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Continued From Page 18 RWJBarnabas Health By M . Michele Blackwood , M . D ., FACS , Medical Director ; Northern Regional Director , Breast Services ; Chief of Breast Surgery , Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey
According to the American Cancer Society , nearly 288,000 new cases of invasive breast cancer are expected to be diagnosed in women in the United States this year . Thanks to surgical advances , clinical trials and a more personalized treatment approach , breast cancer patients have more options than ever before . There are many advances in breast cancer treatment including surgical techniques that hide scars in lumpectomies , nipple-sparing mastectomies , reconstruction , and , in some cases , no surgery at all . A relatively new and exciting treatment option being offered is lymphovenous anastomosis bypass . This special technique , in which only a few surgeons across the United States are trained to perform , helps prevent lymphedema , a complication from lymph node surgery that causes chronic , painful swelling in the arm and hand . Clinical trials are also enabling advances in breast cancer treatment . RWJBarnabas Health , in collaboration with Rutgers Cancer Institute , is currently working on the I-SPY 2 clinical trial , examining novel agents for patients with stage 2 or 3 breast cancer who require treatment before undergoing surgery . Such exploration is important to advancing personalized treatments for those with advanced disease .
RWJBarnabas Health , Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey , Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital Somerset By Ruth D . Stephenson , D . O ., FACOG , Gynecologic Oncologist
New surgical techniques in breast cancer treatment help avoid scarring .
immune checkpoint inhibitors in addition to therapies that look to combine and assess tolerability of existing FDA-approved treatments . Along with clinical trials , the Gynecologic Oncology Program at Rutgers Cancer Institute offers other advanced treatment options including minimally invasive surgical techniques , cytoreductive surgery and hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy ( HIPEC ), precision medicine and immunotherapy .
Saint Peter ’ s University Hospital By Debra-Lynn Day-Salvatore , M . D ., Ph . D ., FAAP , FACMG , Chair , Dept . of Medical Genetics and Genomic Medicine
may be refined by appropriately selected genetic testing . It is important that patients are aware of any inherited gene alterations that may be the cause of their disease or susceptibility to disease because an individual ’ s genetic blueprint impacts future generations . Early identification of disease risks translates to better management and more healthcare treatment options for the patient and their family for generations to come .
Valley-Mount Sinai Comprehensive Cancer Care By Eleonora Teplinsky , M . D ., Head , Breast Medical Oncology ; Clinical Assistant Professor of Medicine , The Icahn School of Medicine , Mount Sinai
It is estimated by the American Cancer Society that about 116,760 women in the United States will be diagnosed with cancers of the reproductive organs this year . Cancer of the endometrium , which is the lining of the uterus , is the most common gynecologic cancer . Ovarian cancer ranks fifth as a cause of cancer deaths among women and causes more deaths than any other cancer of the female reproductive system . The best defense against gynecologic cancers are preventative measures . For example , the HPV vaccine , which is a significant advance made in the prevention of cervical , vaginal and vulvar cancers and the first treatment developed to prevent any type of cancer . At Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey in collaboration with RWJBarnabas Health , researchers and physicians are always working to improve treatment for gynecologic cancers through clinical trials . This includes trials that examine
At Saint Peter ’ s University Hospital , we believe that a multidisciplinary approach is essential to establish a care plan that will result in the best outcomes for women with breast cancer — the most common cancer among women . As a part of the interdisciplinary breast care team , the Department of Medical Genetics and Genomic Medicine at Saint Peter ’ s offers genetic testing to determine hereditary breast cancer susceptibility . While inherited alterations in genes such as BRCA1 or BRCA2 can increase the risk of developing different types of cancer , knowing this information can provide guidance to adjust the patient ’ s medical management appropriately . An assessment involving education and collaboration with a licensed genetic counselor can help patients make an informed decision about their health and cancer screening or management . The family tree is a powerful screening tool that
While many cancers are common in women , breast cancer is by far the most frequent , accounting for 30 percent of all new cancer diagnoses in women . There have been significant advances in the treatment of breast cancer in the last few years . In 2021 , we saw approval for new drugs for early-stage breast cancer — abemaciclib for hormone receptor positive breast cancer and pembrolizumab for triple negative breast cancer . There is promising data for the use of olaparib , which belongs to a class of medications called PARP inhibitors , for patients with high-risk breast cancers and BRCA 1 / 2 mutations . We are also optimizing current therapies to improve outcomes for patients with metastatic breast cancer . It is important to recognize that each woman diagnosed with breast cancer requires a personalized and individualized approach to care . We are continuing to understand which
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