Our Expertise
The recently completed expansion of the Lefcourt Family Cancer Treatment and Wellness Center represents a new standard of cancer care, where patients are not a number, but rather treated as priority guests. Our empathetic staff will guide you and your family through everything you need to know about screening and genetic testing, your specific type of cancer, options for treatment, appointments, and support services available to you. The cancer center is a Comprehensive Community Cancer Program, designated by the Commission on Cancer of the American College of Surgeons. We’ve acquired cutting-edge technology and physician expertise found in larger academic medical centers but without the need to travel for it. Our specialists, recruited from major national training programs, have advanced skills and training in the most recent techniques, providing an elevated level of cancer care with the newest treatments and access to major clinical trials.
We offer screenings to detect early stage breast, lung, prostate, and gynecologic cancers. Using advanced imaging and cutting-edge technology, we can accurately detect and locate tumors. Our dedicated in-house pathology team analyzes the tissue samples to determine the precise type and stage of the cancer, allowing physicians and patients to get results quickly.
For national guidelines for cancer screenings, visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Englewood Hospital and Medical Center is a tertiary care center for advanced stage conditions, including progressive tumors in the head (brain), abdomen (liver, pancreatic, colon, stomach, esophagus), chest (lung), and pelvis (cervical, ovarian, uterine; prostate, testicular). If surgery is part of your care plan, we perform your operation with minimally invasive techniques whenever possible, using laparoscopy or robotic surgery. These approaches may offer you the following benefits:
- Smaller incisions, meaning less blood loss, reduced chance of infection, less discomfort, and a faster recovery
- Less need for pain medication after surgery
- Fewer complications
- A shorter hospital stay
- A quicker return to enjoying time with your family and getting back to work
Our hospital is also internationally known for offering “bloodless” surgery to people for whom blood transfusions are not an option.
At the Coe Radiation Oncology Center, we offer modern treatments that finely target radiation to tumor tissue while sparing as much nearby healthy tissue as possible. This means we’re able to deliver effective doses of radiation with minimal side effects.
With the acquisition of two TrueBeam radiotherapy systems, we’re able to more precisely and safely target tumors using an advanced level of technological intelligence, similar to GPS mapping. The advanced system expands treatment options for challenging cases, such as certain cancers of the lung, breast, abdomen, and head and neck. This leading technology is also faster, affording a more effective and comfortable experience for our patients with fewer side effects. The TrueBeam system uses motion management software to adjust to human movement and real-time tracking to target tumors without harming nearby healthy tissues. We also offer brachytherapy in which a radiation oncologist implants radioactive material directly into the tumor tissue.
We tailor your treatment to your needs. For many patients, we perform genetic sequencing to see if the tumor has genetic mutations, enabling us to match the biology of the tumor with the drugs known to be most effective in fighting the cancer — an approach called “precision medicine.” If you need intravenous chemotherapy or other infusion therapy, you can receive it in our modern Infusion Center. This 8,000 square foot world-class facility offers you state-of-the-art, personal care in a nurturing environment. Learn more about our Infusion Center.
Patient Education Materials
TLC: Treatment Learning Class was created for newly diagnosed cancer patients at The Lefcourt Family Cancer Treatment and Wellness Center at Englewood Health. It includes what you can expect as a patient, including:
- Nutrition
- Palliative Care
- Support Services
- Infusion
- Radiation Oncology
To view this information, please request access.
Support Services
Englewood Hospital offers ongoing support services for people living with cancer. We understand that when you have cancer, there’s a lot going through you mind. During this difficult time, a support system can help ease your anxiety. Support groups are led by a facilitator. For more information, call 201-608-2162.
When you are facing a cancer diagnosis, you have a lot on your mind. You may have many questions about your care, appointments to schedule, and practical concerns to address. You don’t have to do it alone. We are here to help.
The Cahn Family Cancer Care Companion Program is a patient navigation program for patients of the Cancer Treatment and Wellness Center at Englewood Hospital and Medical Center.
Throughout your journey to survivorship, the oncology patient navigator will support you and your family by:
- Acting as liasions between you and your cancer care team to provide you with personalized guidance and support.
- Assisting you and your loved ones from diagnosis to treatment, while identifying your personal needs and customizing your care to meet these needs.
- Providing emotional support to reduce distress and address any concerns about your care.
