University of Michigan MC

500 East Medical Center Drive, Ann Arbor, MI 48109

Year Opened 1986

Patients 3,894 cancer patients admitted in 2010

Fast Fact Grants in excess of $157 million annually

Doctors in this Hospital

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• 
  Dr. Gregory Kalemkerian, M.D.

  Thoracic Oncology

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About The University of Michigan Medical Center

Since opening in 1986, the University of Michigan Comprehensive Cancer Center (U-M) has continually appeared on U.S. News & World Report's annual list of "Best Hospitals." The National Cancer Institute (NCI) designates this institution as a Comprehensive Cancer Center for maintaining the highest standards of excellence in patient care, education, basic science, clinical research and cancer prevention.

The hospital embraces a multidisciplinary approach, with physicians and scientists collaborating to develop comprehensive diagnosis and treatment plans. This approach is invaluable to the study and treatment of lung cancer. As such, the hospital established the Multidisciplinary Lung Cancer Clinic. This group works closely with the hospital's Thoracic Oncology Program, which itself is charged with the research and treatment of lung cancer and other intrathoracic conditions.

Team members include thoracic surgeons, medical and radiation oncologists, pulmonologists, gastroenterologists, radiologists, pathologists and nurses. Among these medical professionals are medical oncologist Gregory Kalemkerian, M.D., director of the Multidisciplinary Lung Cancer Clinic and a leading expert in lung cancer, mesothelioma and thymomas.

The Lung Cancer Clinic performs conventional treatments, including surgery, chemotherapy and radiation therapy. These doctors also utilize aggressive combined-modality therapy treatments, including chemotherapy and radiation therapies and combinations, when possible. However, this department has a particular specialization in performing emerging and minimally invasive techniques, such as:

• Stereotactic radiosurgery
• Radiofrequency ablation
• Photodynamic therapy
• Esophageal and airway stenting
• Video-assisted thoracoscopy (VATS)
• Biologic therapy ("biotherapy;" "immunotherapy") 

Thoracic Oncology Program members regularly collaborate to review and discuss patient cases and develop personalized treatment plans, and the team is encouraged to lead and regularly participate in clinical trials and protocols

Beyond lung cancer, the hospital's research efforts continue to grow. All U-M faculty members are required to actively practice in the clinical care of patients and/or collaborate in basic, clinical or population research. In 1997 a nine-story cancer center opened its doors, placing patient care, treatment and research all under one roof, delivering research findings much quicker to patients.

Among all U-M and affiliated locations, there are more than 350 physicians/researchers in 36 departments across nine schools, along with nurses, mid-level providers and support staff, all of whom are grouped into teams based on tumor types. In 2010 alone, U-M treated 83,649 outpatient visits, while 3,894 cancer patients were admitted to the various university hospitals. The Cancer Center now ranks first among national academic medical centers in grant funding, with an average of more than $157 million received annually.

With the Doctor Match Program offered from the Mesothelioma Center, you can find doctors who specialize in asbestos-related diseases such as mesothelioma and asbestosis. This free service is an invaluable tool for helping you learn more about the specialists in your area.