October 29, 2021 –St. Lucie Medical Center is utilizing new robotic technology aimed at early detection of lung cancer. St. Lucie is the first hospital on the Treasure Coast to utilize the Monarch® robotic platform which enables physicians to biopsy lung nodules with greater precision.
November is Lung Cancer Awareness Month and a recent survey released last year by the American Society of Clinical Oncology found that two-thirds of Americans delayed or skipped scheduled cancer screenings because of the coronavirus pandemic. Lung cancer screenings are essential because they help detect lung cancer earlier, before symptoms occur, when it is more treatable and possibly cured.
The robot features a controller-like interface, software and an endoscope to view hard-to-reach nodules in the lungs and obtain tissue samples for a biopsy. The robotic platform represents a paradigm shift in how suspicious nodules in the lung are diagnosed. The platform is designed to allow an accurate diagnosis without incisions.
“This program is critical to raising awareness and improving access to lung cancer screening on the Treasure Coast,” said Dr. Michael Layton, a pulmonologist affiliated with Lawnwood Regional Medical Center and St. Lucie Medical Center. “We’re excited to introduce new robotic technology to our community to proactively detect lung cancer and offer a more hopeful future for our patients with lung cancer.”
Dr. Layton encourages the community to take an important step to be screened, so that they can find and treat lung cancer before it progresses.
For patient and physician interviews, please contact Public Relations Director Tiffany Woods at Tiffany.Woods2@hcahealthcare.com or 804.868.0415.
Lawnwood Regional Medical Center and St. Lucie Medical Center are facilities of HCA East Florida. HCA East Florida is the largest healthcare system in Eastern Florida and an affiliate of Hospital Corporation of America (HCA). HCA East Florida has 14 hospitals, multiple ambulatory surgery centers, physician practices, and free standing emergency care facilities, as well as a supply chain center and an integrated regional lab. Together, HCA East Florida employs more than 18,000 employees and has nearly 7,000 physicians on staff. For more information, visit HCAEastFlorida.com.
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Aventura Hospital and Medical Center + Highlands Regional Medical Center + JFK Medical Center
+ JFK Medical Center North Campus + Kendall Regional Medical Center + Lawnwood Regional
Medical Center + Mercy Hospital + Northwest Medical Center + Palms West Hospital + Plantation General Hospital + Raulerson Hospital + St. Lucie Medical Center + University Hospital and Medical Center + Westside Regional Medical Center
