Dr. Samuel K. Payne

I am a part of the thoracic oncology program. I work with patients who have cancers of the lung, which includes non-small cell lung cancer, small cell lung cancer, and mesothelioma. My focus is on clinical care, clinical trials, and developing new therapies for these diseases. When I first meet with a patient, I want them to understand what their diagnosis is, because there are actually multiple diagnoses of lung cancer and each are treated differently. Then I discuss with a patient whether they are a candidate for therapies such as molecular therapy or immunotherapy, and make sure they have a clear understanding of the treatment plan. There are some very promising new therapies for these diseases and we are fortunate to have those available to patients here at Duke. That’s one of the unique things we offer as an academic medical center. Dr. Stinchcombe is rated as an Elite provider by MediFind in the treatment of Metastatic Pleural Tumor. His top areas of expertise are Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer (NSCLC), Lung Cancer, Small Cell Lung Cancer (SCLC), EGFR Positive Lung Cancer, and Gamma Knife Radiosurgery.

I realized during a biology class in college that I could use my interest in science to help make a difference in people’s lives. It drove my decision to pursue a career in medicine. I realized early in medical school that I wanted to spend my career trying to understand cancer, how to fight it and caring for patients who have it. As a medical oncologist with Duke Cancer Center, I specialize in cancers of the chest, including lung cancer and mesothelioma. Working closely with my patients, getting to know them personally and understanding their values and goals, allows me to develop individualized care and treatment plans for each one. The most rewarding part of my work is developing long term relationships with my patients and their families throughout their cancer journeys. I am motivated and inspired by how my patients live their lives everyday. Dr. Melson-Clarke is rated as a Distinguished provider by MediFind in the treatment of Metastatic Pleural Tumor. His top areas of expertise are ALK-Positive Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer, Large-Cell Lung Carcinoma, Small Cell Lung Cancer (SCLC), and Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer (NSCLC).

When someone is faced with a diagnosis of lung cancer, they may be going through surgery, radiation treatment, chemotherapy or enrolling in a clinical trial. It’s a very complicated process to understand what’s involved and what may happen next. It’s also hard to hear all the answers if you’re by yourself. We encourage our patients to come with family members and friends and loved ones and particularly to identify one or two main go-to people in terms of care-giving and support. That way we can engage them in the whole process. Just as we have a team taking care of the patient, the patient has a team, too. At Duke, we have the opportunity to engage patients in the very latest treatment approaches, whether it’s a new surgical technique, the latest radiation approach, or some novel chemotherapy, immunology, or targeted therapy, several of which we’ve been developing. Duke provides patients with a real opportunity that they may not have elsewhere. Dr. Crawford is rated as a Distinguished provider by MediFind in the treatment of Metastatic Pleural Tumor. His top areas of expertise are Small Cell Lung Cancer (SCLC), Squamous Cell Lung Carcinoma, Lung Adenocarcinoma, and ALK-Positive Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer.