UK HealthCare Debuts Same-Day Lung Cancer Diagnosis and Treatment Technology

The University of Kentucky Markey Cancer Center is introducing a groundbreaking approach to lung cancer care, offering patients same-day diagnosis and treatment using advanced robotic technology.

The innovation was showcased inside a state-of-the-art mobile semi-truck, where thoracic surgeon Dr. Shari Meyerson explained the process. “We can tell them, ‘Yes, it’s a cancer,’ and then it’s out before they’re even awake,” Meyerson said. The procedure is made possible by combining the ION Endoluminal system with the da Vinci 5 surgical robot, enabling surgeons to biopsy lung nodules and remove tumors in one session.

Traditionally, lung cancer patients have faced weeks or even months of waiting between diagnosis and surgery — a delay that can cause significant anxiety. “That wait between diagnosis and treatment, knowing there is a cancer in your body, is horrible for patients,” Meyerson noted.

Since February, UK HealthCare has performed six surgeries using this combined method. For patients like Scott Yee, the ability to get immediate answers and treatment is “a game changer.”

Markey patient Lisa Buede, a smoker for 45 years, credits the technology with saving her life. After undergoing treatment in December 2024, she quit smoking and now advocates for early screening. “It’s better knowing and to just get it out of the way… if you don’t smoke you could still have cancer,” Buede said.

UK HealthCare officials hope this advancement will encourage more people to seek early detection, potentially improving survival rates for lung cancer.

Credit: CNN Newsource

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