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Dr. Claudia Henschke, MD

Bio

Claudia I. Henschke, PhD, MD  
Professor of Radiology

Dr. Claudia Henschke is a Professor of Radiology and heads the Early  Lung and Cardiac Action Program at the Mount Sinai Medical Center. 


A pioneer and leading expert in the field of diagnostic radiology, Dr. Henschke has long believed that smokers and former smokers should consider being  tested with low-dose CT scans to detect lung cancer when a tumor is still small enough to be cured.  Dr. Henschke has more than 20 years of clinical and research experience in this area and , since 1993, has led city, state, national,  and international projects that have resulted in the diagnosis of some 800 lung cancers.  She and her team have created a protocol that has set an international standard for performing low-dose CT scans and  managing findings which require additional testing.


Her team has developed techniques that provide 3D  growth assessment  of a lesion. Using these techniques  lesion growth can be measured and  compared to the rate of growth seen in malignant tumors. This can help distinguish those lesions that are benign from those that are malignant.


 Dr. Henschke heads the International Early Lung Cancer Action Program (I-ELCAP) which is an international collaborative group consisting of experts on lung cancer related issues.  More than 60 sites in the world have participated in this research program.


Dr. Henschke received a M.S. in mathematical statistics from Southern Methodist University and her PhD in mathematical statistics and computer science in 1969 from the University of Georgia.  She was awarded her medical degree from Howard University in 1977.  She completed her radiology residency at the Peter Bent Brigham Hospital, Harvard Medical School,  and in 1981 was named to the faculty of the Department of Radiology at Harvard Medical School.  Dr. Henschke was a Professor of Radiology  at Weill Cornell Medical College before joining Mount Sinai. Dr. Henschke has authored over 250 peer reviewed publications, two books and more than 30 chapters in books.






Specialties:

  • radiology

Affiliation:

  • The Mount Sinai Medical Center, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai

Location:

Activity

  • Sharecare News
    Sharecare News posted a story about Radiology:
    More Focused Radiation Treatment May Work Better Against Brain Tumors

    FRIDAY, Jan. 11 (HealthDay News) -- Treating aggressive brain tumors called glioblastomas with smaller, more focused areas of radiation does not increase the likelihood of tumor recurrence, a new study finds.

    Restricting the radiotherapy to a smaller zone also spares the rest of the brai...Full Article

  • Claudia Henschke, MD
    Claudia Henschke, MD of The Mount Sinai Medical Center answered:
    How is radiation therapy used to treat lung cancer?
    Radiation therapy, also known as radiotherapy, consists of using strategically aimed doses of radiation to kill cancer cells. It can also be used in combination with surgery, either before or after, and when surgery is not possible, it can also be used either by itself or in combination with c...  Full Post
  • Claudia Henschke, MD
    Claudia Henschke, MD of The Mount Sinai Medical Center answered:
    What function do the lungs perform?
    Absorbing oxygen from the air through the process of inhalation, the lungs bring oxygen into the bloodstream, which carries oxygen to the rest of the body. The cells of the body release carbon dioxide as they use oxygen. This is carried back to the lungs by the veins. The carbon dioxide leaves...  Full Post
  • Claudia Henschke, MD
    Claudia Henschke, MD of The Mount Sinai Medical Center answered:
    What, other than smoking, causes lung cancer?

    For the 10-15% of lung cancers that are diagnosed in nonsmokers, there are a number of potential causes:

    • Heavy exposure to asbestos, radon, uranium, arsenic, and other carcinogens
    • Genetic predisposition
    • Heavy exposure to secondhand smoke
    • Lung scarring from past illness
     Full Post
  • Claudia Henschke, MD
    Claudia Henschke, MD of The Mount Sinai Medical Center answered:
    What is the role that cigarettes play in lung cancer?

    Cigarette smoking causes 85% of all lung cancers--that's been roughly 145,000 cases per year, resulting in approximately 136,000 deaths. The more cigarettes a person has smoked, the higher their risk of lung cancer.

    If you've quit smoking, your risk is lower than it would be if you had continued

    ...  Full Post
  • Claudia Henschke, MD
    Claudia Henschke, MD of The Mount Sinai Medical Center answered:
    What are the tests for lung cancer?

    There are a number of tests that can be used to detect lung cancer, however, most tests miss many early cancers, and are often ordered only after the patient has started having symptoms. Traditional lung cancer tests include chest x-ray, sputum cytology (analyzing cells in mucus), and bronchoscopy

    ...  Full Post
  • Claudia Henschke, MD
    Claudia Henschke, MD of The Mount Sinai Medical Center answered:
    Why is early lung cancer screening important?

    Because lung cancer has no symptoms in its early stages, more than 85 percent of the men and women who are diagnosed with lung cancer today are diagnosed in a late stage, after symptoms have occurred and when there is very little chance of cure. As a result, approximately 95% of the 173,000 people

    ...  Full Post
  • Claudia Henschke, MD
    Claudia Henschke, MD of The Mount Sinai Medical Center answered:
    Is having lung cancer an automatic death sentence?

    It doesn’t have to be.  When lung cancer is diagnosed in its earliest stage, the chance for cure is high.  Hope has been found in the early detection of lung cancer with annual CT screening of high-risk individuals. Annual screening with CT scans can find lung cancers in their earliest stage, when

    ...  Full Post
  • Claudia Henschke, MD
    Claudia Henschke, MD has posted a blog entry: News to Watch: NBC New York

    News to Watch
    NBC New York  

    Wednesday, May 25, 2011, 9:30 pm
    Mount Sinai is featured as the official sponsor of this week’s edition of NBC New York’s new reality show the Great American Health Challenge tonight at 9:30 pm. Five teams representing each of the NYC boroughs are challenged to go out with

    ...Full Post