- Addressing questions related to your diagnosis, procedures, treatments, and symptoms, define terminology, and help ensure you understand all aspects of your care.
- Helping schedule appointments and proactively addressing any potential delays in diagnosis or treatment to help reduce any anxiety you may have about coordinating care.
- Facilitating communication among care provides to support the delivery of care in accordance with national guidelines.
- Connecting you with resources at the medical center or in the community, such as nutritional counseling, social work, financial counseling, integrative medicine, and support groups.
Your navigator will be your direct contact person within the cancer center to meet additional needs as they arise.
It can be challenging to balance all you need to do in your life when you’re going through cancer treatment. Integrative medicine services can help. Our Graf Center for Integrative Medicine offers wellness services to reduce your symptoms and enhance your quality of life. Our medically supervised services include acupuncture, massage therapy including for lymphedema, nutritional counseling, stress management, yoga, and more. Learn more about the Graf Center for Integrative Medicine at Englewood Hospital and Medical Center.
Using therapeutic yoga, breath work, and meditation, this free program is designed for patients with breast cancer. It meets Mondays, 10 – 11 a.m. at the Graf Center for Integrative Medicine, and is supported and taught by Kula For Karma, a nonprofit organization whose mission is to offer yoga to those who have been challenged by difficult circumstances. Registration is required. To register or for more information, call 866-980-EHMC or visit englewoodhealth.org. All participants must have clearance by their physician.
A support program for women of all ages experiencing any stage of breast cancer, whether you were diagnosed yesterday or 20 years ago, on the first and third Friday of each month, 10:45a.m. – 12p.m. To register or learn more, call 201-608-2162.
The best way to keep your risk of lung cancer low is not to smoke. If you do smoke, quitting now can get you on the road to reducing your risk. Quitting smoking is one of the best ways to improve your health, and reduces your risk of heart and noncancerous respiratory diseases as well. The sooner you quit, the longer you’ll have to experience the benefits of being a nonsmoker. Ready to quit? Contact us at 201-608-2162 to learn about the education and support services provided through our Quit Smart® smoking cessation program.
Fitness After Cancer Program
Englewood Health and Kaplen JCC on the Palisades (JCC) are pleased to join together to offer the Wellness and Longevity Program. If you have completed cancer treatment, the Wellness and Longevity: Fitness After Cancer Program can help you lead a well-rounded, healthy lifestyle. This five-week fitness and wellness program is open to patients with their doctor’s approval who meet certain criteria. And because it’s guided by medical and fitness experts, you can be assured that your safety and health come first.
Now accepting registration for future programs.
Key Features
- Physician-developed program
- Training by certified cancer specialists
- Supervised private-group workouts focusing on:
- Increasing flexibility and endurance
- Resistance-strength training progression
- Improving energy levels and self esteem
- Access to Kaplen JCC on the Palisades
What to Expect
At this 90-minute introductory session, you will hear an overview of the program and meet and hear from the fitness, and medical experts who helped design it.
Held at the JCC and led by certified personal trainers, these classes will be tailored to the individual needs of the participants, based on personal assessments and guidance from our board-certified oncologists. These 50-minute classes take place twice a week for 5 weeks (10 sessions total). In addition, a mid-point check-in with our team of experts will take place halfway through the program to help make sure you are on track with your health and fitness goals.
You will have full access to the JCC gym at no additional cost for the duration of the 5-week program. Upon completion of the program, you will receive a one-month JCC membership, two personal training sessions, and exclusive discounts.
This 90-minute final session will give you the opportunity to learn additional tips and strategies to make wellness a lifelong goal.
Fee
The cost for the entire program is $100. Most insurance companies do not cover this program, but it may be eligible for reimbursement through your health spending account or flexible spending account. Speak to your account administrator for more information.
Eligibility and Registration
The program is open to cancer patients who have completed treatment with an approval form signed by their doctor. To register or to express your interest, please complete this form.
Blood Cancer
Our medical oncologists provide treatment for cancers of the blood, such as lymphoma and leukemia, which affects the body’s infection-fighting white blood cells. Using advanced diagnostic tools and targeted anticancer drugs among other infusion treatments, our specialists provide total cancer care from diagnostics to survivorship.
