Most know that lung cancer is one of the deadliest forms of cancer, claiming more lives every year than breast, prostate and colon cancer combined.
To identify lung cancer early, the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommends annual lung cancer screening for adults who are 50 to 80 years old who have a 20-pack-a-year smoking history and currently smoke, or who have quit within the past 15 years.
Of course, having a successful screening is the key.
Holy Name Medical Center in Teaneck is taking the lead on the issue. It is now using the cutting-edge Galaxy System, a next-generation robotic bronchoscopy platform, to diagnose lung cancer earlier and more precisely.
With the galaxy system, physicians can reach and biopsy lung nodules with increased precision, thanks to the system’s TiLT+ technology and single-use bronchoscope.
The new bronchoscope is longer, thinner and more flexible, allowing for increased reach and a lower infection risk because it is less invasive. The navigation system also maps the patient’s airway, reducing unnecessary procedures.
Dr. Paul Han, a pulmonologist at Holy Name, is thrilled.
“The Galaxy System is a major step forward in pulmonary care,” he said.
The reasons are three-fold:
- Better imaging: By providing better access and visualization, the Galaxy System can help doctors locate and biopsy lesions that might be missed by traditional methods.
- Increased accuracy: The system’s advanced imaging and navigation capabilities can lead to more accurate biopsies, meaning a higher chance of getting a definitive diagnosis.
- Early detection: By improving the ability to diagnose lung cancer earlier, the Galaxy System can potentially lead to more effective and curable treatment options.
The Galaxy System was created by Noah Medical, based in San Marcos, California.
“The Galaxy System allows us to reach suspicious nodules with greater accuracy, make diagnoses sooner and ultimately offer patients a better chance at successful treatment.” — Dr. Paul Han
John Shen, the company’s vice president of engineering, said the TiLT+ technology provides real-time lesion location updates, helping to overcome challenges like CT-to-body divergence (where the image doesn’t match the actual body position).
Many feel the Galaxy System represents a significant advancement in the field of lung cancer diagnosis, offering a more accurate, efficient and potentially less invasive approach to identifying and diagnosing lung cancer at an earlier stage.
Shen said studies are proving this out.
The first in-human study, conducted in 2023 by leading interventional pulmonologists at Macquarie University Hospital in Sydney, Australia, showed that Galaxy could achieve 100% successful navigation, 100% tool-in-lesion confirmation and a diagnostic yield between 89.5% and 94.7%.
Han is seeing these results firsthand at Holy Name.
“The Galaxy System allows us to reach suspicious nodules with greater accuracy, make diagnoses sooner and ultimately offer patients a better chance at successful treatment,” he said.
For information about Holy Name, go to holyname.org.
