August 1 marked “World Lung Cancer Day,” and St. Dominic Health marked the annual observance by launching an advanced robotic lung cancer surgery system with procedures already underway.
St. Dominic’s Hospital in Jackson is now using the Ion Endoluminal System, a robot-assisted platform designed to enable minimally invasive species deep within the lung. According to officials at St. Dominic Health, the technology is a breakthrough in early detection and diagnosis of lung cancer and offers patients “greater precision, safety, and faster recovery times.”
“Launching this system on World Lung Cancer Day is a powerful statement of our commitment to innovation and patient-centered care,” said Jeremy Tinnerello, Jackson market president of St. Dominic Health.
Dr. Arash Damar, a pulmonary medicine specialist at St. Dominic Health, said the new system gives patients a better chance of recovery and will ultimately save lives.
“The intuitive, streamlined process of obtaining biopsies with the Ion system allows us to significantly reduce the time between identifying a suspicious lung nodule and initiative treatment,” Damar said. “This means patients with malignant or cancerous nodules can begin their journey sooner, which is critical for improving outcomes.”
The Ion system opens surgeons to areas of the lung previously inaccessible, using ultra-thin, maneuverable catheters and advanced navigation to access small nodules with accuracy. In Mississippi, where lung cancer rates remain among the highest in the nation, the surgery is vital, according to Dr. Pierre De Delva.
“This technology is a game-changer for thoracic surgery,” said De Delva, a surgeon at St. Dominic’s Hospital and the University of Mississippi Medical Center. “It enables us to diagnose and treat lung cancer earlier and less invasively, which can significantly improve outcomes for our patients across Mississippi.”
World Lung Cancer Day was established in 2012 by the Forun of International Respiratory Societies in collaboration with other health organizations to raise awareness about lung cancer and the need for research funding.