Your personalized care plan may include infusion therapy and other medical treatments. To create a more private and comfortable experience, the Infusion Center has 24 private bays, each featuring a comfortable recliner, television, and a touchscreen tablet with free Internet. Floor-to-ceiling windows allow for natural light and a dimming feature allows you to brighten or soften the room’s overhead lighting to your desired setting. The space was designed to be comfortable and relaxing yet functional.
We offer a range of supportive services to provide whole-body care, including a patient navigator who can assist with appointments and follow-up care as well as support groups and integrative medicine, which offers evidence-based therapies such as acupuncture for chemotherapy-related symptoms, therapeutic massage, nutritional counseling, among others.
- Acute lymphocytic leukemia
- Acute myeloid leukemia
- Chronic myeloid leukemia
- Chronic lymphocytic leukemia
- Hodgkin lymphoma
- Non-Hodgkin lymphoma
Brain Cancer
Our neuro-oncology team offers a range of highly innovative surgical and radiosurgical procedures and techniques to treat cancer of the brain and spine. These tumors are generally categorized as either primary in which the cells grow quickly (high grade) or slowly (low grade), or metastatic in which the cancer originated in another part of the body and then spread to the brain. Our neurosurgeons work in conjunction with neurologists, oncologists, and radiation oncologists to customize a cancer treatment plan using well-established and safe techniques to improve results.
If a brain tumor is suspected, our team will review your medical history, conduct a neurologic exam, and evaluate the abnormal tissue using diagnostic imaging such as computerized tomography (CT), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and positron emission tomography/computerized tomography (PET/CT) scans to produce precise and accurate images of the body. Our CT scan shows detailed structural anatomy. To see internal body structures, we use MRI, which uses radio waves and a powerful magnetic field to produce cross-sectional images that can clearly map out soft tissue. We’re home to three MRI machines, including the latest generation short-bore MRI, which provides first-rate imaging quality, faster scans, and a more comfortable experience for patients. Our PET/CT machine allows doctors to get highly defined 3D images from the inside of the body with only one system and during one appointment, revealing information about the structure and functional status of the area of interest. Our in-house pathology team analyzes the tissue samples to determine the precise type and stage of the cancer, allowing physicians and patients to get results quickly.
Your personalized care plan may include surgery, radiation therapy, infusion therapy, and other medical treatments. To treat brain cancer with surgery, we use a craniotomy procedures—a surgical opening made in the skull—to find the exact location of the tumor that needs to be treated. A stereotactic craniotomy uses computer guided imagery, incorporating information from diagnostic tests, to create a 3D image of the brain and tumor, which allows surgeons to differentiate between healthy brain tissue and the tumor. This allows for minimally invasive techniques to be used where small incisions, scopes, and surgical cameras reduce the amount of bone needed to be removed and minimizes damage to surrounding brain tissue. This approach, called endoscopic craniotomy, can also be used to locate deeply implanted tumors—once considered inoperable.
We also use an FDA-approved technology called gamma knife surgery, a type of radiation therapy used to treat only the malignant area. This techniques allows physicians to locate the tumor with pinpoint accuracy while sparring healthy tissues as a result of 3D MRI brain imaging. It is often effective in one treatment and performed on an outpatient basis. Patients are not asked to restrict their daily routine after treatment.
We offer a range of supportive services to provide whole-body care, including a patient navigator who can assist with appointments and follow-up care as well as support groups and integrative medicine, which offers evidence-based therapies such as acupuncture for chemotherapy-related symptoms, therapeutic massage, yoga, among others.
- Acoustic neuroma
- Craniopharyngioma
- Meningioma
- Pituitary tumors
- Optic nerve glioma
- Oligodendroglioma
- Medulloblastoma
- Glioblastoma multiforme
- Glioma
- Fibrillary astrocytomas
- Craniopharyngioma
Breast Cancer
Our multidisciplinary team of specialists have expertise in treating common, rare, and hard-to-treat breast cancers, including triple negative breast cancer, which may resist some forms of treatment. Using advanced diagnostics, cutting-edge surgical techniques, targeted anticancer drugs, and precision radiation therapy, our specialists provide total breast cancer care from diagnostics to survivorship. Our early detection and prevention efforts include a breast cancer screening.
