Lung cancer is the deadliest cancer in America, and each year it claims more residents of Brooklyn than in other boroughs in New York City. To improve access to life-saving treatment, NYU Langone Hospital–Brooklyn and Perlmutter Cancer Center have launched a state-of-the-art lung cancer surgery program.
Travis Geraci, MD, a specialist in minimally invasive robotic lung and esophageal cancer surgery, has been appointed to spearhead an expansion of cardiothoracic surgical services in Brooklyn. He will be collaborating with an interdisciplinary team of pulmonologists, oncologists, and radiologists at NYU Langone Hospital–Brooklyn and Perlmutter Cancer Center–Sunset Park.
“Cancer care is inherently patient-focused and I am passionate about guiding each of my patients through the stages of care,” says Geraci. “I’m fortunate now to be able to build a top-notch surgical practice in a community that has long needed greater access to world-class cancer care.”
Geraci was fellowship-trained in robotic cardiothoracic surgery at NYU Langone under the mentorship of world-renowned robotic thoracic surgeons Robert Cerfolio, MD, MBA, and Michael Zervos, MD. Geraci specializes in the latest surgical techniques while using electromagnetic navigational bronchoscopy to locate tumors not found using conventional bronchoscopy.
As part of Perlmutter Cancer Center, a National Cancer Institute-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center, the Lung Cancer Center focuses on innovative, effective treatments for all types of cancers affecting the lungs, including non-small cell lung cancer, small cell lung cancer, and mesothelioma. Geraci will see patients at Perlmutter Cancer Center–Sunset Park.
“In just one year, we have built one of the most comprehensive cancer care facilities in Brooklyn,” says Abraham Chachoua, MD, associate director for cancer services at Perlmutter Cancer Center, noting the Sunset Park center’s one-year anniversary this summer. “Now we are continuing our expansion to address another pressing need in the community.”
The expansion of lung cancer surgery into Brooklyn will complement the diagnostic ability of NYU Langone Hospital–Brooklyn’s pulmonary medicine team, which uses the most advanced tools available, including radial endobronchial ultrasound, to locate suspicious growths deep within the airways of the lungs.
“We have made big strides in the level of care we are now able to deliver,” says Bret J. Rudy, MD, senior vice president and chief of hospital operations at NYU Langone Hospital–Brooklyn. “Our ever-expanding capabilities to address critical patient needs, such as second-to-none cancer care, is a testament to our commitment to this community and our neighbors.”
