Kootenai Health physician adds to lung cancer research

COEUR d’ALENE — Kootenai Health pulmonologist Dr. Todd Hoopman has helped answer an important question about how to check for lung cancer safely.  

Hoopman assisted with a major national study, published in "The New England Journal of Medicine," that compared two common ways of testing lung spots to see which worked best. 

Hoopman was one of the principal investigators in the VERITAS trial, the first large-scale study to look at these methods in a fair, side-by-side way.

Lung nodules, small spots that appear on the lungs, can be benign or cancerous. Until now, there has been little clear data on whether navigational bronchoscopy or CT-guided needle biopsy is the better option for diagnosing these nodules. The VERITAS trial changed that.

“This trial showed that navigational bronchoscopy is just as effective as CT-guided biopsy in diagnosing lung nodules, but with significantly fewer complications,” Hoopman said. “That means patients can get the same answers with less risk.”

The study, conducted across multiple leading medical centers nationwide, included Kootenai Health as the only community hospital among mostly large academic institutions. 

Hoopman and his team joined the trial in 2022, amid the COVID-19 pandemic, and became one of its leading contributors.

Kootenai Health’s participation was made possible thanks to its early adoption of the ILLUMISITE navigational bronchoscopy platform. 

This advanced technology enables physicians to navigate to hard-to-reach areas of the lung with precision, reducing the chances of complications like pneumothorax, or collapsed lung, a side effect seen in nearly 30% of patients who underwent CT-guided biopsies during the study, compared to only 3% of those who had a bronchoscopy.

For local patients, this means access to nationally recognized care without having to travel far.

“Being part of this trial proves that Kootenai Health can contribute meaningfully to high-level research and bring innovative treatments to northern Idaho,” Hoopman said.

Hoopman encourages other physicians to get involved in research, emphasizing the strength of Kootenai Health’s research department.

“Our research team is outstanding, and we have the volume, the expertise and the community setting that makes our contributions incredibly valuable,” he said.

The study’s findings are expected to influence lung cancer diagnosis practices across the country, giving physicians and patients better tools for early, accurate detection, a critical factor in improving cancer outcomes.

“It’s a chance to be part of something bigger — to help improve care for others while receiving high-quality treatment yourself,” Hoopman said.