Innovation in lung cancer screening, treatment

A lung nodule or lesion is an abnormality revealed on a CT scan that appears like a most cancers. And to seek out out whether it is most cancers, docs could advocate a way known as bronchoscopy.

“Similar to having a colonoscopy carried out the place anyone is holding a scope. They’re twisting the dials on that scope as they’re maneuvering that scope via your airway or via your intestines for instance,” says Dr. Reisenauer.

That is a standard handbook bronchoscopy. Dr. Reisenauer says Mayo Clinic is one in all solely a handful of medical facilities authorized by the Meals and Drug Administration to make use of robotic bronchoscopy.

“I’d take into consideration robotic bronchoscopy as a remote-controlled automobile. It would not go wherever with out you driving it and telling it the place to go. However relatively than me holding a scope that is maneuvered via a affected person, the scope is docked to a robotic instrument,” says Dr. Reisenauer.

Providing extra precision, flexibility and management than a standard bronchoscopy. She says it improves the power to not solely diagnose lung most cancers, however now, in some instances, deal with it.

“Mayo Clinic is collaborating in lots of most cancers trials now, the place we’re treating lung nodules with a wide range of ablative mechanisms. So we’re both utilizing excessive warmth or chilly, and even in some instances electrical energy. Or viruses injecting into tumors to attempt to cut back tumor burden or kill tumors,” says Dr. Reisenauer.

Study extra

Study extra about lung cancer.

Additionally, learn these articles:

A model of this text was initially printed on the Mayo Clinic News Network.