The Sarah Cannon Cancer Institute at LewisGale Medical Center is marking National Lung Cancer Awareness Month by hosting a free “Meet the Robot!” community event on Wednesday, Nov. 10, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Salem Civic Center, 1001 Roanoke Blvd. in Salem. Attendees can safely get hands-on experience driving the robotic bronchoscope in a simulated lung module. They will also be able to talk with medical experts about the advances for early diagnosis and treatment for lung cancer.
Robotic bronchoscopy is used to look directly at the airways in the lungs to diagnose problems and can perform minimally invasive biopsies, which can lead to early diagnosis and treatment for lung cancer. The Sarah Cannon Cancer Institute at LewisGale Medical Center is the first in Virginia to use robotic bronchoscope technology for biopsy procedures.
“Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer deaths worldwide, in part because it has no symptoms in its early stages. But this robotic tool provides improved reach, vision and control for surgeons, helping us diagnose lung cancer in an early stage where it can be treated more effectively,” said Nelson Greene, MD, board-certified specialist in pulmonary diseases and critical care medicine.
“We want our family, friends, and neighbors to know how proud we are to lead the charge in the Commonwealth with this new offering,” said April Woodward, vice president of oncology. “This technology means that members of our community can be seen right here in their own backyard, rather than traveling hours away for this specialized service. It also means patients from other areas will travel to our hospital to benefit from this technological advancement.”
COVID-19 measures will be implemented to ensure state guidelines are maintained throughout the event.
About LewisGale Regional Health System
LewisGale Regional Health System includes 44 HCA Virginia Health System-owned patient care facilities including four hospitals, one freestanding ER, two regional cancer centers and affiliations with both employed and independent physicians. HCA Virginia Health System operates 14 hospitals, 27 outpatient centers, five freestanding emergency rooms and is affiliated with 3,000 physicians. The private hospital system is one of Virginia’s largest employers, provides $105.7 million in charity and uncompensated care, and pays $88.9 million in taxes annually. Follow us on Facebook and Instagram.
About Sarah Cannon
Sarah Cannon, the Cancer Institute of HCA Healthcare, offers integrated cancer services with convenient access to cutting-edge therapies for those facing cancer in communities across the United States and United Kingdom. Sarah Cannon’s cancer programs include individualized patient navigation provided by oncology-trained nurses, ~1,200 stem cell transplants performed annually throughout the Sarah Cannon Transplant and Cellular Therapy Network, hundreds of clinical trials, and molecular profiling capabilities. Through its services, Sarah Cannon is providing world-class cancer care close to home for hundreds of thousands of patients, a number unmatched by any single cancer center. To learn more about Sarah Cannon, visit sarahcannon.com.
