Samaritan to Use Innovative Advanced Technology to Improve Lung Cancer Diagnosis

Published on: August 14, 2025

Robotic Bronchoscopy Aims to Help Enable Earlier Access to Lung Nodules

WATERTOWN, NY – For lung cancer patients, getting an earlier diagnosis is crucial in creating the opportunity for accelerating treatment discussions. Johnson & Johnson MedTech’s MONARCH^TM Platform, a robotically assisted bronchoscopy system enhanced with advanced computer-guided technology, is improving how physicians reach and biopsy lung lesions¹.

The facts:

• Nearly every 2 ½ minutes, someone in the U.S. is diagnosed with lung cancer, and every day, lung cancer takes the lives of more than 356 people².
• The 5-year relative survival is 61% in Stage 1 (localized), but when diagnosed at a late stage (distant) there is a 7% 5-year relative survival³.
• Over 70% of U.S. lung cancer patients are not diagnosed until stages III-IV⁴.
• Transthoracic Needle Aspirations have an approximate 20% pneumothorax rate; 7.3% of patients require a chest tube and 2.8% – 9% experience significant bleeding^5,6.

We at Samaritan want to enable physicians to provide patients and their families quicker answers, especially around earlier diagnosis and treatment options.

The MONARCH^TM Platform is now in use at Samaritan Medical Center enhancing the work of the skilled pulmonologists at Samaritan Pulmonology – Dr. Rory Sears, Dr. David Rechlin, Dr. Lawrence Kramer, Dr. Aaliya Burza, and Dr. Marco Campitelli. The technology effectively integrates bronchoscopes, instruments, navigation, and robotics into one easy-to-use platform that provides the physician with a full suite of possible endoscopic intervention capabilities. The MONARCH^TM Bronchoscope is designed for continuous vision throughout the procedure^7,8*†. The latest advancement in the platform’s navigation technology, MONARCH^TM QUEST, combines next-generation navigation software with the GE HealthCare OEC 3D Imaging System to speed up algorithm and data processing. It is designed to travel deep into the lungs and precisely guide a biopsy instrument into even the most difficult nodules, while maintaining vision during the most critical segment of the procedure, the biopsy^9‡.

Samaritan is currently the only hospital in New York State utilizing the Monarch Platform with advanced technology. Since its launch, the team has already performed four successful procedures, setting a new standard for lung care in the region.

The outcomes:

• As of April 2024, physicians throughout the country have used the MONARCH^TM Platform on over 40,000 patients¹⁰.
• With MONARCH^TM for Bronchoscopy, physicians have demonstrated a 15% improvement in overall diagnostic yield compared to traditional ENB bronchoscopy¹¹.

Samaritan continues to invest in our community and with the help of the MONARCH^TM

Platform will change the future of lung care. “The Monarch Platform is transforming the way we approach lung procedures,” said Dr. Rory Sears, Pulmonary and Critical Care specialist at Samaritan. “Its advanced robotic precision allows us to reach and biopsy lung nodules with greater accuracy and safety, which ultimately means better outcomes and peace of mind for our patients.”

Learn more at www.samaritanhealth.com/lung-care.

About Samaritan Medical Center

Samaritan Medical Center (Watertown, New York) is a 290-bed not-for-profit community medical center, offering a full spectrum of inpatient and outpatient healthcare services. From primary and emergency care to highly specialized medical and surgical services, such as cancer treatment, neonatal intensive care, behavioral health and addiction services, and imaging services, Samaritan Medical Center and its team of healthcare professionals proudly serves the medical needs of our civilian and military community. Quality, compassion, and safety are the basic principles by which exceptional care is delivered at Samaritan.

Bronchoscopy Indications for Use: The MONARCH^TM Bronchoscope and the MONARCH^TM Platform and its accessories are intended to provide bronchoscopic visualization of and access to patient airways for diagnostic and therapeutic procedures.

Bronchoscopy Important Safety Statement: Complications from bronchoscopy may include breathing difficulty, vocal cord spasm, hoarseness, slight fever, vomiting, dizziness, bronchial spasm, infection, low blood oxygen, bleeding from biopsied site, or an allergic reaction to medications. More serious complications from bronchoscopy may include collapsed lung, respiratory failure, hemorrhage, burns, heart attack or cardiac arrhythmia.

 

References

1. Retrospective Chart Review of Monarch Diagnostic Bronchoscopy Outcomes in Real-world Clinical Practice. Internal Data 103-000810-00 Rev A

• Key Findings. www.lung.org. https://www.lung.org/research/state-of-lung-cancer/key-findings

• American Cancer Society. Cancer Facts & Figures 2023. Atlanta: American Cancer Society; 2023. https://www.cancer.org/content/dam/cancer-org/research/cancer-facts-and-statistics/annual-cancer-facts-and-figures/2023/2023-cancer-facts-and-figures.pdf Cases diagnosed in the SEER 17 areas from 2012-2018, all followed through 2019.

• National Cancer Institute. Cancer of the Lung and Bronchus – Cancer Stat Facts. National Cancer Institute. Published 2018. https://seer.cancer.gov/statfacts/html/lungb.html

• Ho, ATN. Et al. Solitary lung nodule: CT-Guided transthoracic biopsy vs Transbronchial Biopsy with Endobronchial Ultrasound and Flexible

• DiBardino, D. Transthoracic needle biopsy of the lung. Journal of Thoracic Disease. 2015

• AURIS, 104-002610-01 MONARCH Platform Design Verification Report B2.0, Dec. 2019, pgs 18-19

• AURIS, 104-002690-01 Bronch 2.0 Design Validation Report- Functionality, Dec. 2019, pg 18.

• AURIS, 104-002610-01 MONARCH Platform System Design Verification Report B2.0, Dec. 2019, Validation Test Report

1. Internal Report: Monthly Utilization by Hospital

1. Vachani A, et al. Diagnostic Yield Of Technologies For Biopsy Of Lung Lesions: Using An Advanced Optimization Approach To Compare Single-Arm Bronchoscopy Trials. CHEST 2022;162(4), Supp.: A2118-A2119. https:doi.org_10.1016_j.chest.2022.08.1749. Accessed 3 April 2024.

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Photographed above, left to right, is Dr. Rory Sears using the MONARCH, a group photo of Dr. Marco Campitelli, Dr. Lawrence Kramer, and Dr. Rory Sears, and a photo of Dr. Aaliya Burza and Dr. Lawrence Kramer using the equipment together.