“From my perspective, the entire team did a great job and I would absolutely recommend them.”
When John Hreno, a retired technology worker, went for a calcium scoring test for his heart, he never expected the CT scan to reveal a small nodule on his lung. That incidental discovery set John on a careful step-by-step journey, as he focused on getting clear answers.
After the nodule was identified, John underwent additional imaging, including a PET scan, which revealed highly suspicious findings for cancer. Then a biopsy was done with CT guidance, but it did not definitively confirm malignancy, although the evidence suggested that it was to his team of physicians. At the time, John had fear about undergoing additional biopsies for workup.
“I didn’t want to take chances,” John said. “If there was even a possibility it could become malignant, I wanted to address it.”
Seeking advanced options, John contacted The Cancer Center at Cooperman Barnabas Medical Center, together with Rutgers Cancer Institute, the state’s only NCI-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center.
It was then that he met with David Huang, MD, a radiation oncologist, and together they discussed all available paths, including surgery, observations, and targeted radiation therapy. Dr. Huang offered the radiation treatment given the circumstances of the very suspicious scans, showing a likely early-stage lung cancer.
Ultimately, John chose stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT), a radiation therapy option that can treat small tumors in the lungs and in other parts of the body. John completed five treatment sessions, and his follow-up scans showed improvement in the treated area with disappearance of the original suspicious mass.
Several months later, after recovering from COVID, a new area of concern appeared on imaging.
To determine the cause, John was referred to Yu Maw Htwe, MD, Director of Interventional Pulmonology at Cooperman Barnabas Medical Center and an RWJBH Medical Group provider, who recommended a Robotic-Assisted Bronchoscopy using the Ion System, a minimally invasive approach designed to reach difficult lung areas safely and accurately.
For John, this recommendation brought up his deep-rooted fear again. “I had a terrible experience with anesthesia when I was a child. I’ve avoided it my entire adult life, and the anxiety was overwhelming,” John shared. “However, Dr. Htwe took the time to listen to my concerns and explain everything. She helped put me at ease before we even talked about the actual procedure.”
“Ion allows us to reach areas in the lungs through the airways using a very thin, flexible catheter without making any incisions in the chest,” explains Dr. Htwe. “Ion’s shape sensing technology provides real-time feedback, allowing physicians to precisely navigate the lungs and obtain tissue samples with a high degree of accuracy.”
On the day of the bronchoscopy, John says the entire team, especially his anesthesiologist, went above and beyond to support him. “My anesthesiologist did a great job and really helped me remain calm and overcome my fear,” he said.
The robotic bronchoscopy went smoothly, with minimal recovery time. “I had very little pain afterward. Just a light sore throat and hoarseness for a day,” says John. “From my perspective, Dr. Htwe and the entire team did a great job and I would absolutely recommend them and this procedure to anyone who needs it.”
One by one, John’s results came back, all with good news. There was no cancer detected, and no further treatment was needed. Now, he continues routine monitoring, feeling relieved and grateful.
The Lung Cancer Institute
In the early stages, lung cancer often doesn’t have symptoms. As a result, being part of a lung cancer screening program is so important for those at risk. The multidisciplinary team with The Lung Cancer Institute at Cooperman Barnabas Medical Center, has taken steps to be able to diagnose lung cancer early though a free lung cancer screening program and quickly provide the follow-up care that can mean a longer life for patients.
Additionally, CBMC has introduced the Incidental Lung Nodule Program, which uses artificial intelligence to identify patients with incidental lung nodules seen on scans ordered for other reasons, and enrolls them in a program where a specialist can provide appropriate follow up and recommend interventions if and when they become necessary. This allows the team to catch lung cancers early, even in patients with no risk factors who would otherwise not qualify for lung cancer screening.
If lung cancer is found, the multidisciplinary team at CBMC offers all forms of modern treatment modalities. For example, using the most up-to-date robotic surgical systems, we can remove lung cancers with very little downtime and pain. This allows patients to heal faster and get back to living their lives sooner. It also avoids delays in patients that need additional treatment such as chemotherapy or immunotherapy.
RWJBarnabas Health, together with Rutgers Cancer Institute, the state’s only National Cancer Institute-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center, brings the most advanced treatment options close to home.
To schedule an appointment with one of our thoracic cancer specialists, call 844-CANCERNJ