Using advanced screening and diagnostics, you’ll receive personalized attention in The Leslie Simon Breast Care and Cytodiagnosis Center to determine if you have breast cancer, inclusive of the type and stage. The Breast Care Center features state-of-the-art digital and 3D mammography and also offers breast ultrasound. We are home to one of the few all-digital mammography centers in New Jersey, combining state-of-the-art diagnostic procedures and completing evaluations in hours rather than days. Our breast MRI system offers exceptional imaging for patients at high risk of breast cancer and those who need a more precise exam. Our pathologists are experts in the diagnosis of breast cancer. Whenever possible, we use ultrasound-guided fine needle aspiration (FNA) biopsy to obtain tissue to analyze for breast cancer cells, which may produce faster results with fewer side effects. This type of screening is available at select locations.
Your personalized care plan may include surgery, radiation therapy, infusion therapy, and other medical treatments. If surgery is part of your care plan, we often perform operations with minimally invasive techniques, using laparoscopy or robotic surgery. To effectively treat breast cancer while conserving as much of the breast as possible, our fellowship-trained breast surgeons perform lumpectomies to only remove the tumor and maintain the cosmetic appearance, whenever feasible. Our plastic surgeons are available to perform reconstructive surgery at the time of mastectomy or at a later time, if desired. Our surgeons are very selective when it comes to underarm lymph node surgery (sentinel node biopsy), used to determine if any cancer cells have spread from the tumor. If the sentinel nodes are free of cancer cells, additional lymph nodes are not removed. By taking a conservative approach to underarm (axillary) lymph node removal, your chance of developing arm swelling and discomfort (lymphedema) can be reduced. Lymphedema sometimes occurs after lymph nodes have been removed.
For patients who undergo radiation therapy as part of their care plan, we offer advanced treatments that finely target radiation to tumor tissue while sparing as much nearby healthy tissue as possible. To treat the whole breast, we use intensity-modulated radiation therapy in which radiation is delivered consistently and at different intensities contoured to the shape of the tumor. We also offer hypofractionated radiation therapy, which administers radiation in higher doses over fewer visits to reduce overall treatment time and minimize side effects. Partial-breast radiation focuses the radiation only on the affected area and occurs after a lumpectomy to remove the tumor. For some types of therapy, we deliver the radiation in the prone position where a patient lies facedown with the breast hanging through an opening in the treatment table to precisely target the tumor while sparring the lungs and heart.
Those who have inherited mutations to certain genes, such as BRCA1 and BRCA2, have an increased risk of developing ovarian cancer and breast cancer. BRAC1 and BRAC2 are genes that produce tumor suppressor proteins. If one or both genes are damaged, cells may develop other genetic mutations that lead to cancer. Research has shown that certain populations, like those of Ashkenazi Jewish descent, may have a higher incidence of BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutations. Our genetic counselors are available to advise individuals and families with a history of cancer, such as ovarian, endometrial/uterine cancer, about their increased risk and options to manage that risk, such as more frequent breast cancer screening or prophylactic surgery. Genetic testing is available should you wish to receive it.
As part of our commitment to whole-body care, the Graf Center for Integrative Medicine offers evidence-based therapies, including acupuncture for chemotherapy-related symptoms, massage for lymphedema after breast surgery or lymph node removal, gentle yoga for breast cancer patients, nutritional counseling, among others. We also offer support services such as a patient navigator who can help with appointments and follow-up care and support groups.
- Ductal Carcinoma In Situ (DCIS)
- Invasive Ductal Carcinoma (IDC)
- Tubular Carcinoma of the Breast (IDC Type)
- Medullary Carcinoma of the Breast (IDC Type)
- Mucinous Carcinoma of the Breast (IDC Type)
- Papillary Carcinoma of the Breast (IDC Type)
- Cribriform Carcinoma of the Breast (IDC Type)
- Invasive Lobular Carcinoma
- Lobular Carcinoma In Situ
- Inflammatory Breast Cancer
- Triple Negative Breast Cancer
- Male Breast Cancer
- Recurrent and Metastatic Breast Cancer
- Paget disease of the Breast or Nipple
- Phyllodes tumor
- Angiosarcoma
Colorectal and Digestive Cancers
Our board-certified gastrointestinal and colorectal surgeons use surgical and nonsurgical methods to effectively treat cancer of the colon, rectum, and digestive system. Using advanced diagnostics, cutting-edge surgical techniques, targeted anticancer drugs, and precision radiation therapy, our specialists provide total cancer care from diagnostics to survivorship. Our early detection and prevention efforts include a colorectal cancer screening.
