Santa Monica, California – Dr. Gary Gibbon, a pulmonologist, was taken aback when he received a diagnosis of lung disease, especially considering his clean bill of health prior to the illness. Despite never having any significant medical history or regular medication use, Gibbon found himself facing advanced stage lung cancer at the age of 69.
In the United States, lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related deaths, claiming about 1 in every 5 lives lost to cancer annually. After undergoing aggressive treatment including chemotherapy, radiation, and immunotherapy, Gibbon’s cancer regressed, but his lungs suffered irreversible damage. With no further treatment options available, he faced the prospect of transitioning to palliative hospice care in July 2023.
However, a glimmer of hope emerged when Gibbon recalled a news story he had seen about groundbreaking treatment for late-stage lung cancer patients: the first-ever double lung transplants. Despite conventional wisdom disqualifying late-stage lung cancer patients from transplant candidacy, Northwestern Medicine in Chicago was pioneering a new surgical technique that offered hope for individuals like Gibbon.
The DREAM Program at Northwestern Medicine had successfully performed double lung transplants on two stage 4 lung cancer patients by removing both cancerous lungs simultaneously and replacing them with healthy transplants. This innovative approach significantly reduced the risk of cancer cells contaminating the new organs or spreading to other parts of the body, and the team had already completed more than 30 successful lung transplants for advanced lung cancer patients since 2021.
Seeking a chance at life-saving surgery, Gibbon’s doctors in California reached out to the Northwestern team to present him as a potential candidate. Initial evaluations revealed a complication as Gibbon’s liver began failing due to his cancer treatments, necessitating a rare triple transplant – two lungs and a liver – a procedure that had never been attempted in the country before.
Despite the complex and unprecedented nature of the surgery, Northwestern Medicine’s team of experts was determined to proceed. With cutting-edge technology and specialized skills, they successfully carried out the intricate double lung and liver transplant on Gibbon in a procedure that typically would take at least 14 hours but was completed in just 10 hours.
Today, six months post-surgery, Gibbon is cancer-free, a testament to the capabilities of a skilled and dedicated medical team. The successful outcome of Gibbon’s transplant has opened doors for other transplant centers to consider more complex surgeries for eligible patients, showcasing the power of teamwork and experience in pushing the boundaries of medical possibility.