When you think of annual health checkups, screening for lung cancer might not come to mind. Fortunately, it was very much on the mind of pulmonologist Rafael A. Alba Yunen, MD, when he saw his patient, Janis Gilder.
Dr. Alba Yunen is triple board-certified in internal, critical care and pulmonary medicine and director of Pulmonary Medicine at Southeast Georgia Health System. He practices at Southeast Georgia Physician Associates-Pulmonary Medicine, where he treats conditions such as asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), lung infections, pleural diseases and lung cancer.
Lower risks, faster care
Chris Moncus
Pulmonologist Dr. Rafael A. Alba Yunen with Ion Robotic Bronchoscopy and CyberKnife patient Janis Gilder
Dr. Alba Yunen and Janis Gilder
As a former smoker, Janis qualified for a low-dose computed tomography (CT) scan of the chest. “Our guidelines recommend a low-dose CT scan for people at risk for lung cancer and those age 50 to 80 who smoke or previously smoked at least one pack of cigarettes per day for 20 years or has a 20-pack-year history of smoking,” Dr. Alba Yunen says. He explains that a patient’s exposure to radiation is significantly lower in a low-dose scan versus a traditional CT scan. Low-dose scans are also completed faster than traditional scans. If lung cancer is suspected, it’s essential to get diagnosed and start treatment quickly.
Reaching the tiniest spaces
Janis was accustomed to lung cancer screening, but says, “Dr. Alba Yunen saw something different this time.” When her scan revealed a lesion, Dr. Alba Yunen biopsied the lesion using a minimally invasive method called Ion robotic bronchoscopy. Using Ion’s extremely thin, highly maneuverable catheter, he can safely reach small lesions in all 18 segments of the lung with greater accuracy, stability and safety. Collecting a lung tissue sample when a lesion or nodule is small allows treatment to start earlier, which may improve a patient’s outcome.
With the Ion’s fiber-optic sensor and camera, Dr. Alba Yunen gets real-time pictures, measurements and locations of the catheter and lesions. High resolution, real-time images of the procedure are also projected onto a computer screen. Dr. Alba Yunen explains, “Because Janis’ nodule was small and located at the outer edges of her lung, she was the perfect candidate for an Ion bronchoscopy, given its reach, stability and precision – features which are not available in a non-robotic bronchoscopy.”
Making treatment easier
When the results came in, Janis wasn’t surprised she had a cancerous nodule, even though she had no symptoms. Thanks to Dr. Alba Yunen’s diligence, her cancer was discovered early, which meant Janis could be treated with the CyberKnife® M6 Robotic Radiosurgery System. Dr. Alba Yunen coordinated Janis’ care with Phillip J. Villiotte, MD, a board-certified radiation oncologist at Southeast Georgia Physician Associates-Radiation Oncology.
The CyberKnife allows a radiation oncologist to customize treatment to a tumor’s exact shape, size and location. For patients, this means faster, more precise treatment, fewer side effects and less damage to healthy tissue. The Health System’s Cancer Care Center in Brunswick was the first facility in Georgia to offer this advanced CyberKnife technology.
Janis was very pleased with her CyberKnife experience. “It is the most wonderful treatment. All you have to do is lie down and be still for five minutes. I had five treatments over one week. When I think of what people go through with chemo and radiation, I could cry.”
Rewarding Results
A month after Janis’ treatment, Dr. Alba Yunen ordered another low-dose CT scan. The cancer was gone. “I am thrilled,” Janis says. “I’m so thankful we have CyberKnife and such good doctors here.”
Although giving up smoking was one of the hardest things Janis has ever done, diagnosing and treating her cancer was handled quickly and efficiently. For Dr. Alba Yunen, preserving the quality and length of patients’ lives is, “The most rewarding outcome and my life’s professional purpose.”
If you or a loved one is a current or former smoker or has been exposed to substances known to cause lung cancer, ask your primary care provider or pulmonologist if you qualify for a low-dose CT scan. The few minutes it takes to get screened might add years to your life.
For more information about Southeast Georgia Physician Associates-Pulmonary Medicine physicians and services, visit sghs.org/pulmonary.
