On Thursday July 19, 2012, Dr. Alaa El-Gendy of Florida Lung & Sleep Associates performed the first new procedure called Electromagnetic Navigation Bronchoscopy® (ENB)™ in Lee County. ENB is a new technology that uses GPS-like features to locate and biopsy lesions that are deep in the lung (lung spot).
ENB creates a 3D roadmap reconstruction of the lungs from a CT scan of the tracheobronchial tree (the wind pipe and its branches). Using this reconstruction, Dr. El-Gendy utilizes the system to create a visual pathway that he can use to help him guide steerable catheters to where lung nodules are located, facilitating examination, obtaining necessary biopsies, and placing of gold marker seeds similar to the seeds placed in the prostate to facilitate radiation therapy.
ENB provides the ability to detect lung disease and lung cancer earlier, even before symptoms are evident, enhancing treatment options for patients. ENB also minimizes the need for more invasive, surgical procedures to access lung lesions in the distant regions of the lung. These procedures may require an inpatient hospital stay or cause complications such as collapsed lung (pneumothorax).
Lung cancer is the leading cancer killer in both men and women in the United States. In 1987, it surpassed breast cancer to become the leading cause of cancer deaths in women. Lung cancer causes more deaths than the next three most common cancers combined (colon, breast and prostate). “Early detection of lung cancer is crucial for improving survival of this disease” Dr. El-Gendy says. An estimated 160,340 Americans were expected to die from lung cancer in 2012, accounting for approximately 28% of all cancer deaths. The five-year survival rate for lung cancer is 52.6% for cases detected when the disease is still localized (within the lungs). However, only 15% of lung cancer cases are diagnosed at an early stage. For distant tumors (spread to other organs) the five-year survival rate is only 3.5%.
Dr. El-Gendy believes that all the patients who are at high risk for lung cancer should be evaluated by an experienced pulmonologist. He describes the people who are at risk of lung cancer are current or former smoker, with a smoking history of 30 pack years, and in the age group of 55 to 74 years. He also explains that risk of lung cancer may be higher if a person's parents, siblings (brothers or sisters), or children have had lung cancer. Other factors that increase your risk for lung cancer also include exposure to substances found at some homes or workplaces such as asbestos, arsenic, diesel exhaust, some forms of silica, chromium, and radon.
“With this new procedure we are able to diagnose these nodules as early as possible to determine if they are cancerous or not” Dr. El-Gendy says. This new technology is offered in collaboration with 21st Century Oncology at the Lee Memorial Outpatient Surgical Center located in the Sanctuary building.
Established in Lehigh Acres, Florida Lung & Sleep Associates is the leading independent community provider of pulmonary and sleep services since 2002. Florida Lung & Sleep Associates is committed to providing premier, quality, and cost-effective diagnostic and therapeutic services to its patients. Florida Lung & Sleep Associates is accredited by the American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM) and the College of American Pathologists (CAP).
For more information call (239) 369-3333.
