New Mayo Clinic procedure brings hope to patients with lung cancer
ROCHESTER, Minn. —It's the leading cancer killer in the United States, but a new procedure is bringing hope to patients diagnosed with lung cancer.
"It really gives people that definitive answer of, is this cancer or is this just something benign," Mayo Clinic Thoracic Surgeon Dr. Janani Reisenauer said.
It's a new method called robotic bronchoscopy. A tiny, remote controlled scope acts as a GPS tool to detect lung cancer in the earliest stages.
"This is an ultra-thin, ultra slim remote controlled bronchoscope that can reach almost any nodule in the airway," Reisenauer said.
While it's now commonly available, Mayo Clinic was one of the first hospitals to use the innovation. And unique to Mayo Clinic, Dr. Reisenauer works in a hybrid operating room -- complete with CT scanner where she can operate and perform biopsy's at the same time.
"Patients can efficiently get diagnosed, staged and treated in the same setting," Reisenauer said. "Which reduces trips to doctors offices, time, travel an missing work which we know if a major factor for Americans across the country right now."
It brings hope to the deadliest cancer in America.
"I think what's it's going to do is promote awareness and feel like we have options for patients that we didn't have before in terms of getting the definitive diagnosis for cancer earlier," Risenauer said. "And giving options for cure because were getting these answers earlier."
November is Lung Cancer Awareness Month.