Robotics technology used to treat cancer  | YourCentralValley.com

CLOVIS, Calif. (KSEE/KGPE) – A cancer diagnosis can be scary and life-changing, so having access to advanced care is important for patients and their families. 

So, when local resident, Debbie Wray was given the news that she had lung cancer, she was immediately referred to the only cancer center specialty center in the valley and was offered a cutting-edge treatment called the DaVinci Surgery. A robotic surgery that saved her life. 

“I was so concerned that this was going to be a death sentence for me like my mom,” said Wray. “I remember putting my head down on my lap  when they told me  the physician’s assistant was so kind and so gentle about telling me.”

Debbie’s primary doctor referred her to a vascular doctor after abnormal cholesterol levels came up on a test and because of her family history, doctors decided to do a CT Scan of her chest. 

“And it was on that chest CT that a nodule, the aorta was fine, everything was great with the aorta, but they found this nodule on that chest CT,” she said. 

Debbie was diagnosed with Stage 1 Lung Cancer. 

“Typically, we see, I would say 60 plus percent of lung cancers are diagnosed with stage three or four, which means we diagnose them really late,” said Dr. John C. Lin, Cardiothoracic Surgeon, Central California Heart & Lung Surgery.

 “Lung cancer surgery is not an uncommon diagnosis, but her particular story of diagnosing as early-stage lung cancer is not that popular.”

Although her cancer was discovered early, Debbie would still need surgery. She underwent a minimally invasive surgery that uses robot technology and is offered at Community. 

“We are able or magnification when we do a surgery is about 20 times, so we can do even more precise, accurate surgery, take down more lymph nodes so that give us better prognosticating tools to see if the cancer is spread,” said Dr. Lin. 

It has been six months since Debbie’s surgery, she is thankful for Dr. Lin and his team at Community and the advanced care close to home. 

“You know, from my primary care physician to the lung nodule program and to Dr. Lynn,  everybody that helped me,” she said. “My hospital stay at Clovis Community was absolutely  terrific.”