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ANNOUNCING: THE CONNIE DWYER BREAST CENTER AT T R I N I TA S
Trinitas Regional Medical Center has partnered with The Connie Dwyer Breast Cancer Foundation to open a new breast center in Connie’s name at Trinitas. The brand new $3.4 million facility will offer a highly empathic approach to screening, diagnosis, treatment, community outreach and education to all women, regardless of financial status.
TrinitasRMC.org (908) 994-5984
WE’RE GETTING BETTER, TOGETHER
TABLE OF CONTENTS ®
Mailing Address
220 Davidson Ave., Suite 302, Somerset, NJ 08873 www.njbiz.com • (732) 246-7677
PUBLISHER Ken Kiczales GENERAL MANAGER AnnMarie Karczmit ADVERTISING ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE
Self defense CAR T-cell therapy beats cancer with the power of the body’s own immune system
6
The fourth pillar of treatment Interventional oncology offers minimally invasive options against a variety of cancers
10
Local health experts tout expanded use of HPV vaccine
14
Susan Alexander EDITORIAL CONTRIBUTING WRITERS
Rutgers Cancer Institute, RWJUH offer rare tumor treatment 15
Bari Faye Siegel Anthony Vecchione PRODUCTION SPECIAL PROJECTS DESIGNER
Wendy Martin AD DESIGNER
Jordan Mazuranic
Published by Bridgetower Media
Cancer Care 2019
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H E A LT H N E WS YO U C A N USE
Colorectal Cancer Screening and Prevention Colorectal cancer is the third leading cause of cancer-related death in men and women in the U.S. In recognition of National Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month, we sat down with Dr. Anna Serur, chief of colorectal surgery at Englewood Health, to talk screening, prevention, and gut health. Dr. Anna Serur
Q What is most important to know about colorectal health and cancer risk? Dr. Serur: Recent data from the American Cancer Society has shown colorectal cancer affecting young patients more and more. However, most people only need to have a colonoscopy every 5–10 years, beginning at age 45. Screenings may detect abnormalities like inflammation or precancerous polyps—growths on the lining of the colon and rectum—that can then be removed to prevent cancer development. The most important recommendation to otherwise young, healthy patients is to share all symptoms with their primary care doctors or gastroenterologists. This includes any change in bowel habits, abdominal pain, blood in the stool, fatigue, or unintended weight loss. If you experience two or more of these symptoms, make an appointment to see your doctor immediately. Many people may assume their symptoms are unrelated to colon health, sometimes ignoring signs of a more serious issue.
Q What causes colorectal cancer? Dr. Serur: Family history or genetic risk can be a major factor for patients diagnosed with colorectal cancer. Colon polyps and genetic conditions, such as hereditary polyposis syndrome, should be actively monitored by a gastroenterologist. Environmental and lifestyle factors including physical inactivity, diets high in processed food and red meat, obesity, stress, alcohol consumption, and smoking are also known risk factors for developing cancer. If you engage in two or more of these lifestyle habits, you should develop an immediate plan to reduce these risk factors in your life.
Q How can people reduce their risk? Dr. Serur: Staying active, maintaining a healthy weight, and reducing stress can lessen your cancer risk. Follow up regularly with your primary care doctor, and reach out right away if you notice symptoms—better safe than sorry. As a colorectal specialist, I work closely with patients’ primary doctors to make sure we’re monitoring those at high risk for developing a GI cancer. Being proactive can positively affect your overall well-being, while minimizing your cancer risk.
Q I’m hesitant to get a colonoscopy. What should I do? Dr. Serur: Think of your colonoscopy as a safe juice cleansing! The procedure itself is quick and painless. Also, talk to your doctor about what screening options are right for you. If you’re 50 and older with an average risk for colon cancer—and without symptoms—you may be able to do noninvasive screening at home using stool-sample kits that can detect abnormalities.
