Banner North Colorado Medical Center brings new minimally invasive lung cancer treatment to Northern Colorado

GREELEY, Colo. (Oct. 26, 2026) – Banner North Colorado Medical Center is now treating cancer patients with Aliya Pulsed Electric Field (PEF) therapy, a new, minimally invasive technology that allows physicians to target and break up cancerous tissue without surgery.

J. David Cowden, MD, an interventional pulmonologist at Banner North Colorado Medical Center, is leading the program. The therapy gives the care team another option for patients whose tumors are difficult to reach through traditional methods or who have struggled with the side effects of standard treatment.

During the procedure, the physician guides a thin, flexible scope into the lungs and passes a needle inserted through a scope to the tumor. The needle delivers precise electrical pulses that break apart cancer cells while preserving the healthy tissue around them. Because the treatment is delivered through the airway, it does not require an incision.

“Some of the toughest cases we see are tumors in spots that are hard to reach, or patients who have already been through treatments that took a real toll on them,” said Dr. Cowden. “This therapy lets us go after those tumors precisely, without an incision, and do it right here in Northern Colorado. Banner Health is the first in the state to offer this kind of care.”

PEF therapy can be used alongside other cancer treatments, such as chemotherapy. Early clinical studies suggest it may also help activate the body’s immune response against cancer.

Patients who want to learn if PEF may be right for them should talk with their primary care doctor or call the Banner Health Clinic pulmonology team in Greeley at 970-810-2026.

About Banner Health

Banner Health's mission is to make health care easier, so life can be better. As one of the nation's largest fully integrated nonprofit health systems, we are pioneering a sustainable care model that prioritizes prevention, manages chronic disease, and reduces health spending – succeeding when patients stay healthy, not when they get sick. We operate 33 hospitals and more than 400 sites across six states, delivering seamless care from primary to quaternary medicine, including health insurance, physician networks, world-renowned specialty services, and behavioral health. Accountable to the communities we serve, we reinvest every dollar into advancing care, research, and facilities, providing more than $1 billion each year in community benefit. Through our partnership with the University of Arizona, we drive clinical discoveries across more than 800 trials and train more than 1,300 residents and fellows annually. Headquartered in Arizona, we serve Arizona, California, Colorado, Nebraska, Nevada, and Wyoming. Our hospitals are consistently ranked among Arizona's top-performing by U.S. News & World Report. For more information, visit bannerhealth.com/about.

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