Overlake Among First Seattle Area Hospitals to Use Robotic Lung Cancer Diagnosis Technology

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Overlake Medical Center & Clinics is the first hospital on the Eastside to offer the most advanced biopsy system for detecting lung cancer.

The robotically assisted bronchoscopy system—Johnson & Johnson MedTech’s MONARCH™ Platform— improves a physician’s ability to reach, evaluate and biopsy lung lesions and nodules, even in lung cancer’s earliest stages, to help drastically increase a patient’s survivability.

The MONARCH™ bronchoscope is designed for continuous vision throughout the procedure. It travels deep into the lungs and precisely guides a biopsy instrument into even the most difficult nodules, maintaining vision during the most critical segment of the procedure, the biopsy. 

“When patients have nodules or lesions present in their lungs, and we need to biopsy them, sometimes they are small or in a location where they can be very difficult to reach,” says Todd Freudenberger, MD, Overlake pulmonologist. “Having access to technology that allows us to navigate to small lesions, as well as locate and biopsy them effectively, is the benefit of this system.”

The Facts

• Nearly every 2.5 minutes, someone in the U.S. is diagnosed with lung cancer and, every day, lung cancer takes the lives of more than 356 people. 
• The five-year relative survival rate is 61% in Stage 1 (localized), but when diagnosed at a late stage (distant), there is a 7% five-year relative survival rate. 
• Over 70% of U.S. lung cancer patients are not diagnosed until stages III-IV. 

A lung nodule is a small "spot" in the lungs seen when imaging tests are done. Most lung nodules are benign, meaning they are not cancerous; however, sometimes they can be. Certain things can raise your risk for developing a cancerous lung nodule, including:

• Being a smoker or having smoked tobacco products in the past, especially individuals who have smoked a pack of cigarettes per day for at least 20 years.
• Having a family history of lung cancer.
• Having asbestos exposure.

Lung nodules typically aren’t associated with any symptoms, but if you have symptoms, the nodule is likely linked to infection or cancer. If a nodule is linked to lung cancer and a patient is experiencing symptoms such as cough, bloody mucus or weight loss, it has often progressed to a more advanced stage.

This is even more reason why early detection and intervention through tools, like the MONARCH™ Platform, are essential for a patient to experience the best possible outcome.

“We are proud to offer the best care and bring the latest technology to our patients, as well as make it easier for them to access the care that they need,” says Saleh Ismail, MD, MBA, Overlake pulmonologist.

Visit the Johnson & Johnson MedTech site to learn more.