Puerto Rico’s Oncology Hospital inaugurated a specialized lung cancer diagnosis room equipped with robotic technology that can identify hard-to-reach lung lesions, perform biopsies and determine the stage of the disease in a single procedure. The unit uses a robot-assisted bronchoscopy platform with three-dimensional images to locate small or hard-to-reach lesions and take samples, allowing biopsies without open surgery.
The procedure has two stages: specialists first biopsy the lung lesion, then examine the mediastinal lymph nodes in the center of the chest, information that helps determine the cancer’s stage and guide treatment decisions. The opening is part of the institution’s "Ponte en agenda" campaign to raise awareness about lung cancer prevention and early detection.
Specialists stressed that lung cancer is among the leading causes of death in the United States and urged attention to respiratory health and preventive medical evaluations. While tobacco use is the main risk factor, the disease can also develop in people who have never smoked due to environmental, genetic and occupational factors. Eligibility for the new procedure is determined through individualized medical evaluation.