Trinity Health Of New England’s Thoracic Oncology program is a multidisciplinary team of specialists committed to providing individualized care for patients with lung cancer, mesothelioma, and other thoracic malignancies. The team includes doctors, advanced practice providers, nurses, and support staff from Interventional Pulmonology, Thoracic Surgery, Radiation Oncology, and Medical Oncology, working together to provide a customized treatment plan for every patient.
Led by Anil Magge, MD, Director of Interventional Pulmonology, and Stefan Kachala, MD, Chief of Thoracic Surgery, the team offers a level of lung cancer care not widely available in the region, including early detection, accurate diagnosis, and expert, coordinated care, all with the latest state-of-the art options available. The program has proven to be a gamechanger for lung cancer patients and those with non-malignant diseases of the chest, allowing patients to have early detection, biopsy, and surgery to remove cancerous growths.
According to the American Lung Association, more people die of lung cancer each year than of colon, breast, and prostate cancers combined. With that in mind, Trinity Health
Of New England has developed a robust Lung Cancer Screening Program, designed to detect the early signs of cancer so patients can receive testing, diagnosis, and treatment
when it is more likely to be successful. The complete approach includes monitoring of suspicious lung nodules and smoking cessation services. Saint Francis Hospital is
a Designated Lung Cancer Screening Center by the American College of Radiology (ACR).
Dr. Magge practices an advanced subspeciality of pulmonary medicine, focusing on using minimally invasive procedures and therapeutic techniques to diagnose and treat conditions in the lung and chest. Thanks in part to his dedication to providing life-changing care to patients throughout the region, the American Lung Association named Dr. Magge the 2025 Medical Honoree at the annual LUNG FORCE Walk. In 2022, Dr. Magge performed the first robotic-assisted bronchoscopy procedure in Connecticut using the Ion endoluminal system. The Ion system features precision needed for advanced biopsies of nodules that were previously inaccessible. Saint Francis Hospital leads New England and is seventh nationally in Ion procedures. Saint Francis was also the first hospital in Connecticut to combine the Ion system with Cios Spin, a state-of-the-art 3D imaging system that enables even greater navigational precision.
For patients who need surgery, Dr. Kachala performs lung resections utilizing the latest technology in robotic assisted surgery. Saint Francis was the first hospital in greater
Hartford to acquire the da Vinci 5 surgical system, enhancing the hospital’s minimally invasive surgical program, providing greater precision through smaller incisions, resulting
in quicker recoveries, fewer complications, and better overall outcomes for patients.
If further treatment is necessary, patients are referred to the oncology team, where a personalized care plan is developed. Trinity Health Of New England offers expert cancer care, including radiation therapy and chemotherapy. Saint Francis is the only hospital in Connecticut to utilize CyberKnife®, a specialized robotic radiation machine used to deliver precisely targeted intense radiation. Medical oncologists who specialize in the treatment of thoracic cancers work with each patient to integrate the most recent advances in cancer treatment, including immunotherapy, chemotherapy, and/or other targeted drugs. The team also participates in a number of clinical trials which allow patients to take advantage of the newest therapies for lung cancer.
Through a deep commitment to patient care, Trinity Health Of New England is setting the bar by eliminating delays, improving the coordination of care across multiple specialties,
and expediting a patient’s journey to wellness, offering the most innovative, state-of-the art treatments with the goal of changing the lives of individuals across the region.
Learn more about lung cancer screening at TrinityHealthOfNE.org/lung.