Q Any other advice for managing colon health and cancer risk? Dr. Serur: The gastrointestinal tract is sensitive to emotion. Anger, anxiety, sadness, elation—all of these feelings (and others) can trigger symptoms in the gut, as there is a gut-brain connection. If you’re looking to manage stress to improve colon health, try out acupuncture, yoga, massage, or meditation. If you’re not sure how to start modifying your diet, consider nutritional counseling to improve your eating habits and avoid high-risk foods.
To find a physician, call 833-234-2234 or visit englewoodhealth.org.
You’ll feel it the moment you meet us. Gastroenterologist Dr. Walter Klein has led
humanitarian missions to West Africa and
volunteered as a physician in Haiti. He brings
this same sense of purpose and dedication to his patients at Englewood Health. Having grown up in Bergen County, Dr. Klein knows that being
part of the community helps him understand the person behind the condition. And that helps his patients get well—and stay well.
Experience the feeling of belonging that can
only come from a healthcare team who really knows you, and knows how to care for you.
To find an Englewood Health physician, call 833-234-2234 or visit englewoodhealthphysicians.org
Self defense
CAR T-cell therapy beats cancer with the power of the body’s own immune system By Bari Faye Siegel
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himeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy is a game-changer when it comes to treating serious blood cancers and John Theurer Cancer Center (JTCC) at Hackensack University Medical Center was the first facility approved in New Jersey where patients can get access to this promising form of personalized immunotherapy. Dr. Andre Goy, M.D., chairman and director of JTCC and chief of the hospital’s Division of Lymphoma, believes “CAR T-cell therapy is a true milestone in medicine, offering patients hope in situations where nothing would have worked.”
What Is CAR T-cell therapy?
In this approach, T-cells are obtained from the patient (like a blood donation), modified genetically to supercharge them to recognize tumor cells, before being expanded and reinjected into the patient (like a transfusion) where they grow and kill cancer cells. After more than a decade of research and clinical trials, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved CAR T-cell therapy for use in children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) and adult patients with aggressive B-cell Non-Hodgkin lymphoma. The results have been impressive with over 80 percent of patients responding including 50 percent of patients achieving a complete response (remission). “What is even more striking is that a significant proportion – 35 to 40 percent – of patients show durable response, with only few relapses after six to nine months,” said Dr. Goy, who leads New Jersey’s largest program for the treatment and research of lymphoma. One of Dr. Goy’s patients, Jim Triano, 62, of Wood-Ridge in Bergen County, participated in a clinical trial at JTCC to determine the efficacy of CAR T-cell therapy as he was battling late stage-four mantle cell lymphoma. On March 1, 2016, Triano checked into the hospital and began the 30-day, inpatient CAR T-cell clinical trial. He remembers that month being the “toughest time” of his life. Actually, that’s saying a lot. Twenty-five years ago, Triano fought and beat osteosarcoma at another hospital — but not before losing part of his leg to the disease. He lived a decade cancer-free before he was diagnosed with mantle cell lymphoma, but, thankfully, cancer therapies progressed significanly in those 10 years. When he found out about the clinical trial at JTCC, he didn’t hesitate to get involved. “Dr. Goy wanted to treat my cancer aggressively and he felt the CAR T-cell clinical trial was my best option,” Triano recalled. “I said, ‘let’s do it.’” The doctors at JTCC have performed well over 6,500 transplants and the center is well-equipped to help patients who undergo cell therapy and develop fever or low blood pressure — side effects of the modified T-cells as they do their work in the body.
