain a good quality of life.
Open Chicago-Area Clinical Trials for Lung Cancer
As part of our commitment to expanding access to innovative therapies, City of Hope Cancer Center Chicago offers a portfolio of lung cancer clinical trials. Highlighted below are select studies currently enrolling patients at our Zion, Illinois location.
Immunotherapy Biomarkers to Predict First-line PD(L)1-based Immunotherapy Response and Selection of Second-line Treatment in Stage IIIB-IV Non-small Cell Lung Cancer,
IMMUNO-BIOMAP Trial
- Description: This Phase 2 trial tests the impact of biomarkers in predicting initial treatment (first-line) PD1 or PD-L1 (PD[L]-1)- based immunotherapy response and in selecting second-line treatment in patients with Stage 3B-4 non-small cell lung cancer.
- Conditions:
- Lung non-small cell carcinoma
- Stage 3B lung cancer
- Stage 4 lung cancer
- Study sponsor: City of Hope Medical Center
- Clinicaltrials.gov ID: NCT07288034
- Note: At the time the study opened, City of Hope was the only system in the nation to offer this trial.
A Study Evaluating the Efficacy and Safety of Divarasib and Pembrolizumab Versus Pembrolizumab and Pemetrexed and Carboplatin or Cisplatin in Participants With Previously Untreated, KRAS G12C-Mutated, Advanced or Metastatic Non-Squamous Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer (Krascendo 2)
- Description: The purpose of this study is to evaluate the efficacy and safety of divarasib and pembrolizumab compared with pembrolizumab and pemetrexed and carboplatin or cisplatin, for the first-line treatment of adult participants with KRAS G12C-mutated, advanced or metastatic non squamous non-small cell lung cancer.
- Conditions:
- Non-small cell lung cancer
- KRAS G12C lung cancer
- Study Sponsor: Hoffmann-La Roche
- Clinicaltrials.gov ID: NCT06793215
A Phase 1b Study Evaluating the Safety, Tolerability, Pharmacokinetics, and Efficacy of Tarlatamab in Combination With ZL-1310 With or Without Anti-PD-L1 in Participants With Small Cell Lung Cancer
- Description: The primary objective of this trial is to evaluate the safety and tolerability of tarlatamab in combination with ZL- 1310 with or without durvalumab and to determine the maximum tolerated combination dose (MTCD) and/or recommended phase 2 dose (RP2D) of ZL-1310 in combination with tarlatamab.
- Conditions: Small-cell lung cancer
- Study Sponsor: Amgen
- Clinicaltrials.gov ID: NCT07531095
- Note: At the time the study opened, City of Hope was the only location in Illinois to offer this trial.
Refer a Patient to City of Hope
We strive to offer a well-coordinated experience for our referring providers. Upon receiving your referral, our team will immediately begin processing it, with minimal work on your end.
Our Commitment to Clinical Excellence
Our Illinois cancer center is recognized by several organizations that evaluate the quality of hospital programs as:
Latest Lung Cancer News
Dedication to Speed to Care
City of Hope Cancer Center and our outpatient cancer care locations are intentionally structured to maximize speed to care, with: