Lung cancer

Beginning as a growth of abnormal cells, lung cancer grows to form a tumor, interfering with lung function. Individuals who smoke cigarettes are at an increased risk for lung cancer.

With over 125,000 deaths per year, lung cancer is responsible for more deaths than breast, colon and prostate cancer combined. Lung cancer can be curable when found in its earliest stages, but it has been difficult to detect until now.

Lung cancer is most treatable in its earliest stage which is why screenings are so vital.

We offer noninvasive, low-dose computerized tomography (LDCT) for lung cancer screenings, if you find yourself at risk. This is currently the only screening option available, and is designed to catch cancer in its most treatable stage.

LDCT is painless and only takes a few minutes, with less than five times the amount of radiation compared to a regular CT scan.

Who should be screened for lung cancer?

Talk to your primary care physician about a screening LDCT if you match the following criteria:

• You are between 50 and 77 years old
• You have at least a 20 pack-year smoking history
  • Pack years calculation: (number of packs smoked per day) x (number of years smoking) = pack-year smoking history
• You are either still smoking or have quit smoking within the last 15 years and are asymptomatic

It’s important to know that a CT scan requires a physician’s order. Please talk with your doctor if you are interested, to find out if you are eligible for this screening.

An EBUS is a minimally invasive, but highly effective, procedure used to diagnose lung cancer, infections and other diseases which cause enlarged lymph nodes in the chest. An EBUS allows your physician to obtain tissue and fluid samples from your lungs and surrounding lymph nodes.

What should I expect during an EBUS?

As an endoscopic procedure, no incisions are needed with an EBUS. Only moderate sedation or general anesthesia are typically necessary. Physicians perform this method using a special endoscope fitted with an ultrasound processor and fine-gauge aspiration needle, which is guided through your trachea. Then, your physician completes a needle aspiration on your lymph nodes using a bronchoscope.

What are the benefits of having an EBUS?

An EBUS provides several advantages, including:

• Allows real-time imaging of the surface of the airways, blood vessels, lungs and lymph nodes
• Gives your surgeon greater visual access to smaller lymph nodes during an aspiration needle biopsy
• Offers high-quality visualization of difficult-to-reach areas
• Permits quicker recovery times
• Provides rapid, onsite pathologic evaluation

We are at the forefront for early-stage diagnosis of lung cancer. The technology we use helps gather photos of your air passages, as well as with tissue samples, for a quicker and minimally-invasive robotic system-led procedure.

The robotic-assisted platform for minimally-invasive biopsy in the lung enables physicians to more easily obtain tissue samples from deep within the lung. It may also help you avoid subsequent biopsies by enabling a diagnosis through the samples obtained.

This leading-edge system features an ultra-thin tube that allows navigation deep into the peripheral lung, its unprecedented stability enabling the proper precision needed, as compared to manual techniques. The platform we offer provides your physician with greater access and visibility, as well as a less invasive experience for you. Typically, you should be able to go home on the day of the procedure.