To determine if colorectal cancer is present, we rely on a variety of diagnostic and screening tools, including virtual colonoscopy, which uses the latest high-speed spiral computerized tomography (CT) scanners—eight times faster than conventional CT technology—to provide detailed images of the anatomy, allowing us to detect the presence of polyps or other abnormal growths that can lead to cancer. A virtual colonoscopy is recommended for patients who do not want to undergo a conventional colonoscopy. It is also a good alternative for patients who have difficult colonoscopic examinations. If polyps or other abnormal growths are found during a virtual colonoscopy, a standard colonoscopy is usually performed to remove them. Our in-house pathology team analyzes the tissue samples to determine the precise type and stage of the cancer, many times providing physicians with results within a few hours.
Some people with advanced digestive cancers benefit from interventional endoscopy, a minimally invasive procedure performed through a scope inserted into the esophagus to relieve blockages and narrowed areas that may be causing discomfort. These techniques are especially helpful for improving quality of life in some people with esophageal, pancreatic, and bile duct cancers. Until recently, they were primarily available at academic medical centers. These techniques include endoscopic ultrasound in which a physician uses a special endoscope with high-energy sound waves to see inside of the digestive tract. It is sometimes combined with other procedures to diagnose and treat problems in the digestive tract. A second technique is called endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP), which is used to find and treat problems in the liver, gallbladder, bile ducts, and pancreas. Using X-rays and an endoscope, a physician can see inside the esophagus, stomach, and beginning of the small intestine (duodenum) to check for abnormalities. If there is a blocked duct, the doctor can insert a tiny tube called a stent to open it up and keep it open, relieving a patient’s symptoms.
If surgery is needed, we use minimally invasive techniques like laparoscopic or robotic surgery, whenever possible. This method generally results in less pain and a faster recovery compared with traditional surgery. Tens of thousands of people each year learn they have liver cancer that has spread there from colorectal cancer in which nearly 50 percent of patients with colorectal cancer developing liver metastases during the course of the disease. We offer customized care for people with liver cancers that can be removed surgically as well as tumors that are inoperable. We use advanced navigational imaging to pinpoint the size and location of these tumors. Our multidisciplinary team, including interventional radiologists and surgeons, work together to perform laparoscopic and CT guided microwave ablation and Y90 ablation to treat liver metastases when surgery is not an option or in combination with surgery.
We offer support services such as a patient navigator who can help with appointments and follow-up care, support groups, as well as integrative medicine, offering evidence-based therapies such as acupuncture for chemotherapy-related symptoms, therapeutic massage, nutritional counseling, stress management, and more.
- Colon cancer
- Rectal cancer
- Esophageal cancer
- Pancreatic cancer
- Stomach cancer
Gynecologic Cancer
Our specialists have expertise in treating common, rare, and hard-to-treat gynecologic cancers. Using advanced diagnostics, cutting-edge technologies and the latest surgical techniques, our specialists provide total gynecologic cancer care from diagnostics to survivorship. Your treatment plan may include surgery, radiation therapy, chemotherapy or other infusion therapies, among others.
Your personalized treatment plan may include surgery, radiation therapy, infusion therapy, or other medical treatments. There are different ways to treat gynecologic cancer with surgery. There is open surgery, minimally invasive laparoscopic and robotic-assisted surgery. For people who are eligible, we use minimally invasive robotic technology to perform complex and delicate procedures to treat gynecologic cancer. This robotic technology includes a 3D high definition video for greater visualization during surgery and enhanced technical abilities that allows surgeons to operate with greater control and precision using tiny incisions. Minimally invasive techniques may lead to a faster recovery with less pain.
Those who have inherited mutations to certain genes, such as BRCA1 and BRCA2, have an increased risk of developing ovarian cancer and breast cancer. BRAC1 and BRAC2 are genes that produce tumor suppressor proteins. If one or both genes are damaged, cells may develop other genetic mutations that lead to cancer. Research has shown that certain populations, like those of Ashkenazi Jewish descent, may have a higher incidence of BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutations. Our genetic counselors are available to advise individuals and families with a history of cancer, such as ovarian, endometrial/uterine cancer, about their increased risk and options to manage that risk, such as more frequent breast cancer screening or prophylactic surgery. Genetic testing is available should you wish to receive it.
