Lung Cancer Program
Accelerating Access to Lung Cancer Diagnosis and Treatment
About Our Program
City of Hope® Cancer Center Phoenix, with four locations across the Valley, provides multidisciplinary care to treat all stages of lung cancer, including early stage, advanced stage and recurrent disease. Our program provides a uniquely individualized, world-class cancer care experience for lung cancer patients, including:
- Access to a multidisciplinary team comprised of experts in lung cancer, including thoracic surgeons, medical and radiation oncologists, interventional pulmonologists, supportive care team members and more
- An established precision medicine program that incorporates genetic sequencing and profiling a patient’s tumor to determine if additional targeted therapies or clinical trials would be beneficial
- Groundbreaking clinical trial availability involving new drugs and leading-edge treatments before they become widely available
- Access to the nation’s top subspecialists through case reviews and tumor boards, to provide optimal information sharing
Meet Our Experts
Our program is comprised of a multidisciplinary team of experts specializing in lung cancer, including surgeons, medical and radiation oncologists, interventional radiologists, supportive care team members and more. Several of our physicians hold faculty positions within City of Hope and externally and have obtained unique certifications.
Michael Zgoda, M.D., M.B.A., C.P.E.
Medical Director of Outpatient Operations
Interventional Pulmonologist
Clinical Professor, Department of Medicine
Michael Zgoda, M.D., M.B.A., C.P.E., joined City of Hope Phoenix in 2023. In his role as an interventional pulmonologist, Dr. Zgoda focuses his practice on the diagnosis, staging and management of malignancies in the lung and other non-malignant disorders of the lung and pleura. He offers patients leading-edge minimally invasive techniques, including robotic bronchoscopy and photodynamic therapy.
Amit Kulkarni, M.D.
Thoracic Oncologist
Assistant Professor, Department of Medical Oncology & Therapeutics Research
Assistant Professor of Medical Oncology Amit Kulkarni, M.D., is a thoracic cancers specialist at City of Hope Phoenix, where he specializes in providing leading-edge, innovative care for patients with lung cancer and other cancer types affecting the thorax. Dr. Kulkarni’s philosophy is founded on educating and informing his patients, understanding their unique diagnosis and health goals and developing a targeted treatment plan with the help of innovative approaches to care, such as precision oncology.
Sagun Shrestha, M.D.
Chief of Medical Oncology
Assistant Clinical Professor, Department of Medical Oncology & Therapeutics Research
Sagun Shrestha, M.D., is the Chief of Medical Oncology at City of Hope® Cancer Center Phoenix, where she oversees clinical care for patients undergoing treatment for a wide range of cancer types. She focuses particularly on treating lung cancer, melanoma, head and neck cancer, breast cancer, sarcoma and brain tumors. Drawn to her role at City of Hope by the organization’s focus on treating the whole person, mind, body and soul, Dr. Shrestha works alongside other physicians, supportive care providers and care managers to establish a personalized care plan for each patient, with the goal of helping patients and their loved ones make informed decisions about their care.
Refer a Patient to City of Hope
We strive to offer a well-coordinated experience to our referring providers. Upon receiving your referral, our team will immediately begin processing it, with minimal work on your end.
Address
14200 West Celebrate Life Way
Goodyear, AZ 85338
Institutional Distinctions
As a 100-plus year leader in treating life-threatening diseases including lung cancer, our hospital system:
- Surpasses Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) Program national median survival rates for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) at all stages
- Provides access to over 40 lung cancer clinical trials
- Offers advanced surgical techniques, including robotic thoracic surgery and minimally invasive techniques
- Led the research discovery of a novel mechanism underlying mitochondrial regulation by MET, leading to a novel strategy for treating NSCLC
- Offers an accelerated bench-to-bedside approach with three Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP)-certified facilities at our core
Rapid Lung Nodule Diagnosis Program
With increased lung cancer screening, the incidence of indeterminate pulmonary nodules has also risen. Additionally, delays in diagnostic and treatment services for cancer patients have a direct correlation to increased mortality rate.
At City of Hope, we recognize the urgency a cancer diagnosis requires. That’s why we developed a Rapid Lung Nodule Diagnosis Program to provide expedited access to leading-edge services. Through the program, we offer a safe, minimally invasive biopsy for suspicious nodules larger than 8 millimeters, providing diagnosis and treatment within as little as one week.
As part of the program, our cancer center offers the Ion Endoluminal System by Intuitive, which enables our team to obtain tissue samples from deeper within the lung than other existing approaches. With the precision of this system, we may avoid subsequent biopsies.
Our Services and Offerings
At City of Hope, our clinical experts have one collective goal: to treat cancer with precision and compassion so our patients can get back to life.
Our Commitment to Clinical Excellence
The Lung Cancer Program offers a dedicated multidisciplinary team that blends innovative research discoveries with superior clinical treatments. Since lung diseases may frequently be treated by multiple modalities, there is deliberate collaboration between physicians and advanced practice providers to optimize clinical outcomes. The result is improved outcomes for patients with various lung malignancies and other internal disorders. With a dedicated focus on quality care for all patients, our program is:
- Accredited by the Foundation for the Accreditation of Cellular Therapy (FACT), a distinction given to facilities that meet the highest standards in clinical care for adult allogeneic and autologous stem cell therapy, immune effector cell therapy, cell therapy product collection and cell therapy product processing.
- Certified by the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO®) Quality Oncology Practice Initiative Certification Program, which is awarded to hospitals that demonstrate a commitment to quality along nationally approved standards.
- An accredited laboratory by the College of American Pathologists, including recognition for biorepository services for tissue collection, preparation, sampling and processing — a distinction granted to fewer than 100 CAP-accredited biorepository programs in the United States.
Our Commitment to Clinical Excellence
At City of Hope Phoenix, our experienced doctors, Magnet®-recognized nurses and other clinicians work together, providing comprehensive cancer treatment tailored to each patient, all under one roof.
Latest Lung Cancer News
Dedication to Speed to Care
City of Hope Cancer Center and our outpatient locations are intentionally structured to maximize speed to care, with: