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EBUS: New Technology at John Muir Diagnoses and Stages Lung Cancer Without Incisions
View our video.
A first in Northern California - new ultrasound-guided biopsy results in highly accurate diagnosis and staging of lung and other thoracic cancers.
Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer deaths in America, more than breast, colon and prostate cancers combined. Early detection and aggressive multi-modality treatment are key components that are pushing the odds in our favor against this terrible disease. Now, the latest technology allows for rapid assessment with minimal recovery so that patients can begin their definitive treatment in a very timely fashion.
Video: What is Endobronchial Ultrasound (EBUS)?
View the video.A conversation with Michaela Straznicka, MD, FASC, Medical Director, John Muir Health Thoracic Oncology Program
Appropriate candidates with lung, esophageal or other thoracic cancers may be able to receive accurate diagnoses and staging of their cancer without so much as an incision on their skin, thanks to John Muir Cancer Institute's new EBUS (endobronchial ultrasound) system. John Muir Health is one of only a handful of medical centers in the nation that posses this technology, and the first medical center in northern California.
EBUS allows for accurate diagnosis and staging. Confirming spread of tumor to the lymph nodes has traditionally been obtained by performing a biopsy through a variety of surgical procedures. With the EBUS system, biopsies are performed through the trachea using ultrasound rather than surgical incisions. The level of sedation necessary is much less than with more invasive procedures, and is usually completed in less than an hour. In many cases, a preliminary pathology report is available at the completion of the EBUS procedure, although final pathologic evaluation still requires 48 - 72 hours. The benefits of the EBUS system to patients with thoracic malignancies are very significant.
"The treatment and prognosis of lung and esophageal cancer is directly related to the extent of the disease, also known as the 'stage,'" says Michaela Straznicka, M.D., medical director of the John Muir Thoracic Oncology Program. "Accurate staging is essential to plan the most effective treatment and optimize patients' survival rates," she adds. Thoracic malignancies can spread via the lymph glands (nodes) that interconnect within the center of the chest. Confirmation of tumor invasion into these nodes dramatically changes the initial stage, and therefore the initial treatment options. The EBUS system is an exceptionally reliable and minimally invasive method to biopsy these lymph nodes.
Performed by thoracic surgeons and pulmonologists, the EBUS is a bronchoscopic evaluation of the windpipe (trachea) and airways (bronchi). The ultrasound tip allows physicians to "see" through the wall of the airways and locate abnormal lymph nodes. A biopsy needle is passed under constant guidance of the ultrasound image into the abnormal node, and a sample is obtained. Several nodes can be biopsied during the same procedure with minimal added risk. The procedure can be repeated in the future to assess for treatment response or to document recurrence without any added technical difficulty or risk.
The John Muir Cancer Institute is a leading provider of cancer care for adults and children, offering technologically advanced screening and diagnostic tools, leading edge treatment capabilities and a medical team dedicated to individualized care and support at both our Walnut Creek and Concord campuses. In keeping with our commitment to the communities we serve, we also offer a wide range of cancer-related public services that promote prevention awareness, early detection and treatment of cancer.
For more information about EBUS at John Muir Health, call (925) 947-3322.
(Posted September 12, 2007)