The 2022 ASCO Annual Meeting: What to Expect from Our Experts
Numerous experts from Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey and RWJBarnabas Health will be presenting a variety of key data in several types of cancer, including leukemia, lymphoma, lung cancer and colorectal cancer at the 2022 Annual Meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO), the largest international gathering of oncologists, which is being held both in person and online from June 3 through 7. Read more for highlights and a full list of Rutgers Cancer Institute/RWJBarnabas Health presentations.
Honoring Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey Nurses
Sondra J. Patella, MSN, RN, APN-C, advanced practice nurse and Julianne Dean RN, BSN, OCN, nurse clinician at Rutgers Cancer Institute, were selected by colleagues as this year’s Oncology Nursing Excellence Award recipients. Two nurses are named recipients of Rutgers Cancer Institute’s ‘Oncology Nursing Excellence Awards’ during Nurses Week each year to recognize the scope of their work and their vital role in the care of cancer patients. The award recipients were named during the annual Elizabeth Gibby Osborne Lecture, which provides an opportunity for professional and personal development for our nurses. Learn more
Investigators Explore Colon Microbes as Treatment option for Colon Cancer
Subhajyoti De, PhD, researcher at Rutgers Cancer Institute and Shridar Ganesan, MD, PhD, chief of molecular oncology, associate director for translational research and Omar Boraie Chair in Genomic Science at Rutgers Cancer Institute, who are both faculty members at Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, led a collaborative study to examine the patterns of druggable oncogenic fusions in colon cancer specimens including microsatellite-stable and unstable (MSI) tumors. This study provides clues why colon cancer harboring MSI is enriched for specific oncogenic kinase fusions, which are uncommon in other mismatch-repair deficient cancers. Dr. De and Dr. Ganesan are senior authors of the work and share more about the findings published in the online version of JCO Precision Oncology. Learn more
Addressing LGBTQ+ Cancer Needs
Individuals who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender or non-binary (LGBTQ+) along with their families, loved ones and support systems may have unique health care needs. Joan Hogan, DSW, LCSW, OSW-C, manager of Social Work Services and Rosemarie Slirzewski, MSW, LCSW, social worker at Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey who both specialize in LGBTQ+ equity, share more about cancer care challenges faced by this community and explain how health care professionals are becoming better allies. Learn more
Exploring Sun Protection Among Outdoor Workers
Carolyn J. Heckman, PhD, co-leader of the Cancer Prevention and Control Program at Rutgers Cancer Institute and an associate professor of medicine at Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, and Zhaomeng Niu, PhD, research associate at Rutgers Cancer Institute examined sunburns and sun protection behaviors among male Hispanic outdoor day laborers in the Northeast U.S.. Their research found that male Hispanic outdoor laborers in New Jersey did not engage in sufficient sun protection behaviors. The work was published in the February 2022 online edition of the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. Learn more
As New Jersey’s only NCI-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center, Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey together with RWJBarnabas Health, provides patients access to the most advanced treatment options including complex surgical procedures, sophisticated radiation therapy techniques, innovative clinical trials, immunotherapy, and precision medicine.