Lung Care for Patients with Cancer

Cancer treatments such as chemotherapy, immunotherapy, radiation therapy, and targeted therapies can sometimes lead to complications in the lungs that may cause symptoms like shortness of breath and cough. Additionally, pre-existing lung conditions such as asthma or chronic obstructive lung disease (COPD) can become more challenging to manage during cancer treatment.

The Program for Lung Care for Patients with Cancer at Columbia University Irving Medical Center/NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital is dedicated to evaluating and treating lung issues that arise before, during, and after cancer therapy.

Our goal is to help patients maintain optimal lung health by providing expert, compassionate, and personalized pulmonary care. We want to ensure that our patients can continue their cancer treatments safely and comfortably.

Conditions We Treat

We specialize in the diagnosis and management of lung conditions that occur in the setting of cancer or its treatment, including:

• Checkpoint inhibitor pneumonitis
• Radiation pneumonitis
• Chemotherapy-induced lung disease
• Interstitial lung disease (ILD) from targeted therapies
• Opportunistic infections in immunocompromised patients
• Asthma, COPD, chronic cough, or unexplained dyspnea in patients with cancer

Our Approach

Our care team combines evidence-based practice with a personalized approach tailored to each patient’s cancer therapy and overall health. We offer:

• Comprehensive pulmonary evaluation
• Advanced imaging and pulmonary function testing
• Personalized treatment plans, including corticosteroids and immunosuppressive therapy
• Symptom management for breathlessness, cough, and oxygen needs
• Longitudinal follow-up before, during, and after cancer treatment

Coordinated Care at Columbia

Patients benefit from seamless integration with some of Columbia’s most advanced pulmonary and multidisciplinary programs. Our team works in close partnership with Columbia’s nationally recognized oncology, radiation oncology, infectious disease, thoracic radiology, and interventional pulmonary teams to ensure safe, coordinated management across the full spectrum of cancer care. In addition, patients have access to Columbia’s renowned Interstitial Lung Disease (ILD) program, which provides expertise in the diagnosis and treatment of complex lung disease patterns, including those related to cancer therapies. We frequently co-manage patients with drug-induced ILD and progressive fibrosis, benefitting from subspecialty input from ILD experts to guide individualized therapy. When appropriate, we coordinate with the Pulmonary Rehabilitation Program to address functional limitations and promote recovery.

Patients also benefit from access to Columbia’s Interventional Pulmonary program, which offers advanced procedures to support the diagnosis and management of complex lung issues. These include advanced bronchoscopy, as well as management of pleural effusions (fluid buildup around the lungs) and placement of long-term drainage catheters (indwelling pleural catheters) to help relieve symptoms and improve breathing.

This collaborative, multidisciplinary model ensures that every patient receives comprehensive, compassionate, and expertly coordinated care at every step.

Access to the Latest Treatments

Through our partnership with Columbia University’s research enterprise and clinical trials network, patients may be eligible for investigational therapies or novel treatment strategies for cancer-related lung disease. We stay at the forefront of evolving science to provide our patients with access to cutting-edge options that may not be available elsewhere.