‘Living therapy’
CAR T-cell therapy is currently approved only for
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adults patients with aggressive B-cell Non-Hodgkin lymphoma and B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (for patients up to age 25). Patients must have not responded to at least two other types of cancer treatment (including multiple rounds of chemotherapy) or have relapsed after multiple treatments. Additionally, treatment is currently under study and is expected to be approved for other types of blood cancers. John Theurer Cancer Center has 17 pending or ongoing studies in CAR T-cells across all subtypes of blood cancers. Dr. Tatyana Feldman, MD, specializes in treating lymphoma at JTCC. She refers to CAR T-cell as “living therapy.” “The beauty of this treatment is that it’s a one-time procedure,” she explained. “It’s not like chemotherapy. We are using the patient’s own living cells and putting them back into the body where they continue to survive. In fact, if the lymphoma returns, the CAR T cells will continue to work.” “When I first signed up for the clinical trial, I told my family CAR T cell therapy is like the video game Pacman. It’s like little guys going in and killing the bad guys,” Triano said. Will CAR T-cell therapy someday become a firstline treatment for cancer? Dr. Feldman believes so, although she admits it’s likely years away. For now, chemotherapy is still the best defense against most aggressive tumors and particularly cancers. But CAR T-cell therapy is now in the arsenal. There is plenty of hope on the horizon for a therapy that uses a patient’s own immune cells to attack cancer. CAR T-cell is part of the “fifth pillar or modality of therapy in cancer care after surgery, radiation, chemotherapy and targeted therapies,” said Dr. Feldman. Now, cancer-free, Jim Triano feels blessed to have had early access to this incredibly promising therapy. It saved his life. “When I signed up for the trial, I knew the guy upstairs had a place for me on this planet. I was sick for so many years and I got the chance to get life-saving therapy. And it worked! Now I feel it’s my calling to pass along information about CAR T.”
Above: Dr. Andre Goy, M.D., chairman and director of the John Theurer Cancer Center at Hackensack University Medical Center Below: Jim and Frances Triano of Wood-Ridge, NJ.
“CAR T-cell therapy is a true milestone in medicine, offering patients hope in situations where nothing would have worked.” — Dr. Andre Goy
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The fourth pillar of treatment Interventional oncology offers minimally invasive options against a variety of cancers By Bari Faye Siegel
T
he key to better cancer outcomes is early diagnosis through routine healthcare screenings, such as mammography, colonoscopy and PSA blood tests. Now, cutting-edge diagnostic screening tools and minimally invasive treatments for cancer are finally getting the attention they deserve. Dr. Michael D’Angelo, an interventional radiologist at CentraState Medical Center and his colleagues Dr. Ken Tomkovich and Dr. Theresa Aquino offer unprecedented hope for oncology patients.
What is interventional oncology? Take a step back. Interventional radiology (IR) uses image guidance (x-ray, ultrasound, CT and MRI) to diagnose and treat many medical conditions with minimally invasive techniques. Interventional oncology is a subspecialty of IR — the same concept as it applies to diagnosing and treating cancer. Various interventional oncology procedures are being used to treat liver, lung, kidney, bone, breast, prostate and pancreatic cancers. When a screening test reveals something suspicious, the next step is usually a biopsy to determine if cancer is present. Dr. D’Angelo explained this is the point where interventional oncology can assume a primary diagnostic and treatment role. “Real time image guidance enables us to remove cells from virtually any organ in the body and have them sent to a pathologist for definitive diagnosis,” he said. But that’s not all. If the biopsy shows cancer, interventional oncologists are able to provide directed treatment in the same minimally invasive way using image guidance. “We can provide locoregional therapy precisely at the cancer site,” Dr. D’Angelo said. “By directing treatment to the exact place in the human body that needs it, we can provide extremely effective care with fewer side effects than systemic treatments.”
