Advocate Condell Medical Center debuts innovative cancer treatment

Advocate Condell Medical Center, 801 S. Milwaukee Ave., Libertyville, last month became one of the first facilities in the nation to address metastatic cancer in the lung using the minimally-invasive Pulsed Electric Field (PEF) ablation therapy system — bringing new hope to patients facing metastatic lung cancer and other cancers that have spread to the lungs.

Pulmonologist Ammar Alqaid, MD, is among the first Lake County physicians to address metastatic cancer to the lung using this minimally invasive PEF technology. He administered Advocate Condell’s first PEF procedure to a 57-year-old patient with metastatic colon cancer.

Despite having prior surgeries and chemotherapy, the patient’s cancer spread to the liver and both lungs.

Guided by advanced imaging — like a cone beam CT scan and Ion Robotic Navigational bronchoscopy — the PEF ablation catheter pinpoints lung nodules, then sends tiny electrical pulses to destroy the cancerous cells without disturbing healthy lung tissue. At the same time, the electric pulse technology activates the patient’s immune system to destroy any hidden cancer cells as well as any new cancer cells that may appear in the lungs after treatment.

“This world class technology enhances our ability to treat even the most challenging cancer cases here at Advocate Condell. We can now biopsy and ablate new and relapsing lung cancer spots and metastatic pulmonary lesions effectively without the burden of prolonged recoveries or invasive surgeries,” said Dr. Alqaid. “This enables patients to preserve quality of life and, when necessary, continue additional cancer therapies without significant interruption.”

Typically, patients undergo PEF therapy as an outpatient procedure and leave the hospital that same day, within hours — similar to a routine navigational bronchoscopy procedure. And after PEF treatment, patients can immediately resume standard of care options, including chemotherapy, immunotherapy, and radiotherapy.

Unlike traditional ablation procedures that destroy cancer cells with heat — sometimes affecting nearby healthy lung tissue — the technique delivers brief, non-thermal electrical pulses with so much precision it can minimize anesthesia needs and lengthy recovery times.

The PEF procedure can be performed during both endobronchial ultrasound (EBUS) and robot-assisted diagnostic bronchoscopies, allowing physicians to diagnose and treat cancer within the same minimally invasive session.

“The introduction of the PEF system marks a major milestone in cancer care, not just for Lake County but for all of Illinois. This technology brings more hope to our later-stage cancer patients and greater possibilities for living longer and healthier lives,” said hematologist/oncologist Michael Breen, MD, who leads overall cancer care for Advocate Condell’s first patient to receive the PEF procedure.

Dr. Alqaid and Dr. Breen are part of Advocate Condell’s multidisciplinary cancer care team, which continues to advance and deliver the most innovative and safest cancer treatments that improve outcomes for patients facing some of the most challenging cancer diagnoses.