Pulmonary Medicine
Scott E. Evans, M.D.
Ad-Interim Department Chair
- Departments, Labs and Institutes
- Departments and Divisions
- Pulmonary Medicine
The Pulmonary Medicine department is a group of physicians and scientists who provide comprehensive consultative evaluation and management for patients with pulmonary disease associated with cancer, critically ill patients or the workup of undiagnosed lung abnormalities.
The Pulmonary Medicine department is a group of physicians and scientists who provide comprehensive consultative evaluation and management for patients with pulmonary disease associated with cancer, critically ill patients or the workup of undiagnosed lung abnormalities.
Our strategic direction is to optimize the prevention, diagnosis, treatment and understanding of pulmonary disorders in cancer patients through research-driven clinical care and basic research, while training the next generation of pulmonary clinicians and scientists.
Members of the department participate actively in early detection and lung cancer chemoprevention trials, trials to reduce lung injury due to radiation, as well as studies of pulmonary complications associated with bone marrow transplantation.
Our physicians have expertise in managing pulmonary diseases associated with immunosuppression, chemotherapy, radiation therapy, biological therapy and bone marrow transplantation.
Patient care and research are closely integrated to provide the best care possible for our patients and advance the science of pulmonary and critical care medicine.
Principal mission areas
- Diagnosis and management of malignant pleural effusion, malignant airway obstruction, infectious pneumonia and lung injury from cancer treatment
- Lung cancer prevention, early detection and staging
- Improvement of exercise performance to better tolerate treatment and for good quality of life after treatment
- Mitigation of cancer-related fatigue and disordered sleep
- Helping patients survive critical illness resulting from cancer and cancer treatment
Clinical services
The department provides state of the art clinical evaluation, diagnosis and treatment to patients with health problems such as:
- Asthma
- Acute and chronic pulmonary emboli
- Emphysema and chronic bronchitis
- Interstitial lung disease
- Lung Cancer
- Sarcoidosis
- Granulomatous lung diseases
- Pulmonary vascular diseases
- Fungal infections of the lung
- Sleep apnea, insomnia and other sleep disorders
Care for these conditions is provided through several different programs.
Consultative services
- Expert state of the art evaluation, diagnosis and management in every area of pulmonary disease and adult critical care medicine
- Evaluation and management of radiation associated lung injury
- Evaluation and management of patients with chemotherapy associated lung injury
- Preoperative pulmonary evaluation for high risk patients prior to surgery
- Pulmonary evaluation for bone marrow transplantation
- Evaluation and management of sleep disturbances including sleep apnea, insomnia and other sleep related issues
Advanced diagnostic bronchoscopy services
- Diagnostic flexible Bronchoscopy
- Bronchoalveolar lavage
- Autofluorescence bronchoscopy
- Transbronchial needle aspiration biopsy
- Endobronchial and transbronchial lung biopsy
- Endobronchial ultrasound
- Robotic Bronchoscopy
Complex airway management program
- Evaluation by physicians highly experienced in management of complex airway obstructions
- Multimodality therapeutic options
- Therapeutic flexible bronchoscopy
- Rigid bronchoscopy under anesthesia
- Endobronchial laser applications
- Argon plasma electrocoagulation
- Endobronchial stents- self expandable and silicone
- HDR Brachytherapy (in conjunction with Radiation Oncology)
- Photodynamic therapy
- Close monitoring and follow up care
Pleural diseases program
- Evaluation by highly experienced physicians
- Ultrasound guided diagnostic and therapeutic thoracentesis
- Pleural biopsy
- Denver catheter insertion
- Chest tube drainage
- Pleuroscopy (medical thoracoscopy)
- Close monitoring and follow-up care
Respiratory physiology services
- Preoperative pulmonary evaluation of high risk patients
- Pulmonary Function Tests (PFT)
- Regional Lung Ventilation/Perfusion scans
- Cardiopulmonary Exercise Testing
Sleep Center
- Consultation and evaluation by boarded sleep specialists
- Detailed evaluation and treatment of cancer-related insomnia
- Management of CPAP/BiPAP adjustment difficulties
- Polysomnography, PAP titration, narcolepsy testing (MSLT)
Educational programs
We are a major affiliate institution for the U.T. Houston Pulmonary and Critical Care fellowship program, and fellows spend about a third of their time at MD Anderson, both in the inpatient and outpatient setting.
