When you hear the words “lung cancer,” you might first think of an oncologist. But before treatment begins, another specialist often plays a vital role in your care.
A pulmonologist focuses on diseases of the lungs and respiratory system. Their expertise is key to identifying and managing lung cancer from the start.
You might meet a pulmonologist when imaging shows a suspicious spot on your lungs or when you experience symptoms like chronic cough or shortness of breath. They perform tests such as bronchoscopy or lung biopsies to confirm whether cancer is present and determine its stage.
Their findings help guide oncologists and surgeons in creating the most effective treatment plan for you. Throughout treatment, a pulmonologist helps manage breathing problems caused by the disease or its therapies.
They work closely with other cancer specialists to ensure your lungs stay as healthy and strong as possible during care.
Pulmonologists focus on the lungs and airways, helping identify and manage lung cancer and related breathing problems. They perform specialized tests, guide diagnosis, and treat complications that affect your ability to breathe comfortably during cancer care.
A pulmonologist is a doctor who specializes in diagnosing and treating lung diseases and other respiratory issues. Their training covers the lungs, airways, and chest cavity, giving them the skills to detect problems that may signal lung cancer or other serious conditions.
You may see a pulmonologist if you experience chronic cough, shortness of breath, chest pain, wheezing, or coughing up blood. These symptoms often lead to further testing to rule out or confirm cancer.
Pulmonologists also treat noncancerous conditions like asthma, COPD, and infections, which can complicate cancer care. Their understanding of how these conditions interact helps create safer and more effective treatment plans for you.
Pulmonologists play a key role in the lung cancer diagnosis process. They perform or coordinate tests that detect cancer early and determine its stage.
Common procedures include:
| Procedure | Purpose |
| Bronchoscopy | Uses a thin tube with a camera to view airways and collect tissue samples. |
| Biopsy | Removes a small piece of tissue for lab testing. |
| CT Scan or PET Scan | Produces detailed images to locate tumors. |
| Pulmonary Function Tests | Measure how well your lungs move air and oxygen. |
An interventional pulmonologist may use minimally invasive techniques to take samples or remove blockages without major surgery. These methods reduce recovery time and improve comfort during testing.
During treatment, a pulmonologist helps manage respiratory symptoms that affect your quality of life. Lung cancer and its therapies can cause breathing difficulty, fatigue, and fluid buildup around the lungs.
You may receive airway stents, drainage procedures, or oxygen therapy to relieve discomfort. Pulmonologists also monitor for infections or respiratory failure, which can occur from cancer or treatment side effects.
By addressing these issues early, your pulmonologist helps you maintain better lung function and stay on track with your cancer care plan.
Pulmonologists work closely with other doctors to ensure your lung cancer care is complete and well-coordinated. They share information, join treatment planning meetings, and help manage lung-related issues that can affect your ability to receive therapy safely.
Lung cancer treatment often involves a multidisciplinary team made up of several specialists. You may have a pulmonologist, medical oncologist, radiation oncologist, and thoracic surgeon on your care team.
Each specialist focuses on a different part of your treatment plan. Your pulmonologist helps confirm the diagnosis, determines the cancer’s stage, and monitors your breathing and lung function during treatment.
The oncologist manages chemotherapy or targeted therapy, while the radiation oncologist plans radiation treatments. The thoracic surgeon performs biopsies or removes tumors when surgery is needed.
This team also includes your primary care doctor, who helps coordinate care and monitor other health conditions. Some patients may also see cardiologists or critical care specialists if heart or breathing problems arise.
Working together allows each doctor to focus on their area of expertise while keeping your overall health in view.
A tumor board is a meeting where specialists review your case and decide on the best treatment plan. Pulmonologists present imaging results, biopsy findings, and lung function data.
Other members—such as medical oncologists, radiation oncologists, and thoracic surgeons—discuss possible therapies and clinical trial options. These meetings ensure that your treatment plan reflects input from every relevant expert.
It also helps align care across different departments, so you don’t receive conflicting advice. Pulmonologists play an important role here because they understand how lung function can affect treatment safety.
