Esophageal cancer is a very aggressive disease. Early detection is essential. Acting quickly and decisively can make the difference between treatment and a life-limiting situation.

Esophageal cancer: Our prompt diagnosis

Our specialists know that a prompt diagnosis and treatment plan are vital when treating esophageal cancer. To ensure the best possible outcomes for our patients, we created the multidisciplinary UF Health Thoracic Oncology Program, the first of its type in Jacksonville. With this multispecialty program, our UF faculty physicians and health care professionals have been able to decrease evaluation time from weeks and months to just a few days.

The UF Health Thoracic Oncology Program specializes in the treatment of:

• Lung cancer
• Abnormal thoracic growths
• Esophageal (esophagus) cancer
• Mesothelioma (cancer of the lung lining)
• Metastatic tumors of the chest (a cancer that has spread to the chest from another site)

Why choose UF Health Jacksonville?

Many specialists, one goal

You receive coordinated, compassionate cancer care from specialists in thoracic surgery, radiation oncology, medical oncology, pulmonology, pathology and radiology. Our team works to create an integrated treatment plan for you that will provide you with the best possible outcomes.

A patient care coordinator serves as the patient navigator, gathering information together for the Thoracic Oncology team and reminding you of what is needed during the critical evaluation process. Support is also provided to you by a group of skilled pharmacists, nurses, social workers and nutritionists.

Advanced technologies

In addition to traditional treatments, multidisciplinary approaches include minimally invasive thoracic surgery and state-of-the-art conformal radiotherapy. And as an academic medical center, you have access to new cancer treatments and research through the program's extensive affiliation with national and local clinical trials.

Innovative treatments and facilities

Two treatment options that make the Thoracic Oncology Program a premier choice in the Southeast are the inclusion of proton therapy and minimally invasive thoracic surgery.

The University of Florida Health Proton Therapy Institute in Jacksonville offers a powerful way to treat cancer. Proton therapy has the advantage of concentrating energy in one specific area, targeting cancer while minimizing damage to normal surrounding structures. The Thoracic Oncology Program is one of only a few institutions treating lung cancer by this modality.

In addition, most surgery of the chest (thoracic surgery) may now be performed as minimally invasive procedures, employing surgical instruments inserted through tiny incisions. This is known as Video-Assisted Thoracoscopic Surgery, or VATS.