Last year, Lisa Buede made the decision to get screened for lung cancer, knowing she was eligible due to her smoking history: The 59-year-old Lexington resident had been a smoker since she was 14 years old.
When the results of the screening revealed a tumor, Buede鈥檚 pulmonologist referred her to the . She would need a biopsy to determine if the nodule in her lung was cancer 鈥 and if it was, surgery to remove the mass.
Under the care of 海角禁区 Markey Cancer Center thoracic surgeon Shari Meyerson, MD, Buede underwent both procedures in the same day.
Buede had stage 1 non-small-cell lung cancer, but by the time she learned about the diagnosis, the tumor was already gone.
鈥淚 went to sleep not knowing if I had cancer, and I woke up from the anesthesia knowing it was gone,鈥 Buede said. 鈥淚 couldn鈥檛 believe it.鈥
Today, six months later, Buede remains cancer-free.
Buede was among the first patients at Markey Cancer Center to benefit from a new treatment approach that uses advanced surgical robots to diagnose and treat early stage lung cancer in one session. Patients arrive in the morning for a biopsy, and while they remain under anesthesia, pathologists analyze the tissue sample and provide results within minutes. If cancer is confirmed, surgeons immediately proceed with tumor removal.
The combined approach eliminates the typical three-to-eight week wait between lung cancer diagnosis and surgery, sparing patients like Buede weeks of anxiety about their diagnosis and treatment timeline.
鈥淲e鈥檙e now able to take patients from 鈥榶ou might have cancer鈥 to 鈥榶our cancer is gone鈥 in a single day,鈥 said Meyerson, 海角禁区 Markey Cancer Center surgical oncologist and chief of the 海角禁区 College of Medicine thoracic surgery section. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 transformative for patients and families.鈥
The combined procedure uses two robots 鈥 the ION endoluminal system for biopsies and the da Vinci surgical robot for tumor removal 鈥 to treat early-stage lung cancer cases where surgery is recommended. Meyerson says the program began in February 2025 and has treated six patients so far, with three to four expected monthly.
Screening catches lung cancer when it鈥檚 most treatable
Lung cancer screening, which detected Buede鈥檚 tumor, involves a simple CT scan that can identify tumors before symptoms appear, when treatment is most effective. The screening is recommended for adults aged 50 to 80 with significant smoking histories.
With non-small cell lung cancer鈥檚 overall five-year survival rate at just 28%, early detection and immediate intervention are critical. When caught at early stages, survival rates can reach 90% or higher.
Today, Buede is passionate about encouraging others to get screened. She quit smoking the day of her surgery, marking what she calls a new beginning in her life. She wants others with smoking histories to overcome their fears about screening.
鈥淚 smoked for 45 years and thought it was too late for me,鈥 she said. 鈥淏ut here I am 鈥 cancer-free and finally smoke-free. If someone like me can get a second chance, anyone can. Don鈥檛 let fear stop you from getting screened because it can save your life.鈥