New NCH technology to destroy tumors

NCH is upping its cancer-fighting game by becoming the first in Florida to acquire a new technology designed to destroy tumors.

The Aliya System, a pulsed electric field treatment, uses bursts of energy to kill tumors without relying on thermal heat or cold, offering a safer option near sensitive tissues and organs.

Dr. David Lindner, director of pulmonology and critical care at NCH, highlighted the significance of this technology.

“We’re the first and only place in Florida that has offered this in the state to date,” he said. “The system is already being used on lung cancer patients with multiple tumors.”

Dr. Lindner explained that the technology might also activate the patient’s immune system.

“When the cells leak out and die, it can be very likely that the patient’s immune system then gets activated,” he said.

The introduction of this technology follows a revelation that 40% of cancer patients in Collier County sought treatment elsewhere. NCH aims to keep patients close to home, believing they are better served within their community and support system.

In October, NCH announced a collaboration with Northwestern Medicine to expand oncology services.

Suzanne Graziano, oncology nursing director at NCH, said, “It’s going to allow us to bring the latest and greatest to our oncology patients here in Southwest Florida, so patients will not require traveling to metropolitan areas.”

As part of this initiative, NCH also opened a new state-of-the-art infusion center and added a women’s cancer center, addressing the growing need for cancer care in the region.