A Breath of Fresh Air
A leader in the pioneering field of interventional pulmonology, Dr. Nina Maouelainin delivers life-changing treatments for patients with lung cancer and other serious conditions.
by Matt Cosentino

Nina Maouelainin, D.O., FCCP, vividly remembers the stunning blue eyes of the first patient she lost to lung cancer. It happened during her residency, years before she emerged as a leader in the field of interventional pulmonology. She later founded her Lung Health Services practice, now in its 10th year, providing turnkey interventional pulmonology programs for community hospitals, including St. Mary Medical Center in Langhorne. 
 
The patient, a 48-year-old mother of three, came into the hospital with a cough initially believed to be pneumonia. Doctors later discovered a large tumor in her right lung. At the time, minimally invasive procedures to remove tumors and clear windpipes without major surgery were not commonplace, and the patient was too weak to undergo surgery or radiation.
 
“She had an 8-year-old, a 12-year-old, and a 15-year-old, and they slept on the floor in her ICU room,” Dr. Nina recalls. “Walking into that room tugged at your heart, because pictures of her were everywhere. She was on a ventilator, and she had the brightest blue eyes that expressed so much sorrow. I remember her writing, ‘I wish I had come in [to receive treatment] sooner.’
 
“That fits with everyone I’ve known who we lost to carcinoma, who hesitated for one reason or another,” she continues. “Maybe they were ashamed of being a smoker, they didn’t want to be a burden, or worse, they didn’t have guidance from the medical community to get help. That’s one of my regrets—not having my practice at the time.”
 
Since then, Dr. Nina has helped thousands of people by providing state-of-the-art care, such as bronchoscopies, which use a thin tube to examine the lungs and detect cancer and other chronic lung conditions early, and, in some cases, treat or remove diseased tissue. Prompt, aggressive treatment tends to yield positive results. That goes for anyone affected by the disease, whether they are longtime smokers or among the rising number of middle-aged women contracting lung cancer due to unknown factors.
 
“For anyone who has abnormalities in their scans, it often takes four to six weeks to see a specialist,” Dr. Nina says. “After that, it may take additional weeks to schedule a biopsy and then more time to meet with an oncologist. In aggressive cancers, such as small-cell lung cancer, these delays can have serious if not deadly consequences, as the disease can progress rapidly.”
 
To address this gap, Dr. Nina opened her practice with a clear goal: rapid access and streamlined care. 
 
“Our aim is to see patients within 24 to 48 hours, establish a diagnosis within seven to 10 days, and coordinate definitive treatment (procedural and/or oncologic) within two weeks,” she explains. “This is the standard we have been able to consistently achieve.”
 
Dr. Nina considers it an honor to help patients of St. Mary Medical Center. She also takes pride in running a private practice focused entirely on patient care. As one of only a few thousand interventional pulmonologists in the United States, she is committed to increasing awareness of the subspecialty’s role among both the general public and other doctors. It’s a challenge, but that is nothing new for the native of Morocco, who moved to the United States to further her medical career despite not knowing a word of English.
 
The daughter of two physicians, Dr. Nina was especially drawn to pulmonology after losing three family members to lung cancer.
 
“I tell my residents and fellows now, if your heart is not in it, there’s no reason to do it,” she says. “It’s unfortunate that medicine has become a business. I know it’s a cliché, but I became a doctor because I wanted to help people. Now, having done thousands of procedures where we diagnose lung cancer in the early stage, I know it was the right decision.”
 
There have been sad stories, like the mother of three, but also plenty of happy ones, like the husband who saved his wife’s life by having her transferred from a large hospital specifically to receive treatment from Dr. Nina. Or the elderly Russian woman with a rare form of cancer who slipped through the system because of a language barrier; after connecting with Dr. Nina, the woman had her airway reopened and was able to start her favorite activity of crocheting again.
 
“My message to patients is this: If you believe something is wrong, don’t stop,” Dr. Nina says. “It is never wrong to open every door possible until you are satisfied. Don’t feel ashamed, don’t feel put down, but instead advocate for yourself, and get to the bottom of it.”
 
Dr. Nina Maouelainin
St. Mary Medical Center
1201 Langhorne-Newtown Road
Langhorne, PA 19047
(215) 710-5300
www.trinityhealthma.org
 
Photo by Jody Robinson
 
Published (and copyrighted) in Suburban Life, November 2025.
 

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