Well, a new robot is changing the way lung cancer is detected in Australia. It’s being
hailed as the greatest advance in the field for two decades and could have a major
impact on survival rates.
It looks like something out of a sci-fi movie, but this worm-like camera is the real deal, helping doctors look for signs of
lung cancer like never before.
The robot is really the greatest advance in bronchoscopy that we’ve had for the
last 20 years.
Without it, doctors use use a handheld device. This robot is more stable, faster
and less risky. It also has a navigation tool.
It’s essentially like Google Maps for your lungs.
Most importantly, it can find much smaller lesions in the lung tissue, meaning
growths can be examined for disease months earlier than usual.
Lung cancers are going to be able to be found earlier and so that will facilitate
earlier treatment.
You substantially increase the life expectancy of that patient.
It can also eliminate an anxiety-inducing wait for answers. Julie Momsen
was one of the first patients to experience the robot after doctors spotted
a nodule in her lung.
We were expecting it to come back as melanoma, but it came back benign, so
it was a great outcome. This tiny little little camera is worth $2 million.
Epworth is the first hospital in Victoria to use the technology, but it’s hoped
more will jump on board soon to make it more accessible.
I really hope that it’s going to encourage more people with very small lung
lesions to seek medical advice and attention because we know that the earlier
your lung cancer is detected, the smaller the lesion, the better your chances
of surviving to five years. Bethan Yeoman at 7 News.