McLaren Central Michigan, part of McLaren Health Care and the statewide Karmanos Cancer Network, has significantly enhanced its care of a common and very serious form of cancer with the expansion of its lung cancer program, which includes the addition of advanced technology capable of thoroughly diagnosing lung cancer in its earliest stages.
Early detection allows physicians to treat the cancer when it is most responsive to treatment therapies.
As part of the hospital’s ongoing commitment to provide comprehensive cancer care within the community it serves, McLaren Central Michigan has added an Endobronchial Ultrasound (EBUS) unit, an advanced clinical technology that allows physicians to perform a bronchoscopy and look deeper in the lungs to view and biopsy suspected cancer in their earliest forms.
Patients living with lung cancer risk factors can be proactive in their lung health by having a conversation with their primary care provider to see if they are eligible for the hospital’s low-dose lung cancer screening. The non-invasive imaging procedure is the only way to detect lung cancer before patients begin experiencing symptoms.
“Our hospital has pledged to bring comprehensive cancer to our patients and to make that care accessible in Mount Pleasant,” said Robert David, McLaren Central Michigan President and CEO. “Our aim is to provide those affected by cancer with the level of care they deserve, and with this enhancement of our lung cancer program, we have bolstered our ability to detect this disease in its early stages, giving our patients and providers the chance to achieve the best possible outcome.”
With smoking as the leading risk factor for lung cancer, current and former smokers can talk to their primary provider to see if they meet the guidelines for a referral for a lung cancer screening. A CT scan of the chest, clinicians can effectively detect abnormalities and suspected lung cancer with only a low dose of radiation.
Patients can learn about lung cancer screening criteria at karmanos.org/centrallungscreening.
If physicians determine a biopsy is needed, the EBUS platform allows them to view suspected cancers in real time from within the lungs via a flexible tube inserted through the mouth. This enables provides to gather tissue and fluid samples using an ultrasound guided needle, avoiding the need for traditional surgery.
“Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer deaths worldwide, in part because it has no symptoms in its early stages,” said Dr. Thomson Varghese, pulmonologist and Director of Pulmonary and Critical Care at McLaren Central Michigan. “With the improved reach, vision, and control for these procedures, we have the ability to achieve an earlier diagnosis and offer a more hopeful future for our patients with lung cancer.”
Learn more about McLaren Central Michigan’s lung cancer program and the capabilities of the Karmanos Cancer Institute at McLaren Central Michigan at karmanos.org/centrallungscreening.
Make an appointment with a McLaren Central Michigan primary care provider at mclaren.org/centralmichigan.
About McLaren Central Michigan
McLaren Central Michigan is a 118-bed acute care hospital located in Mount Pleasant, Michigan. It offers a full range of health and wellness services including primary care, general surgery, orthopedic surgery, emergency medicine and cancer services. McLaren Central Michigan is recognized as an accessible and dependable source of quality medical care for residents of Mount Pleasant, Isabella County and central Michigan. In addition to its medical staff of over 50 active physicians, it is affiliated with more than 150 other quality providers. The hospital is one of the region’s largest employers, with approximately 550 employees and another 100 volunteers. McLaren Central Michigan received the Governor’s Award of Excellence in 2017 and 2019 and is named as one of the Top 100 Rural & Community Hospitals in the United States by the Chartis Center for Rural Health. It is the only hospital in the central Michigan area to receive a Safety “A” grade in the Hospital Safety report in 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021 and 2022. Learn more at mclaren.org/centralmichigan.
About McLaren Health Care
McLaren Health Care, headquartered in Grand Blanc, Michigan, is a $7.3 billion, fully integrated health care delivery system committed to quality, evidence-based patient care and cost efficiency. The McLaren system includes 12 hospitals in Michigan, ambulatory surgery centers, imaging centers, a 640-member employed primary and specialty care physician network, commercial and Medicaid HMOs covering more than 732,838 lives in Michigan and Indiana, home health, infusion and hospice providers, pharmacy services, a clinical laboratory network and a wholly owned medical malpractice insurance company. McLaren operates Michigan’s largest network of cancer centers and providers, anchored by the Karmanos Cancer Institute, a National Cancer Institute-designated comprehensive cancer center. McLaren has 28,000 full-, part-time and contracted employees and more than 113,000 network providers throughout Michigan, Indiana, and Ohio. Learn more at mclaren.org.