Atlantic Health System’s Morristown Medical Center is the First Hospital in New Jersey to Offer the Aliya™ Pulsed Electric Field (PEF) Energy Platform with Minimally Invasive Bronchoscopy for Advanced Lung Cancer Treatment

MORRISTOWN, N.J., November 21, 2024 – Atlantic Health System’s Morristown Medical Center is the first hospital in New Jersey to offer patients the option to treat advanced lung cancer by coupling technology from the Aliya™ Pulsed Electric Field (PEF) Energy Platform with a robotic Ion Bronchoscopy, a minimally invasive procedure that involves inserting a catheter via the mouth and throat to reach a tumor inside of the lung.

The advanced technology of the FDA-approved Aliya™ PEF Energy platform is delivered through a fine catheter introduced inside the lung by a robotic bronchoscopy, enabling this treatment for advanced lung cancer. Aliya uses high-voltage electrical pulses to ablate soft tissue tumors, offering a lower-temperature alternative to traditional thermal ablation, a procedure used to remove or destroy abnormal tissue. Unlike traditional thermal ablation methods that rely on extreme heat, this technique leverages lower temperature which minimizes damage to surrounding tissue, reduces inflammation and lowers the risk of lung collapse and bleeding in a minimally invasive manner that avoids surgery and radiation.

“I’m honored to be part of the team at Atlantic Health System and advance our long-term commitment to bringing innovative solutions to our community,” said Mark Widmann, MD, a thoracic surgical oncologist and Chief of Thoracic Surgery at Morristown Medical Center and Director of the Lung Cancer Program at Atlantic Health System. “By combining the technology of the Aliya PEF Energy Platform with bronchoscopy, patients now have access to a less invasive, yet highly effective treatment for advanced lung cancer. This is particularly crucial for those who aren’t candidates for surgery or radiation, allowing a more personalized approach to care.”

In the U.S., lung cancer is the second most common cancer and is responsible for 1 in 5 of all cancer-related deaths. This underscores the need for more treatment options for patients. By marrying the Aliya™ PEF Energy Platform with a minimally invasive robotic Ion bronchoscopy approach, Morristown Medical Center and Atlantic Health System continue to pioneer advancements in cancer care.