How does it work? In addition to the diagnostic facet of interventional oncology, the specialty offers a multi-faceted and stateof-the-art approach to treating cancer. The type of procedure used is entirely dependent on the individual patient’s medical situation, Dr. D’Angelo said. The techniques used most often to eradicate cancerous cells include regional treatments such as transarterial chemoembolization (TACE), radioembolization and local treatments cryoablation, radiofrequency ablation and microwave ablation. TACE is used to treat regional liver tumors. Using video fluoroscopy (real-time x-ray guidance), a small catheter is placed in the blood vessels that supply the liver. Contrast dye is used to locate the tumor and chemotherapeutic medicine is injected through the catheter and directly into the blood vessels that feed the tumor. This procedure requires the patient to lay flat for up to six hours and may require an inpatient stay for monitoring. Similar to TACE, radioembolization uses radiation 10B
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instead of chemotherapy. Radioactive beads are injected into the blood vessels that feed the tumor. After the procedure, most patients are monitored for up to four hours and are then able to go home. There are two types of ablation procedures: thermal — radiofrequency and microwave — or extreme cold — cryoablation. Again, as with any IR procedure, guided imaging is used to precisely locate the tumor and the cancer cells are then essentially destroyed, “sparing adjacent normal tissue,” explained Dr. D’Angelo. However, the time may not be too far off in the future when cryoablation will be used to treat breast cancer as well. Under the direction of Dr. Tomkovich, CentraState participated in a clinical trial that tested the efficacy of cryotherapy in treating breast cancer. Dr. Tomkovich was a co-principal of the study: ICE SENSE™ 3 Cryotherapy for Cancer: Cryoablation of Low Risk Breast Cancers less Than 1.5 cm: An Evaluation of Local Recurrence. The objective of this study was to “evaluate the efficacy of cryoablation without lumpectomy (and) its impact on local and distant recurrence of low risk early breast cancer in women 65 years or older.”
The time is now Interventional oncology is now known as the “fourth pillar of cancer treatment” joining medical oncology, surgical oncology and radiation oncology as a quartet of medical defense against cancer, according to the National Institutes of Health. Interventional oncology is now well-accepted as a subset of interventional radiology. So, why isn’t interventional oncology more well-known? Dr. D’Angelo said it’s just a matter of time. “Interventional oncology uses cutting-edge, minimally invasive techniques that are less painful, less risky, improve recovery and are just as effective as traditional techniques,” he said, noting as more people learn about it, it will become a go-to option for diagnosing and testing cancer.
Dr. Michael D’Angelo, interventional radiologist, offers cancer patients minimally invasive, image-guided diagnostics and treatment. Also pictured: Heather McGinn, IR physician assistant
“Real time image guidance enables us to remove cells from virtually any organ in the body ...” — Dr. Michael D’Angelo
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PERSONALIZED MEDICINE
Personalized medicine is in your DNA,
PERSONALIZED CARE is in ours
No two cancers are alike. That’s why personalized medicine—which uses a person’s DNA data to customize their treatment—is such a powerful tool. At CentraState, we offer precision, targeted approaches including genomics and immunotherapy. But our personalization exceeds medicine, because no two cancer patients are alike either. So we get to know our patients, really know them, and give them the kind of individualized support that makes a true difference during treatment—and beyond. Visit centrastate.com/personal to learn how we give you our personal best.
Bhavesh Balar, MD Hematologist-Oncologist Chairman, Cancer Committee
Your cancer care—it’s personal
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DEFYING EXPECTATIONS CANCER CARE AT VALLEY
We are passionate about providing our community, our patients and their families the highest quality cancer care, coupled with the most compassionate care and service. That mission relies, in part, on developing and implementing precision medical technology with sound judgment and clinical skill, while never forgetting that our patients are at the center of all that we do.” Ephraim S. Casper, M.D., FACP Chief Medical Officer Valley–Mount Sinai Comprehensive Cancer Care
Prostate Cancer Treatment in Five Short Sessions Prostate Stereotactic Body Radiotherapy (SBRT) involves the delivery of only five short, high-dose radiation treatments to the prostate compared to the standard course of 44 to 45 treatments. This allows patients to continue their normal activities without the interruption of a long course of treatment.
