General Thoracic

In this episode of Thinking Thoracic, host Dr. Erin Gillaspie talks with Dr. Robert Lentz and Dr. Fabien Maldonado about the groundbreaking VERITAS trial, which is reshaping how clinicians diagnose lung cancer. Published in the New England Journal of Medicine, the VERITAS trial compared navigational bronchoscopy with CT-guided biopsy in a rigorous, randomized design, bringing much-needed evidence to interventional pulmonology.

The latest episode of Thinking Thoracic takes on a topic that’s often considered taboo: finances. Host Erin Gillaspie, MD, MPH, sits down with Lawrence Greiten, MD, and Josh Daily, MD, to discuss their recent paper examining financial decision-making in cardiothoracic surgery. From training pathways to compensation survey data, the conversation highlights how earnings and financial trade-offs shape career choices and negotiations. Tune in for practical insights every surgeon, especially those early in their careers, can use.

This latest episode of Thinking Thoracic, an STS podcast, features host Erin Gillaspie, MD, in conversation with Jonathan Spicer, MD, a leading thoracic oncologist and clinical trial investigator. The two dive into the landmark CheckMate 816 trial, which helped usher in a new era for immunotherapy in lung cancer treatment. Dr. Spicer shares insights on trial design, clinical outcomes, and what these findings mean for the future of thoracic surgery and oncology. Listen today.

Don’t miss the latest Thinking Thoracic episode as host Erin Gillaspie, MD, is joined by Stephanie Worrell, MD, associate professor, University of Arizona, and thoracic surgeon, Banner Health, for a lively and insightful post-ASCO discussion. Together, they unpack the significance of the CheckMate 577 and Matterhorn trials, and explore what these groundbreaking studies mean for the future of esophageal and gastroesophageal junction cancer care.

Tune in to hear their take on:

In this episode of Thinking Thoracic, Dr. Elliot Servais, Lahey Hospital & Medical Center, joins host Dr. Erin Gillaspie to share how he developed a robotic 1st rib resection program. Initially trained in the traditional transaxillary open approach, Dr. Servais was candid about his early reluctance to take on these technically challenging cases. That changed when he saw the potential of a minimally invasive, robotic technique that aligned with his existing surgical skill set. Recognizing an unmet need at his institution, he seized the opportunity to build a dedicated program.

In this episode of Thinking Thoracic, hear from Christopher Seder, MD, professor of surgery and chief of the thoracic surgery division at Rush University, and Robert Habib, vice president of research and analytics at STS, about the development of the Society’s short-term risk calculators for pulmonary resection and esophagectomy, powered by the General Thoracic Surgery Database with more than 800,000 pat

What were the most practice-changing thoracic surgery papers of 2024? In this episode of Thinking Thoracic, Dr. Linda Martin, UVA Health, and Dr. Jeff Yang, Thinking Thoracic co-host, spotlight top studies shaping the field, from groundbreaking lung cancer and esophageal cancer findings to surgical profession papers that impact how surgeons work and lead. Dr. Martin’s curated list is a go-to resource for surgeons looking to stay at the forefront of evidence-based care.