Tampa Bay area doctors use advanced technology to detect and cure lung cancer

POLK COUNTY, Fla. — Major milestones in lung cancer treatment are happening throughout the Tampa Bay area.

Doctors at Lakeland Regional Health are now equipped with cutting-edge robotic technology to better detect lung cancer.

“We have a controller here that moves the robotic arms. Any movement I put in here you can see the robotic arm moving the catheter. Within the catheter itself, we have a camera that we can actually see what we’re looking at,” said Dr. Yatin Kheti, Head of Pulmonary at Lakeland Regional Health.

The Intuitive Ion Robotic Navigational Bronchoscopy gives doctors easier access to lesions and collects tissue samples for biopsy in places they could not reach before. The procedure reduces complications in patients and improves early detection.

“With those reduced complication rates, we can go up to these lesions more aggressively and much more early to make that diagnosis at the earliest stage possible and help get a cure for the patient,” said Dr. Kheti.

Lung cancer remains the deadliest form of cancer in the United States.

“More and more people who have not smoked are now presenting to us with lung cancer, younger patients, women, etc. We really have to push this whole idea of screening in the community,” said Dr. Mathew Ninan, Thoracic Surgeon and Founder of Florida Lung Health Coalition.

Ninan specializes in robotic lung surgery. His nonprofit, Florida Lung Health Coalition, is working to boost lung cancer screenings. Patients can now take the Firstlook Lung test, a highly sensitive blood test.

“It takes 5-10cc of extra blood and they can actually test whether you are at high risk of getting the cancer or if you’re not,” Ninan said.

Increasing early detection to cure patients with lung cancer like Valrie Dewey. Dewey was diagnosed after getting screened last March.

“They had caught it early because I’d been smoking for 55 years. It’s amazing how they could help me and save my life,” Dewey said.

Newer and better treatment is helping patients live longer.