The Valley-Mount Sinai Head and Neck Institute: An Experienced, Multispecialty Team for the Treatment of Head and Neck Cancers Patients can see specialists from the Mount Sinai Health System who are offering breakthrough treatments for head and neck cancers, as well as the expert team of Valley medical and radiation oncologists, right here in Paramus. The Valley-Mount Sinai Head and Neck Institute also offers a unique Patients First Program, which provides unparalleled service to meet each patient’s unique needs to help that patient access a provider as quickly as possible.
Eric Genden, M.D., Isidore Friesner Chair of the Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Mount Sinai Health System, heads the team at the Valley-Mount Sinai Head and Neck Institute.
Helping Women Take On Breast Cancer Dedicated to achieving the best possible results, Valley’s Breast Cancer Care Team collaborates on innovate treatments and techniques — including oncoplastic and plastic surgery for the best possible cosmetic outcomes — to ensure each woman not only receives the care and treatment she needs, but is cared for as a whole person. And through Valley’s partnership with the Mount Sinai Health System for cancer care, women also have access to innovative research and clinical trials. Shown here (left to right) are: Chad DeYoung, M.D., Co-Medical Director, Radiation Oncology; radiation oncologist Thomas Kole, M.D., Ph.D.; and Michael Wesson, M.D., Co-Medical Director, Radiation Oncology.
The Lung Cancer Center: Leading the Way in Diagnosis, Treatment and Research A diagnosis of lung cancer is frightening and life-altering. Today, the latest lung cancer tests and treatments — available at Valley — are saving the lives of countless patients with lung cancer. That includes approaches that offer greater potential for early and precise diagnosis, and offering personalized, targeted therapies and minimally invasive options for diagnosis and surgery. And it means precisely targeted radiation therapy and access to a robust roster of clinical trials.
Valley’s Breast Cancer Care Team (left to right): Geraldine Redmond, P.A.; Marybeth Hans, M.S., P.A.; Chad DeYoung, M.D.; Moira Christoudias, M.D.; Thomas J. Rakowski, M.D.; Eleonora Teplinsky, M.D.; Scott DeGregorio, M.D.; Laura A. Klein, M.D.; Michael Wesson, M.D.; Shanthie E. Koshy-Thomas, PA-C; and Judith Goder, P.A.
Introducing the Icon: A New Approach to Cranial Radiosurgery The Gamma Knife® Icon™ — a noninvasive, radiosurgical technology specifically for the treatment of benign and malignant brain tumors and neurological conditions in the brain — enables Valley’s neuro-oncology team to treat virtually any location in the brain with ultrahigh precision, with minimal effect to healthy tissue and, for select patients, an alternative to the head frame used in most Gamma Knife treatments. The Gamma Knife uses highly focused beams of gamma radiation to target the treatment area to treat a spectrum of conditions, including glioma, meningioma, brain metastases, acoustic neuroma, craniopharyngioma, arteriovenous malformations, and trigeminal neuralgia.
Below: Pre-treatment, Chad DeYoung, M.D., and Anthony D’Ambrosio, M.D., Co-Directors of the Gamma Knife Center, familiarize a patient with the Gamma Knife Icon.
Robert Korst, M.D., Director, Thoracic Surgery, and Chief, Oncology Surgical Section (left) and Mark Shapiro, M.D.
A COMMITMENT TO EXCELLENCE We at Valley-Mount Sinai Comprehensive Cancer Care are dedicated to delivering outstanding patient- and family-centered care. This fundamental commitment drives our decisions about the technologies that we develop and offer, while always striving to increase precision in diagnosis and treatment, limit side effects, and provide the best outcomes. This is central to Valley’s mission and our culture of excellence.” Ephraim S. Casper, M.D., FACP Chief Medical Officer Valley–Mount Sinai Comprehensive Cancer Care
Diagnosing and Treating Gastrointestinal Cancers Valley’s Center for Gastrointestinal Cancer specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of benign and malignant tumors of the gastrointestinal system, including those affecting the pancreas, liver and bile ducts (hepatobiliary), stomach, esophagus, small intestine, colon/rectum, and appendix. The Center offers patients a sophisticated multimodality approach to treatment that is usually found only at large academic medical centers, within the comfort of their own community. Kevin Wood, M.D., and Melanie Ongchin, M.D., Medical Director, Surgical Oncology.
