#18, S2 New Advances in Thoracic Surgery at STS 2026

#21, S2 Breaking the Stigma: Closing Gaps in Lung Cancer Care for Women

In recognition of National Women’s Health Month, this episode of Thinking Thoracic analyzes the evolving landscape of female-specific lung cancer care. Co-hosts Dr. Erin Gillaspie and Dr. Jane Yanagawa sit down with guest Dr. Leah Backhus to discuss a critical disparity: lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death among women, yet screening practices remain inequitable.    This timely episode moves beyond smoking history to examine the rise of lung cancer in never-smokers and Asian women. From the "stigma" of a diagnosis to innovative solutions like co-scheduling screenings with mammograms, providing a powerful call to action for more inclusive, biomarker-driven care.

#20, S2 Advancing ERAS and the Evolution of Minimally Invasive Thoracic Surgery

In this episode of Thinking Thoracic, podcast hosts Hari Keshava, MD, and Erin Gillaspie, MD, talk with René Petersen, MD, of Copenhagen University Hospital, about the latest developments in Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) protocols. As a longtime leader and pioneer in the field, Dr. Petersen shares insights from his extensive experience advancing recovery practices. The conversation covers the broader evolution of minimally invasive thoracic surgery, including video-assisted approaches, and how these developments inform patient selection for tubeless procedures.

#19, S2 Breathing New Life into Emphysema Care

n this episode of Thinking Thoracic, podcast hosts Hari Keshave, MD, and Erin Gillaspie, MD, talk with J. W. Awori Hayanga, MD, West Virginia University Medicine, about his recent study published in The Annals of Thoracic Surgery on surgical interventions for end-stage emphysema. The conversation highlights symptom burden, a multidisciplinary approach to treatment, and the latest data on lung volume reduction surgery.  Article references:   Hayanga JWA, Luo X, Reddy S, Mehaffey JH, Rothenberg P, Chauhan D, Rajjoub H, Mascio C, Baker N, Badhwar V, Lamb J, Toker A. Endobronchial Valve Therapy vs Lung Volume Reduction Surgery in the United States. Ann Thorac Surg. 2025 Nov;120(5):917-925. doi: 10.1016/j.athoracsur.2025.06.053. Epub 2025 Jul 19. PMID: 40691922; PMCID: PMC12542816 [https://www.annalsthoracicsurgery.org/article/S0003-4975(25)00663-0/abstract]   Hayanga JWA, Voppuru S, Bham N, Hansen A, Mehaffey JH, Rajjoub H, Reddy S, Badhwar V, Lamb J. Higher Costs and Lower Reimbursement of Endobronchial Valve Therapy vs Lung Volume Reduction Surgery in the United States. Ann Thorac Surg. 2026 Jan;121(1):174-180. doi: 10.1016/j.athoracsur.2025.09.033. Epub 2025 Nov 6. PMID: 41205846. [https://www.annalsthoracicsurgery.org/article/S0003-4975(25)00994-4/abstract]

#18, S2 New Advances in Thoracic Surgery at STS 2026

In the season two premiere episode of Thinking Thoracic, cohosts Drs. Erin Gillaspie, Hari Keshava, Jeff Yang, and Jane Yanagawa review the latest thoracic surgery research presented at the 2026 STS Annual Meeting in New Orleans.

Best of Lung Cancer Science - World Conference on Lung Cancer (WCLC)

Leah Backhus, MD, joins Dr. Gillaspie to explore key takeaways from WCLC, including how precision data, surgical restraint, and breakthrough immunotherapy are transforming care.