About Us
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OUR EXPERIENCE
The Victorian Lung Cancer Screening Team is a multidisciplinary clinical service made up of specialist physicians with expertise in lung disease and lung cancer, dedicated thoracic surgeons, radiologists and pathologists.
We are able to offer individualised expert triage of referrals and rapid access to the full range of thoracic diagnostics and interventions including a lung multidisciplinary team meeting. All patients will be offered streamlined, personalised care by a collaborative group of clinicians.
We are able to offer a full range of diagnostic tests and interventions, including:
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FDG-PET/CT
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CT-guided biopsy
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Chest MRI
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Interventional bronchoscopy including advanced localisation and biopsy techniques
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Endobronchial ultrasound with biopsy (EBUS)
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Minimally invasive surgical procedures including uniportal VATS techniques and robot-assisted surgery
Lung preserving resections such as segmentectomy
Neoadjuvant and adjuvant chemotherapy and radiotherapy
Targeted molecular therapies and immunotherapy
Access to lung cancer clinical trials
Our specialists are also well placed to manage screening findings that are not concerning for lung cancer, including non-malignant lung disease, mediastinal masses, and abnormal lymphadenopathy.
Respiratory Physicians
Calvin Sidhu
Dr Calvin Sidhu is a Respiratory Physician, who sub-specializes in Lung Cancer and Interventional Pulmonology. He has completed Clinical Fellowships in both Advanced Bronchoscopy and Pleural Medicine (Australia) and an international Fellowship in Japan. In addition to basic bronchoscopy, he can perform endobronchial ultrasound (linear & radial EBUS & EUS-B), rigid bronchoscopy, endoscopic lung volume reduction and endoscopic techniques such as cryo-procedures and electrosurgery. He has also been trained in pleural procedures (e.g.short-term ICC and long-term IPC catheters and pleural biopsies). He has current roles in the Thoracic Society of Australia/New Zealand and the World Association of Bronchology & Interventional Pulmonology. He is actively involved in research, and is currently completing a post-graduate degree. He has a public appointment at Western Health (Footscray Hospital).
Dr. Nick Wilsmore
Dr. Nick Wilsmore is the current Medical Lead for Bronchoscopy and Interventional Pulmonology at Eastern Health in Melbourne. He is responsible for the development and integration of new innovative technologies into the Respiratory service, thereby aiding patients to access the latest in minimally invasive respiratory interventions. This coincides with his research interests in pleural diseases and minimally invasive methods of staging/diagnosing lung cancer. He is also actively involved in physician education and mentorship, along with acting as a local examiner for the Royal Australasian College of Physicians. Nick also carries out private general medicine and respiratory admissions at Epworth Eastern Hospital. He undertakes in-room performance of Chest and Neck Ultrasound and has access to Endobronchial Ultrasound (EBUS), Bronchoscopic Lung Volume Reduction (BLVR) for advanced COPD, Medical Thoracoscopy, and Tunnelled Pleural Catheter insertions for management of refactory pleural effusions.
Oncologists
Prof Phillip Parente
Prof Phillip Parente trained at Monash University graduating with First Class Honour. He completed training in Medical Oncology 2001 and completed a 2 year Fellowship in Immunology and Melanoma]. His current role is the Clinical Services Director of Cancer Services Eastern Health and consultant medical oncologist at Epworth Eastern. His main areas of interest are lung cancers and melanoma, and he is considered a clinical lead in these areas of oncology. He is principal investigator of numerous trials in his areas of interest. Prof Parente has professional interest in teaching and training. He is a senior member of the National Examining Panel for the Royal Australasian College of Physicians and past chair Advanced Trainee Committee Medical Oncology for the Royal Australasian College of Physicians. He is also the current Treasurer and Executive Committee Member of the Medical Oncology Group of Australia, (MOGA). Prof Phillip Parente has completed a Master of Health and Medical Law in 2020 and a Master of Human Rights Law in 2022 at the Faculty of Law.
Rachel Wong
MBBS (Hons), FRACP, MHth&MedLaw, GradCertBus(Exec
A/Prof Rachel Wong is Deputy Director of Medical Oncology at Eastern Health, an adjunct Clinical Associate Professor at Monash University and a consultant medical oncologist at Epworth Eastern. Her sub-speciality interests are gastrointestinal & thoracic malignancies and melanoma. After completing her oncology training in Victoria, Australia, A/Prof Wong completed a research fellowship in gastrointestinal cancers and lymphoma at the Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust, London, where she gained extensive experience in the management and development of clinical trials. She is a member of the European Society of Medical Oncology (ESMO) Leadership Development Committee and has held the roles of (acting) chair of the Royal Australasian College of Physicians Advanced Training Committee in Medical Oncology, chair of the Victorian Medical Oncology Training Programme and eviQ co-chair (Medical Oncology). Rachel has completed the Leadership Victoria Women’s Leadership Course and was a participant in the inaugural ESMO Leaders Generation Programme Asia. She has a Master in Health and Medical Law and an Executive Graduate Certificate of Business Administration. She is a member of TOGA (Thoracic Oncology Group of Australia) and has been an active participant in TOGA educational activities.
Dr Andrew Mant
MBBS (Hons) BA/LLB. (Hons) FRACP
Andrew graduated from Melbourne University in 2010 with honours and has been a medical oncology consultant since 2017. He has a particular sub-speciality interest in lung cancer. He completed his junior and speciality medical training and his medical oncology fellowship in Melbourne at several health services including Alfred Health, the Austin Health at the Olivia Newton John Cancer Wellness and Research Centre and Eastern Health. He currently practices at Epworth Eastern and Eastern Health. He has extensive research experience and interests and has been, and is, a principal investigator on several clinical trials for lung cancer. He is an author on several research publications and an Adjunct Lecturer at Monash University. Before his medical career, Andrew worked for a short period as a lawyer.
Pathologists
Drs Alastair Veitch, Julie Teague and Alan Wong
Drs Alastair Veitch, Julie Teague and Alan Wong are part of the Melbourne Pathology Histology team. They have extensive experience reporting thoracic histopathology. They work collaboratively with clinicians including surgeons, radiologists and oncologists to make diagnoses and assist in patient management decision making, including by participating in Multidisciplinary Team Meetings.
OUR TEAM
Surgeons
Dr Jazmin Eckhaus
Dr Jazmin Eckhaus is an Australian-trained cardiothoracic surgeon with a sub-specialty thoracic surgical practice. She cares for patients with a broad range of problems including lung cancer, pulmonary nodules, airway lesions, pleural disease, complex chest wall problems including thoracic outlet obstruction, and thoracic endometriosis. She has a special interest in minimally invasive thoracic surgery including robotic surgery, as well as mediastinal work and pleural disease. She has a long-standing commitment to the delivery of high-quality care and is a founding member of the bi-national Australian and Aotearoa New Zealand Thoracic Surgical Database, which seeks to measure and improve the outcomes of patients undergoing thoracic surgery in the two countries. She is a clinical lecturer at Melbourne University and has completed a master’s degree in practical ethics at Oxford University with a focus on consent for surgical procedures. She has public appointments at Eastern Health and St Vincent’s Hospital and manages private surgical patients at Epworth Hospital.