As the new year begins, FirstHealth of the Carolinas is celebrating medical milestones that have brought hope and precious time to patients facing lung cancer.
Interventional Pulmonologist Michael Pritchett, D.O., MPH, medical director of FirstHealth’s Chest Center of the Carolinas and a provider with Pinehurst Medical Clinic, is at the forefront of innovative cancer care, said FirstHealth Moore Regional Hospital in a press release.
In 2023, Dr. Pritchett was the first physician in the United States to treat patients in a clinical trial using the groundbreaking Aliya® PEF device, a minimally invasive technology designed to ablate cancerous lung lesions endoscopically. The approach used Aliya® PEF with the INUMI Flex Needle to deliver high-voltage, high-frequency electrical currents to lesions in the lungs. The PEF energy disrupts the cancer cells’ membranes, causing cell death without damaging surrounding healthy tissue.
Among the patients benefiting from this advanced care are Carl Ayers and Elizabeth Speight, whose journeys with lung cancer have been profoundly impacted by innovation and hope.
Carl’s Story: More Time with Loved Ones
For Carl Ayers, 83, of Lee County, 2024 brought more time with his family—a gift he attributes to FirstHealth’s innovative care. After battling mouth cancer with chemotherapy and radiation, Ayers learned the cancer had spread to his lungs. A multidisciplinary team at the FirstHealth Cancer Center determined he was a candidate for the PEF clinical trial.
“Dr. Pritchett explained the procedure to me, and I decided that if my participation could help someone else facing a similar situation in the future, then I wanted to help,” Ayers said.
In October 2023, Ayers became the first patient in the U.S. to undergo the procedure. Using the PEF device, Dr. Pritchett delivered pulsed electric field energy to the lesions in Ayers’ lungs, targeting cancer cells while preserving healthy tissue. Ayers went home the same day and experienced only mild chest soreness.
“If somebody didn’t tell me I had the procedure, I might not have ever known,” Ayers said.
Now, more than a year later, Ayers is thriving. “I feel like this procedure has given me more time to spend with my beloved family and do the things I love,” he said. “For that, I am so grateful.”
Ayers’ daughter, Bobbie Taylor, reflected on the difference this treatment made. “Every time I took my dad to chemo and radiation, I just cried because of how hard it was on him,” she said. “This treatment was a 180-degree difference. It’s given us more time with Dad, and it means everything.”
Elizabeth’s Story: A Journey Defined by Miracles and Innovation
Elizabeth Speight, a 70-year-old retired nurse anesthetist and Navy veteran from Davidson County, has faced a stage 4B metastatic non-small cell lung cancer, adenocarcinoma, diagnosis with resilience and determination. Diagnosed in 2017, she was given only 100 to 120 days to live. However, through a series of innovative treatments and a Phase I clinical drug trial, she has defied the odds, celebrating seven years of life filled with family milestones and advocacy for others facing similar diagnoses.
Speight’s journey began with comprehensive biomarker testing that identified a rare RET fusion gene mutation, leading her to a Phase I clinical drug trial at Mass General Brigham in Boston.
That trial granted her years she never thought possible. Last year, when surveillance scans revealed renewed growth in her primary lung tumor, Speight’s Greensboro pulmonologist referred her to Dr. Pritchett at FirstHealth.
Dr. Pritchett assessed her as a candidate for the PEF procedure. On Aug. 30, 2024, Speight underwent the procedure at Moore Regional Hospital in Pinehurst.
“This time, I only had to drive an hour for this innovative treatment, and I went home the same day,” Speight shared.
At her three-month follow-up, Speight and her care team were thrilled to learn her tumor had shrunk to half its original size.
“I want to live and buy more time—not just for me but for others who feel they have no options,” Speight said. “My cancer journey has been a story of innovative treatments, and I want to share that hope with others.”
Leading the Nation in Innovation
Dr. Pritchett’s participation in the Aliya® PEF clinical trial continues to position FirstHealth as a leader in cancer care. He was the first in the nation to enroll patients and treated more patients than any other trial site, including prestigious institutions such as Mayo Clinic, the University of Pennsylvania and Cornell.
FirstHealth has now been offering this treatment for more than a year, initially under the clinical trial and now as a treatment option for eligible patients.
“This innovative technique could be a game-changer for patients,” Pritchett said in a FirstHealth press release. “Early clinical studies suggest the potential for releasing antigens that may stimulate an immune response. We are proud to lead the way in delivering advanced care and hope to those who need it most.”
Looking Ahead with Hope
Speight remains steadfast in her advocacy for early detection, prevention, and access to cutting-edge treatments.
“Because of these treatments, I’ve seen my three children get married and will soon welcome my fifth grandchild,” she said. “I hold on to hope and love for life, and I want that for others.”
“As we look forward to a new year of advancing care and innovations, patients like Elizabeth and Carl remind us all of the power of resilience and the importance of medical advances in changing lives,” said Dr. Pritchett.
Contributed article and photo.
