First in-human surgery with lung cancer device

Clinicians have performed the first in-human regional lung cancer tumour ablation with Uptake Medical’s InterVapor targetted vapour therapy system

The procedure was performed by Professor Arschang Valipour, interventional pulmonologist at The Otto-Wagner-Spital Hospital in Vienna.

Valipour accessed the patient's lung via a standard thin bronchoscope and placed the catheter in the airway.

He then delivered eight seconds of InterVapor's targeted vapour therapy to the tumour with the intention of isolating and ultimately killing the tumour while simultaneously preserving adjacent tissue.

The entire procedure was completed in approximately ten minutes and then the patient underwent surgical resection to remove the tumour.

Histopathology analysis confirmed that a homogeneous ablation zone had been created around the tumour following natural anatomical boundaries.

There was successful ablation of 90% of the tumour and complete tumour death was projected within three days following the procedure.

Valipour said: "InterVapor is the only therapy with the promise of quick, simple, complete bronchoscopic ablation of lung tumour with margin.

"The vapour followed the patient's anatomical boundaries and we successfully completed this first-in-human case without penetrating the tumour or puncturing adjacent healthy tissues, while creating a well-defined and controlled margin within the lung."

King Nelson, president and CEO of Uptake Medical, said: "Current treatment options for lung cancer often require patients to undergo invasive surgery or tolerate toxic chemicals.

"We are very encouraged by the initial clinical results from InterVapor's first-in-human case, and hope that regional tumour ablation performed with vapour will ultimately represent a new hope as a treatment option for the thousands of people worldwide who are battling lung cancer."