AMSTERDAM and DUBLIN, October 8,
2015 /PRNewswire/ --
Company Delivers Latest Innovation Focused on Aiding in
Diagnosis and Preparation for Therapy of Lung
Cancer
Further underscoring its ongoing commitment to lung health,
Medtronic (NYSE:MDT) today unveiled a next-generation version of
its superDimension™ navigation system software. The superDimension™
navigation system enables a minimally invasive approach to access
difficult-to-reach areas of the lung, and can aid in the diagnosis
of lung diseases. Using the patient's CT scan, the superDimension™
planning software generates a 3D virtual bronchial tree and allows
physicians to map pathways to reach pulmonary targets during the
electromagnetic navigation bronchoscopy procedures (also known as
ENB™ procedures).
During a workshop session at the 2015 European Respiratory
Society (ERS) Annual Congress a global perspective on lung cancer
approach was outlined. It was supported by opinions from both
an interventional pulmonologist and a thoracic surgeon. All
attendees had the opportunity to experience and test the advanced
platform and its extended capabilities.
Lung cancer causes 1.37 million deaths per year worldwide, which
represents 18% of all cancer deaths [1]. Within the European Union,
lung cancer is the most frequently fatal cancer, leading to over
266 000 deaths yearly and accounting for 20.8% of all cancer deaths
[2]. Surgery in the early stages is the most effective treatment
for lung cancer. However, most patients are diagnosed at an
advanced, and thus non-curable, disease stage [3].
"This minimally invasive device helps physicians prepare for the
most appropriate therapy depending on the stage of the cancer,"
said Bronwyn Brophy, Vice President
Early Technologies EMEA, Medtronic. "Improving chances to
more easily identify patients at an early stage may bring a
dramatic change in the societal impact of lung cancer."
In its early stages, lung cancer presents few, if any, symptoms.
As a result, the diagnosis of lung cancer occurs in late stages for
the vast majority of patients with lung cancer. Long term survival
rates of lung cancer are very low. When diagnosed early, an
estimated 85 percent of lung cancer cases appear at a more curable
stage [4]. Early detection and immediate treatment dramatically
increases the typical long-term survival rate from 15 percent at 5
years [5] to 88 percent at 10 years [4].
Only recently, Medtronic announced the launch of a
2,500-patient, international study to assess real-world impact of
its superDimension™ navigation system. The company developed the
study to support and validate the superDimension™ system, which the
company hopes will become the global standard-of-care for obtaining
lung tissue biopsies from the periphery of the lungs [6].
"These advanced tools and technologies demonstrate Medtronic's
commitment to expanding the specialized lung health products
available to pulmonologists and thoracic surgeons," said
Chuck Brynelsen, President Early
Technologies, Medtronic. "Brynelsen concluded, "The continuum of
care is the healthcare journey a patient takes from diagnosis to
recovery. Our goal, across this continuum, is to diagnose earlier,
intervene earlier, treat better and help patients recover
faster."
superDimension™ Innovations
Using a patient's CT scan, the latest superDimension™ planning
software generates a 3D virtual bronchial tree and lets physicians
map pathways aligned with the patient's anatomy to reach pulmonary
targets that are used during an electromagnetic navigation
bronchoscopy™ (ENB™) procedure. This virtual roadmap allows
physicians to navigate and steer a catheter to the target quickly
and accurately. Once the target tissue is reached, physicians pass
the new superDimension™ triple needle cytology brush through an
endoscopic catheter to obtain tissue samples from endobronchial
lesions, peripheral lung nodules, or lung masses.
[1]World Health Organization. Cancer. Fact Sheet
Number 297.
http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs297/en/ Last
updated February 2015. Date last
accessed: February 10, 2015.
[2]Eurostat Press Office. 1 in 4 Deaths Caused
by Cancer in the
EU28. 2014;http://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/documents/2995521/6131615/3-25112014-BP-EN/aab2c2d3-aed9-430a-a561-e188b8ef49d8 Date
last updated: November 25, 2014. Date
last accessed: February 10, 2015.
[3] ESR/ERS white paper on lung cancer screening. Eur
Respir J. 2015 Jul; 46(1): 28-39. Published online 2015 Apr 30.
doi: 10.1183/09031936.00033015
[4]American Cancer Society: Cancer Facts
& Figures 2013.
[5] The International Early Lung Cancer Action
Program Investigators. N Engl J Med 2006; 355:1763-1771.
[6] May
2013; 143(5_suppl) Diagnosis and Management of Lung Cancer,
3rd ed.: American College of Chest Physicians Evidence-Based
Clinical Practice Guidelines
About Medtronic
Medtronic plc (http://www.medtronic.com ), headquartered in
Dublin, Ireland, is the global
leader in medical technology - alleviating pain, restoring health
and extending life for millions of people around the world.
Any forward-looking statements are subject to risks and
uncertainties such as those described in Medtronic's periodic
reports on file with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Actual
results may differ materially from anticipated results.
SOURCE Medtronic