Designation Highlights Lung Program as Destination for Expert Care

The Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation has named Cedars-Sinai part of its Care Center Network, a group of medical centers that have demonstrated expertise in treating and supporting people with this deadly disease.

“Our inclusion in this network is a recognition of our excellent pulmonary fibrosis clinical care, the availability of clinical and basic science research at our organization, and our focus on providing patients with education and support,” said Tanzira Zaman, MD, medical director of the Interstitial Lung Disease Program at Cedars-Sinai.

Interstitial lung diseases such as pulmonary fibrosis are rare disorders that cause scarring in the lungs. In pulmonary fibrosis, the scarring thickens lung tissue and interferes with the ability of the lungs to work properly. There is no cure for the progressive disease. In many cases, the cause of pulmonary fibrosis is unknown.

The Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation sought the input of medical experts and pulmonary fibrosis patients when creating the inclusion criteria for the Care Center Network. Medical sites must offer expertise in pulmonary medicine, rheumatology, radiology, and pathology, as well as services to improve the quality of life of patients. Each site provides educational events and support groups for patients, for example. Sites also conduct research and contribute to a registry of patient data run by the Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation.  

“The therapies we have for interstitial lung disease, particularly for pulmonary fibrosis, are pretty limited, so there’s a huge need for more effective therapies,” Zaman said. “We're only going to discover them by putting our heads together and our patient resources together. This network facilitates that.”

Investigators at Cedars-Sinai are working to better understand interstitial lung diseases. In 2018, a team led by Cedars-Sinai was awarded $12 million from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to study idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis and chronic lung allograft dysfunction. Several clinical trials are underway at Cedars-Sinai to better understand lung disease.

“Inclusion in the Care Center Network is a recognition of our efforts to translate research into patient care,” said Paul Noble, MD, director of the Women’s Guild Lung Institute and the Vera and Paul Guerin Family Distinguished Chair in Pulmonary Medicine at Cedars-Sinai.

The Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation Care Center Network now includes 81 sites in 35 states. Clinicians in the network can communicate with peers at other sites to share ideas and advice.

Read more on the Cedars-Sinai Blog: A Second Shot at Life and He's Breathing Easy

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