Tlalit Bussi Tel Tzure is the Vice President of Business Development and Global Marketing for the Medical Device Company, IceCure Medical.
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February 4 is World Cancer Day, and 2023 marks the second year of the campaign “Close The Care Gap,” centered on the issue of inequality in access to quality cancer care. As patients, advocates and policymakers unite together to mobilize and enable change, minimally invasive treatments provide a new approach to help us to bridge this care gap.
Over the last decade, minimally invasive cancer treatments have been transforming how we give and receive care. As a disclosure, my company IceCure Medical is a provider of minially invastive medical devices. Advanced tech solutions now enable much safer and more accessible therapy options for cancer patients while enabling treatment where often no solution previously existed.
Yet not everyone has access to such advanced treatment options. This inequity in care, the “cancer care gap,” must be closed to ensure that patients of any background, gender or location have access to the best treatment available.
Working in this field for over a decade, I have seen first-hand the impact this can have on cancer patients. Underserved populations, especially women and those living in rural areas, often struggle to get cancer screenings and treatments. This is through no fault of their own but often rather a result of childcare priorities, work obligations or poor transportation.
It is, therefore, imperative that we do more to bring advanced life-saving, minimally invasive treatments to these underserved populations. In this article, I will outline both the advancements made capable by such treatments as well as some tips for healthcare leaders considering an investment in minimally invasive medical devices.
What are minimally invasive cancer treatments?
Minimally invasive cancer treatments are procedures performed through small incisions or natural body openings using specialized instruments and technologies to destroy tumors. They offer many benefits compared to traditional surgery, including shorter recovery times, less scarring and fewer complications. These improved clinical outcomes can also bring further advantages in terms of lowering overall healthcare costs for patients and the healthcare system.
But the real advantage of many minimally invasive cancer treatments is that they can be performed in a broader range of settings, including smaller hospitals and clinics. This means that patients in underserved or remote areas can access state-of-the-art care without having to travel long distances.
Furthermore, by providing advanced care in more locations and at a lower cost, minimally invasive cancer treatments can help to reduce the burden on the healthcare system, particularly in areas with limited resources.
What should healthcare leaders know about investment in minimally invasive treatments?
Some examples of minimally invasive treatments currently being used to treat tumors include laser surgery, radiofrequency ablation, laparoscopic surgery, robotic surgery, cryoablation and others. Harnessing the latest technologies, they are all much less invasive than traditional surgical approaches while being highly targeted to the localized tumor location. In the field of cryoablation where I work, in which cancer cells are destroyed by freezing, we are seeing profound benefits to care.
There are many types of minimally invasive cancer treatments now available, and new techniques and technologies are being developed all the time. The outlook is highly promising, and it is therefore important to explore all treatment options available when considering an investment in minimally invasive devices for a facility.
What are some challenges to and limitations of minimally invasive treatments?
As you can see, minimally invasive treatment options carry a huge potential to help bridge the cancer care gap. Yet they are not without challenges and limitations.
Minimally invasive treatment options are not suitable for all types of cancer or all stages of disease. They may require specialized training and expertise, so though the technology exists, leaders may find that medical professionals to perform the procedures are still located in specific regions, which will require them to be able to outsource these specialized skills. And some patients may still prefer traditional surgery, which remains the gold standard of care for many cancer types.
It is clear that minimally invasive treatments will play a strong future role in helping us close the cancer care gap. However, for this to happen, it is imperative that we promote innovation and investment, provide the required specialized training, increase awareness as well as provide the necessary infrastructure to aid implementation.
Organizations helping to raise awareness, such as the Sister Network, which is bringing attention to the devastating impact breast cancer has on African American communities, are helping drive this change to close the cancer care gap.
We must seek ways to bring equitable healthcare for all.
Providing equitable care to all, regardless of race, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, age or religion, must be a top priority for healthcare leaders globally.
As we recognize World Cancer Day, let’s put health equity front and center. Let’s continue to develop unique care pathways optimized to provide quality cancer care to address our unique differences that are accessible to all.
Everyone deserves access to the best possible cancer care, no matter where they live. Minimally invasive treatments can help to make this a reality, and I hope this article helps shed light on their potential for healthcare leaders everywhere.
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