For more information, or to make an appointment with a Valley cancer specialist, please call
201-634-5339
The Robert and Audrey Luckow Pavilion One Valley Health Plaza, Paramus, NJ 07652
Local health experts tout expanded use of HPV vaccine By Anthony Vecchione
T
he stigma of being diagnosed with a sexually transmitted disease remains a major factor in the afflicted not seeking treatment. That includes the Human Papillomavirus, a disease that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says infects almost 14 million Americans annually. But that number could go down now that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has expanded coverage of the HPV vaccine Gardasil 9 to include patients between the ages of 27 and 45. “This is exciting news and great for our patients,” said Dr. Mark Einstein, professor and chair of the Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology & Women’s Health at Rutgers New Jersey Medical School. “This expanded approval will allow for patients who have not had vaccinations to receive them. While we do know that it works best when given young, it definitely works in older patients based on the trials that led to this expanded approval,” Einstein said. The FDA approved a supplemental application for Gardasil 9 on Oct. 5. The vaccine prevents certain cancers and diseases caused by the nine HPV types. Einstein, who is also chief of service at University Hospital in Newark, said at any given time, a quarter of the population has an active HPV infection. But some observers contend that there hasn’t been an adequate public health campaign to address HPV. Dr. Tom Thomas, director of head and neck reconstructive surgery and transoral robotic surgery at the Leonard B. Kahn Head and Neck Cancer Institute at Morristown Medical Center, said the medical community could be doing more. “It’s possibly due to privacy and shame since the cancer is developed from a sexually transmitted disease,” Thomas said. “Regardless, it is overdue for this society to understand and take steps to prevent the disease.” According to the CDC, about 12,000 women are diagnosed with — and about
4,000 women die from — cervical cancer caused by certain HPV viruses. Additionally, it is estimated that about 3,400 new cases of HPV-associated oropharyngeal cancers are diagnosed in women and about 14,800 in men each year in the U.S. Gardasil, a vaccine approved by the FDA in 2006, contained the four main HPV types. It is no longer distributed in the U.S. In 2014, the FDA approved Gardasil 9, which covers the same four HPV types and five others. Initially, Gardasil 9 was approved for use in males and females aged 9-26. In a study of approximately 3,200 women ages 27-45 who were monitored for three and a half years, Gardasil was 88 percent effective in the prevention of a combined endpoint of persistent infection, genital warts, vulvar and vaginal precancerous lesions, cervical precancerous lesions and cervical cancer related to HPV types covered by the vaccine. Einstein asserts HPV is largely preventable and while there are new tools available to prevent it, the vaccine is underused. “For a number of reasons it’s not being used,” he said. “One of the issues is that it’s often controversial. There is not controversy about how well this vaccine works — it works almost better than every other vaccine that we have ever developed from a scientific standpoint. “It’s a vaccine to prevent cancer. The more information we can get out there to educate people as to the benefits of this is critical. Whenever there is a question or controversy that might be created it leads to people not getting vaccinated. With the expanded label maybe there will be more access to the vaccine. … As a cancer surgeon I look forward to the day when I never have to take care of another woman suffering from cervical cancer again.”