For example, they may advise whether your lungs can handle surgery or radiation. This collaboration helps design a plan that is both effective and safe for your specific condition.
Your pulmonologist often serves as one of the first specialists you see after an abnormal chest scan. They may refer you to an oncologist or thoracic surgeon once cancer is confirmed.
Clear and timely referrals help move your care forward without delays. After the referral, communication continues among your doctors.
Pulmonologists share updates on your lung health, monitor for side effects, and provide input if breathing issues develop during chemotherapy or radiation. Regular updates between specialists—by phone, email, or shared medical records—keep everyone informed.
This coordination ensures that your treatment plan stays consistent and that any new symptoms or complications are addressed quickly.
Pulmonologists use several diagnostic methods to identify lung diseases and measure how well your lungs work. These tools help detect conditions such as lung cancer, COPD, and infections early so treatment can begin quickly and accurately.
Chest X-rays give a quick view of your lungs, heart, and chest wall. They help detect signs of infection, fluid buildup, or abnormal growths.
An X-ray is often the first imaging test used when you have symptoms like persistent cough or chest pain. CT scans (computed tomography) provide more detailed images than X-rays.
They use multiple cross-sectional views to show the size, shape, and exact location of lung nodules or tumors. CT scans also help stage lung cancer by showing if it has spread to nearby tissues or lymph nodes.
Your pulmonologist may compare both imaging results to track changes over time. This combination helps confirm a diagnosis and guide further testing or treatment.
| Imaging Method | Purpose | Common Use |
| Chest X-ray | Detects infections, fluid, or masses | First-line screening |
| CT Scan | Provides detailed 3D lung images | Cancer staging, detailed evaluation |
Pulmonary function tests (PFTs) measure how well your lungs move air and exchange gases. These tests help diagnose conditions that limit airflow, such as asthma or COPD.
You may perform tests like spirometry, which measures how much air you can exhale and how fast you can do it. Other tests, such as lung volume and diffusion capacity, check how much air your lungs can hold and how well oxygen passes into your blood.
Your pulmonologist uses these results to assess lung strength and monitor how your condition responds to treatment. PFTs are noninvasive, take only a few minutes, and provide valuable data for ongoing care.
A bronchoscopy allows your pulmonologist to look directly inside your airways using a thin, flexible tube with a light and camera. This test helps identify blockages, bleeding, or abnormal tissue.
During the procedure, your doctor may collect samples through a biopsy. These tissue samples are examined under a microscope to detect cancer cells, infections, or inflammation.
Bronchoscopy can also help remove mucus plugs or foreign material from the lungs. It is usually done under mild sedation and takes less than an hour.
The results from a bronchoscopy and biopsy provide critical information for accurate diagnosis and treatment planning.
Pulmonologists help guide your lung cancer treatment by managing breathing problems, monitoring lung function, and supporting your comfort during therapy. They work with oncologists and other specialists to ensure your lungs stay as healthy as possible while you receive cancer care.
You may experience symptoms such as shortness of breath, coughing, or chest discomfort. A pulmonologist helps control these issues through medications, inhalers, and oxygen therapy.
If you have conditions like asthma, COPD, bronchitis, or emphysema, your doctor adjusts your treatment plan to prevent flare-ups during cancer care. Palliative care focuses on relieving symptoms rather than curing the disease.
It can include pain control, breathing exercises, and counseling for anxiety or fatigue. You can receive this care at any stage of lung cancer, not only in advanced cases.
A simple overview of common supportive methods:
| Symptom | Example Treatment |
| Cough or wheezing | Inhaled bronchodilators |
| Shortness of breath | Oxygen therapy or pulmonary rehab |
| Pain or fatigue | Medication and rest planning |
This approach helps you maintain strength and independence while continuing treatment.
Pulmonologists track your lung function through tests like spirometry and imaging scans. These tests detect early changes caused by cancer, radiation, or chemotherapy.
Regular monitoring helps your team adjust treatment before serious problems develop. If fluid builds up around your lungs or a lung collapses, your pulmonologist performs procedures such as thoracentesis or bronchoscopy to relieve pressure and restore breathing.
