Savannah Doctors Pioneering Precise Lung Cancer Detection with Robotic Technology
SAVANNAH, Ga. (October 26, 2023) – St. Joseph’s/Candler is at the forefront of lung cancer treatment, utilizing a cutting-edge robotic system called the Monarch procedure to pinpoint and address even the smallest lung nodules with unprecedented accuracy. WSAV News 3 was granted exclusive access to observe Dr. Douglas Mullins perform the procedure during Lung Cancer Awareness Month.
lung cancer remains the deadliest cancer globally, and this technology represents a importent leap forward in early detection and treatment. Dr. Mullins, who has performed approximately 1,600 of these procedures, explained the system allows for a level of precision previously unattainable.
The Monarch procedure utilizes a robotic system controlled with a joystick-like device, displaying a detailed, map-like image of the patient’s lungs. This allows doctors to navigate to even very small nodules – lumps identified through routine lung cancer screenings – that might or else be missed or dismissed as benign.
“We have a high suspicion that that nodule is cancer,” Dr. Mullins said, referring to a recent case. “The nodule is very,very small. So that makes it challenging for a surgeon using the DA Vinci Robot to easily find it.”
The technology allows doctors to not only locate the nodule but also to mark it, ensuring surgeons remove only the necessary tissue. According to Dr. Mullins, this dramatically increases accuracy, moving from a 10-15% chance of successful biopsy with traditional methods to over 90% with the Monarch system, while also improving patient safety.
“There are very few places in the country that are doing that, but it is gaining traction as we recognize that being able to leverage these technologies to diagnose smaller and smaller nodules and to do more and more limited surgeries so that patients have a fast recovery, short hospital stay, and small incisions,” Dr. Mullins stated.
St.Joseph’s/Candler is one of a limited number of hospitals nationwide currently offering the Monarch procedure.Dr. Mullins emphasized the positive impact on patients. “Every patient that has this procedure done is absolutely thrilled,” he said. “They recognize that something special has happened. Somehow, they had something that was very small that frequently is in other institutions, not even recognized as being a problem. A lot of times, these things are sort of ignored or presumed to be benign. But at our center, we have a lot of expertise and experience identifying things that may look small and harmless.”
Dr. Mullins encourages individuals to discuss their candidacy for lung cancer screenings with their doctors, particularly those with a history of smoking or a family history of the disease, as a proactive step towards early detection and improved outcomes.More data on lung cancer services at St. Joseph’s/Candler can be found at https://www.sjchs.org/services/lcrp/cancers-we-treat/lung-cancer.