“It’s a vaccine to prevent cancer. The more information we can get out there to educate people as to the benefits of this is critical.” — Dr. Mark Einstein
Dr. Mark Einstein, professor and chair, Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology & Women’s Health, Rutgers New Jersey Medical School.-(AARON HOUSTON)
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Rutgers Cancer Institute, RWJUH offer rare tumor treatment “PRRT works differently than chemotherapy in that it targets a specific receptor in neuroendocrine tumors.” — Dr. Amanda Laird
By Anthony Vecchione
R
utgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey and partner Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital New Brunswick, are the first in the state to administer a form of targeted cancer treatment known as peptide receptor radionuclide therapy (PRRT), a nuclear medicine therapy for rare neuroendocrine tumors that have spread beyond the initial tumor site.Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey and partner Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital New Brunswick, are the first in the state to administer a form of targeted cancer treatment known as peptide receptor radionuclide therapy (PRRT), a nuclear medicine therapy for rare neuroendocrine tumors that have spread beyond the initial tumor site. The first patient received treatment Oct. 24 at RWJUH in New Brunswick. The PRRT treatment was approved earlier this year by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for adult use and is not widely available across the U.S. at this time. In New Jersey, it is only available at Rutgers Cancer Institute. Neuroendocrine tumors are abnormal growths that begin in specialized cells, called neuroendocrine cells, and have traits similar to nerve cells and hormone-pro-
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ducing cells. The tumors are rare and can occur anywhere in the body, mostly in the lungs, appendix, small intestine, rectum and pancreas. They can be noncancerous or cancerous. “PRRT works differently than chemotherapy in that it targets a specific receptor in neuroendocrine tumors. For patients with low- or intermediate-grade pancreas or gastrointestinal neuroendocrine tumors, this is the first FDA-approved targeted radiopharmaceutical treatment for this population,” Dr. Amanda Laird, chief of endocrine surgery at Rutgers Cancer Institute and associate professor of surgery at Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School said. “It provides those patients whose disease progresses on standard care with an opportunity for improved outcomes.” Rutgers Cancer Institute Director and Senior Vice President of Oncology Services for RWJBarnabas Health, Dr. Steven K. Libutti, said that the ability to offer such a unique form of therapy is a testament to a recently solidified partnership with RWJBarnabas Health. “Our combined expertise in the management of neuroendocrine tumors enables us to deliver this targeted treatment to the people of New Jersey and the region – treatment that is not available elsewhere in the state.”
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866-288-7699 Cancer Care 2019
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We’re not just fighting cancer.
We’re outsmarting it. At Cancer Treatment Centers of America® (CTCA), immunotherapy gives many patients more options and new hope. Immunotherapy is a broad category of cancer therapies that use the body’s immune system to the signals that tell body generate super-charged cancer-killing immune cells. By unleashing the body’s immune system to fight cancer, immunotherapy gives many patients, like Stephen H., more options in their fight against cancer.
Our immune systems do not recognize cancer cells as a threat.
“I was diagnosed with Hodgkin lymphoma and it was tough,” said Stephen. “I had to put my trust in someone.” He turned to Dr. Pamela Crilley at Cancer Treatment Centers of America® in Philadelphia. “Stephen had chemo and a stem cell transplant, but his disease progressed,” explained Dr. Crilley. “Recent clinical trials have revealed exciting advancements in treating Hodgkin lymphoma with immunotherapy, and Stephen was a good candidate for Stephen H., Ashville, NY
Dr. Pamela Crilley, CTCA® Philadelphia
this type of treatment.” “Immunotherapy allows your natural defenses to heal your body rather than a foreign drug, which is why it is typically tolerated better than chemotherapy,” Dr. Crilley added. “Stephen has been on immunotherapy since February 2016. So far his cancer has responded positively, and we haven’t really seen much in the way
No case is typical. You should not expect to experience these results. Cancer Treatment Centers of America Global, Inc. (CTCA) is with cancer. CTCA chemotherapy and immunotherapy, with supportive therapies designed to manage side during and after treatment. CTCA also offers a range of clinical trials to reveal new treatment options supported by scientific and investigational research. For more information on CTCA, visit cancercenter.com/philadelphia or call 800-333-CTCA. © 2019 IPB
New therapies may teach the immune system to recognize and destroy cancer cells.
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