They also manage infections or inflammation that may occur during therapy. Consistent follow-up visits let your care team prevent complications and support your recovery throughout your lung cancer treatment.
You may work with several doctors who focus on different parts of lung cancer care. Each specialist helps plan and carry out treatments that target the cancer while supporting your overall health and recovery.
A medical oncologist manages drug-based treatments such as chemotherapy, targeted therapies, and immunotherapy. These treatments work throughout your body to destroy or control cancer cells that may have spread beyond the lungs.
You will often meet your medical oncologist early in your treatment process. They review your biopsy results, imaging, and lab tests to decide which drugs may work best.
Chemotherapy uses powerful medicines that travel through your bloodstream. Targeted therapies focus on specific changes in cancer cells, while immunotherapy helps your immune system recognize and attack those cells.
Your oncologist also monitors side effects like nausea, fatigue, or low blood counts. They may adjust your treatment schedule to help you tolerate the medicine better.
| Type of Therapy | Main Goal | Delivery Method |
| Chemotherapy | Kill fast-growing cancer cells | IV or oral |
| Targeted Therapy | Block cancer cell growth signals | Oral |
| Immunotherapy | Boost immune response | IV |
A radiation oncologist uses radiation therapy to shrink or destroy cancer cells with high-energy beams. This treatment can be used alone or combined with surgery or chemotherapy.
You may receive external beam radiation, which directs radiation from a machine outside your body. Another option is brachytherapy, which places a small radioactive source near the tumor.
Before treatment, your radiation oncologist designs a plan using imaging scans to target the tumor precisely while protecting healthy tissue. You usually have several short sessions over days or weeks.
Common side effects include skin irritation, fatigue, or coughing. Your care team helps manage these effects and adjusts your plan if needed.
A thoracic surgeon performs operations to remove lung tumors and nearby lymph nodes. Surgery is often an option when the cancer is in an early stage or limited to one area.
The type of surgery depends on the tumor’s size and location. Common procedures include:
Minimally invasive methods, such as video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) or robotic surgery, may reduce recovery time and pain.
Your thoracic surgeon works closely with your oncologists to coordinate next steps after surgery.
You should seek lung care when breathing problems, chest discomfort, or lasting coughs do not improve with basic treatment. Early evaluation helps identify serious conditions, including asthma, COPD, or lung cancer, before they progress.
You may need to see a pulmonologist if you have a chronic cough that lasts more than three weeks or produces blood. Shortness of breath, even with mild activity, can also signal a lung problem.
Chest pain, especially when breathing deeply, should not be ignored. Other warning signs include wheezing, fatigue, or frequent respiratory infections.
These symptoms often point to conditions like asthma, bronchitis, or early lung disease.
Key risk factors include:
If you have both symptoms and risk factors, scheduling a visit with a pulmonologist helps ensure accurate testing and early management.
Your primary care doctor often starts the lung evaluation. They may order a chest X-ray or breathing test if you report cough, wheezing, or shortness of breath.
If results show an abnormality or symptoms persist, you’ll be referred to a pulmonologist for further testing.
At the pulmonology visit, you might have a CT scan, spirometry, or bronchoscopy to assess lung function and structure. The specialist reviews your history, including smoking habits and environmental exposures.
When facing a lung cancer diagnosis, it’s easy to think only of oncologists or surgeons, but pulmonologists are often the first to uncover and manage the disease. They help you breathe easier through every stage of treatment, manage symptoms, and coordinate with your broader care team. By interpreting imaging, performing biopsies, and monitoring lung function, pulmonologists ensure that your treatment plan remains safe, effective, and centered on your comfort. Their close collaboration with oncologists, radiologists, and thoracic surgeons helps streamline your care and reduce complications, giving you the best possible chance at improved outcomes and quality of life.
If you’ve been diagnosed with lung cancer or are experiencing persistent respiratory symptoms, the specialists at Gwinnett Pulmonary & Sleep are ready to help. Our board-certified pulmonologists work closely with cancer care teams to ensure accurate diagnosis, coordinated treatment, and compassionate support throughout your journey.
Book your appointment today or call 770-995-0630 to schedule your visit.
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