We also have an affiliation agreement with the Baylor College of Medicine, Pulmonary and Critical Care Fellowship Program that provides an opportunity for elective rotations here. Educational experiences are offered in both the inpatient and outpatient setting.
For further information about our educational programs, contact Georgie Eapen at geapen@mdanderson.org.
Rotating pulmonary fellowship
Rotating Pulmonary Fellowship trainees function as consultants in pulmonary medicine under the direct supervision of MD Anderson faculty. Trainees will attain competence in the diagnosis and management of pleuropulmonary manifestations of neoplastic diseases.
This expertise includes interpretation of radiographic and nuclear medicine imaging studies, and competence in pulmonary procedures including diagnostic and therapeutic bronchoscopy. In addition to assessment of general pulmonary diseases, the trainee gains valuable and extensive experience in malignant diseases of the chest including:
- Lung cancer
- Mediastinal masses
- Metastatic lesions of the lungs
- Malignant pleural disease
- Management of the solitary pulmonary nodule
Trainees will learn diagnosis and management of immunocompromised patients (including bone marrow transplant populations) and indications/contraindications/ complications of radiotherapy and chemotherapy in the treatment of neoplastic diseases. Trainees occasionally perform consultations in the critical care environment, although the bulk of consultative activity occurs on medical and non-medical wards. As such, trainees interact with oncology specialists from all disciplines of surgery, gynecology, and medicine.
Trainees on the outpatient consult service develop expertise in evaluation and management of pulmonary diseases by attending the daily pulmonary clinic with the supervising faculty member. Trainees additionally gain experience in the pre-operative evaluation of high risk patients, including cardiopulmonary exercise testing and regional ventilation perfusion lung scanning.
For further information about our educational programs, contact Georgie Eapen at geapen@mdanderson.org.
Interventional pulmonary fellowship
The Pulmonary Medicine department offers a one-year fully funded Interventional Pulmonology Fellowship. As one of the earliest interventional pulmonology fellowship programs, we offer a uniquely national and international patient referral base along with state of the art facilities and equipment. Designed for providing additional training for fellows that have completed a pulmonary fellowship, the program focuses on the development of skills vital to a career as an interventional pulmonologist.
Fellows learn under the direct supervision of one of seven full time interventional pulmonologists. With over 4,000 procedures per year, all types of airway and pleural procedures are performed routinely including rigid bronchoscopy and pleuroscopy. Clinical research and scholarly activity is strongly encouraged and up to 25% protected time may be granted. Fellows participate in the weekly multidisciplinary thoracic oncology meetings in concert with thoracic surgeons, medical oncologist, radiologists and radiation oncologists.
For further information about our educational programs, visit the Interventional Pulmonology Fellowship page or contact Georgie Eapen at geapen@mdanderson.org.
Observer program
The Pulmonary Medicine Department sponsors clinical observerships as well as research experience for physicians who wish to take advantage of the opportunities available at MD Anderson. Aimed at providing physicians from across the world with access to the unique attribute of and the Texas Medical Center at large, this experience is highly tailored to the individual needs of the physicians involved.
For further information about our educational programs, contact Georgie Eapen at geapen@mdanderson.org.
Contact Us
Pulmonary Clinic
Cardiopulmonary Center
Main Building, Floor 6
1515 Holcombe Boulevard
Houston, Texas 77030
Phone: 713-792-4015
Fax: 713-794-4711
Academic Office
MD Anderson Cancer Center
Department of Pulmonary Medicine, Unit 1462
1515 Holcombe Boulevard
Houston, Texas 77030
Phone: 713-792-6238
Fax: 713-794-4922