New Lung Cancer Treatment At Temecula Valley Hospital Saves Local Man

TEMECULA, CA — Southwest Healthcare Temecula Valley Hospital is the first facility in Southwest Riverside County to successfully diagnose and treat stage one lung cancer using a combination of robotic technologies known as Ion and da Vinci.

Patient Kipp Petry says his life was saved thanks to the coordinated effort between his primary care doctor and surgical team. He was diagnosed with early-stage lung cancer, detected by his primary care physician, Dr. Curtiss Combs, confirmed by pulmonologist Dr. David Lee, and resolved by thoracic surgeon Dr. Samer Kanaan, according to a statement released by Temecula Valley Hospital.

"I was in Iraq, and was exposed to tuberculosis, so every year I get my lungs checked for spots," Petry said. "Dr. Combs noticed something irregular, who sent me on to Dr. Lee."

"That Ion robot caught this so quick. That's why I'm sitting here now," Petry said. "If it wasn't for this technology, I wouldn't be here. These guys saved my life."

The Ion robotic bronchoscopy platform enables physicians to detect lung cancer at its earliest stages through minimally invasive biopsy procedures. Combined with the da Vinci surgical system, this technology provides patients with advanced diagnostic and treatment options previously unavailable in the region, according to Hong Min, CEO of Temecula Valley Hospital, who spoke on the meaning behind the lifesaving treatment program.

"This achievement demonstrates our commitment to bringing cutting-edge medical technology to our community," Min said. "Early detection and treatment are crucial in fighting lung cancer, and these robotic systems help make that possible."

The hospital encourages community members to assess their lung cancer risk through their online assessment tool.

Dr. Curtiss Combs, a Temecula primary care physician, was the first step of this "staged treatment" guiding Petry from first suspicion, to diagnosis to cure.

"It's an exciting time for us in primary care, because now we can intervene and change the game entirely," Combs said. After the initial review of Petry's scans, he sent his patient on to the pumonology team for a closer look.

Dr. Lee, who used the Ion Robot for a robotic bronchospapy, identified Petry had squamous cell lung cancer of the right upper lobe. Lee says the robot is a "gamechanger"

"The key part in the procedure is in staging. When we can have the diagnosis and staging in one setting, it sets patients up for surgical cure," Lee said. In Petry's case, "we took a biopsy and confirmed immediately that it was lung cancer."

The da Vinci curative surgery, performed by Dr. Kanaan, had excellent results. "He came to Temecula Valley Hospital, and within two to three days he went home. We had an excellent result, free margins, all lymph nodes negative, and he's recovered very well."

Petry is six months free of cancer, as of his most recent CT scans. He described his surgery.

"The Ion robot caught this so quick, they caught it before it metastisized into full blown lung cancer," he said. "In surgery with Dr. Kanaan, he went under my rib, into my lung and cut out the cancer. There was no rib splitting, no rib breaking. That day I got out I was walking. No pain, no nothing. But if it wasn't for that first stage with the Ion Robot? I wouldn't be here. It was beyond amazing, these guys saved my life and I owe them my life."