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Your Metastatic Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Team

Here are some of the professionals who may play a role in your metastatic NSCLC care team.
1. Medical Oncologist
2. Thoracic Surgeon
3. Radiation Oncologist
This physician has expertise in the use of therapeutic radiation to treat cancer. “Though radiation is not typically used for the treatment of metastatic non-small cell lung cancer, you may see a radiation oncologist to help alleviate symptoms of your cancer, such as pain related to bone metastases,” explains Emerson Douglas, a social worker in private practice in Worthington, Ohio. This is known as palliative radiation.
4. Pulmonologist
5. Nurse Practitioner, Physician Assistant, Oncology Nurse Coordinator
These specialists work closely with your oncologist and each other to deliver a range of services, including performing physical exams and certain procedures, ordering tests and analyzing results, and helping you manage cancer treatment and its side effects. These team members are very knowledgeable about the details and nuances of navigating the cancer terrain.
6. Pharmacist
7. Dietitian
Cancer hospitals and clinics often have on staff a full-time dietitian who specializes in nutritional issues that can arise during cancer and its treatment. “A dietitian can help out with what foods to eat or avoid during chemotherapy, how to combat any significant weight loss during treatment, and how to use nutrition to achieve a sense of wellness,” Douglas says.
8. Psychologist or Psychiatrist
9. Physical or Occupational Therapist
These providers specialize in helping patients cope with any decline in their ability to function at home or in the workplace. “They can help you combat weakness and fatigue from your disease and treatment and teach you techniques that will help you continue to carry out tasks at your job and also at home, like making meals for your family or walking the dog,” says Douglas. You can see these team members in the hospital, or they may come to your home.