New Jersey’s only NCI-Designated Comprehensive Cancer Center is now also New Jersey’s Leading Cancer Program
As the state’s leading cancer program and only National Cancer Institute-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center, Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey together with Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital and RWJBarnabas Health offers patients access to the most advanced treatment options including innovative clinical trials. Our program earned the state’s highest score and a high performing rating in the adult cancer specialty in the most recent U.S. News & World Report Best Hospital rankings. This demonstrates the high quality, multidisciplinary care we provide, informed by groundbreaking cancer research, scientific leadership and transformational discoveries alongside exceptional patient experience.
Increasing Participation of Black Breast Cancer Patients in Clinical Trials
According to the American Cancer Society, breast cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer among Black women, with significant mortality gap between Black women and white women due in part by the underrepresentation of Black patients in clinical trials. Coral Omene, MD, PhD, medical oncologist in the Stacy Goldstein Breast Cancer Center and member of the Cancer Health Equity Center of Excellence at Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey, has been awarded a $50,000 grant from the V Foundation for Cancer Research in partnership with ESPN to increase clinical trial awareness and enrollment of Black women with breast cancer. Learn more
Focus on Lifestyle Changes for Preventing Cancer
While you can not change risk factors such as age or genetics, other risk factors for cancer including healthy lifestyle choices are within your control. Evelyn Fuertes, BA, NDTR, co-director of the Latino Advisory Council, community outreach coordinator and member of the Cancer Health Equity Center of Excellence at Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey, shares how eating a well–balanced diet, protecting your skin from harmful ultraviolet rays, eliminating smoking and making cancer screening part of your lifestyle can aid in cancer prevention. Learn more
Experiencing Grief during the Cancer Journey
August 30th is National Grief Awareness Day, a day created to raise awareness about the many ways humans cope with grief. Cancer patients, survivors and their support systems often experience grief and loss in different forms throughout the cancer experience. Learning to accept the difficult emotions that might arise, seeking support from friends and family, seeking professional assistance or support services such as those offered for patients and families at Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey are some ways to manage the different types of grief during the cancer journey. Gabrielle Alvarez, LCSW, OSW-C, social worker at Rutgers Cancer Institute is certified in grief counseling and shares more information. 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.