Podcast
Thinking Thoracic
Hosted by thinkingthoracic · EN
The Society of Thoracic Surgeon Thinking Thoracic podcast dives deep into the latest advancements and breakthroughs shaping the future of thoracic surgery. The podcast series is hosted by a dedicated team of STS member surgeons, including Dr. Hari Keshava, Dr. Jeff Yang, Dr. Erin Gillaspie, and Dr. Jane Yanagawa.
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11episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
#21, S2 Breaking the Stigma: Closing Gaps in Lung Cancer Care for Women
2w ago00:46:33Tap to summarizeIn 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.
Transcribe →#20, S2 Advancing ERAS and the Evolution of Minimally Invasive Thoracic Surgery
Apr 2100:35:48Tap to summarizeIn 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.
Transcribe →#19, S2 Breathing New Life into Emphysema Care
Mar 3000:40:42Tap to summarizen 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 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.
Transcribe →#18, S2 New Advances in Thoracic Surgery at STS 2026
Mar 900:38:45Tap to summarizeIn 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.
Transcribe →Best of Lung Cancer Science - World Conference on Lung Cancer (WCLC)
Feb 1800:43:24Tap to summarizeLeah Backhus, MD, joins Dr. Gillaspie to explore key takeaways from WCLC, including how precision data, surgical restraint, and breakthrough immunotherapy are transforming care.
Transcribe →Best of Lung Cancer Science - European Lung Cancer Congress (ELCC)
Feb 1800:41:04Tap to summarizeIn this episode, Dr. Gillaspie speaks with Paula Ugalde, MD, to examine findings from ELCC, including restaging in the neoadjuvant era, redefining resectability, AI in multidisciplinary precision, and the de-escalation debate.
Transcribe →Best of Lung Cancer Science - European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO)
Feb 1801:11:12Tap to summarizeJessica Donington, MD, and Christine Bestvina, MD, join Dr. Gillaspie to unpack key lung cancer advances from ESMO, including adjuvant ALK inhibition (ALINA, ELEVATE), perioperative immunotherapy (KEYNOTE-671), and the expanding neoadjuvant space in borderline resectable disease.
Transcribe →Best of Lung Cancer Science - American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO)
Feb 1800:36:08Tap to summarizeHost Erin Gillaspie, MD, sits down with Brendon Stiles, MD, to discuss insights from ASCO, including perioperative immunotherapy, CheckMate 816, and expanding surgical boundaries.
Transcribe →#17, S2 The Future of Mesothelioma Treatment
Dec 200:48:32Tap to summarizeThe latest episode of Thinking Thoracic dives into one of the most challenging diseases in thoracic oncology—malignant pleural mesothelioma. Host Erin Gillaspie, MD, speaks with Joshua Reuss, MD, a thoracic medical oncologist and clinical trials leader, about how immunotherapy, evolving surgical strategies, and global practice patterns are reshaping care for this rare cancer. The episode covers the impact of the Checkmate 743 trial, controversy surrounding the MARS-2 surgical study, promising results from neoadjuvant immunotherapy trials, and the critical need for collaboration and clinical trial enrollment to drive progress. Listen now to explore where mesothelioma research is headed and what it means for patient care.
Transcribe →#16, S1 How the VERITAS Trial Has Transformed Lung Cancer Diagnosis
Oct 3000:42:41Tap to summarizeIn 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 discussion explores how the study was conceived, why robust device trials are vital to patient outcomes, and what the findings mean for the future of minimally invasive lung diagnostics.
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