We offer support services such as support groups, a patient navigator who can help with appointments and follow-up care, as well as integrative medicine, offering evidence-based therapies such as acupuncture, therapeutic massage, nutritional counseling, stress management, and more.
- Cervical cancer
- Ovarian cancer
- Uterine/endometrial cancer
- Vaginal cancer
- Vulvar cancer
Liver, Pancreatic, and Bile Duct Cancers
Our multidisciplinary team of specialists treat cancers of the liver, pancreas, and bile ducts, as well as rarer tumors such as peri-ampullary cancers of the pancreas, bile duct, and duodenum, and pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors. Using advanced diagnostics, cutting-edge surgical techniques, targeted anticancer drugs, and precision radiation therapy, our specialists provide total cancer care from diagnostics to survivorship.
Infection with the hepatitis B virus (HBV) is a leading cause of liver cancer, and is especially common among people born in Asia. Our team includes experts who understand this risk. If you have HBV, we can tailor a program of care that includes treatment for your HBV infection, screening for family members, and education and guidance about how you and your family can reduce your liver cancer risk.
To evaluate if cancer is present in the pancreas, we use computerized tomography (CT) scans and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to provide detailed images of the anatomy, allowing us to detect the presence of polyps or other abnormal growths that can lead to cancer. Our in-house pathology team analyzes the tissue samples to determine the precise type and stage of the cancer, allowing physicians and patients to get results quickly.
Some people with advanced digestive cancers may also benefit from interventional endoscopy, a minimally invasive procedure performed through a scope inserted into the esophagus to relieve blockages and narrowed areas that may be causing discomfort. These techniques are especially helpful for improving quality of life in some people with esophageal, pancreatic, and bile duct cancers. Until recently, they were primarily available at academic medical centers. These techniques include endoscopic ultrasound in which a physician uses a special endoscope with high-energy sound waves to see inside of the digestive tract. It is sometimes combined with other procedures to diagnose and treat problems in the digestive tract. A second technique is called endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP), which is used to find and treat problems in the liver, gallbladder, bile ducts, and pancreas. Using X-rays and an endoscope, a physician can see inside the esophagus, stomach, and beginning of the small intestine (duodenum) to check for abnormalities. If there is a blocked duct, the doctor can insert a tiny tube called a stent to open it up and keep it open, relieving a patient’s symptoms.
Your personalized treatment plan may include surgery, radiation therapy, infusion therapy, or other medical treatments. We use minimally invasive surgery whenever possible, using laparoscopy or robotic surgery. These approaches may result in smaller incisions, less postoperative discomfort, and a quicker recovery. One of these techniques is the Whipple procedure, a major operation used in the treatment of some pancreatic cancers and a common measure of a hospital’s quality of care. Our doctors are involved on a national level in the assessment of hospital quality based on Whipple surgery performance.
For people with liver cancer, our interventional radiologists collaborate with our surgeons and in some cases are able to convert a patient from inoperable to operable or even a candidate for transplantation by shrinking the diseased part of the liver. Taking advantage of the liver’s ability to regenerate its own tissue, they achieve this by blocking the blood vessel supplying the diseased tissue, which causes that part of the liver to shrink and triggers an increase in healthy tissue growth in another part of the liver. Surgeons can then remove the diseased tissue while leaving behind enough healthy tissue for the patient to have adequate liver function. We also use locoregional therapies that either freeze the liver tumor tissue, known as cryoblation, or use radiofrequency ablation in which heat is used to treat the tumor. We can also access the liver through one of its two blood supplies to inject chemotherapy drugs, special particles that block a tumor’s blood supply, or beads attached to radioactive substances (such as yttrium) directly into a tumor. We perform these procedures using minimally invasive interventional approaches, rather than open surgery. We also offer customized care for people with secondary liver cancer in which colorectal cancer has spread to the liver.
For patients with liver metastases, chemotherapy before surgery to remove the tumors is typically used as part of treatment.
We offer support services designed to ease your anxiety. A patient navigator can help with appointments and follow-up care while support groups can provide another level of assistance during this difficult time. We also offer integrative medicine, evidence-based therapies such as acupuncture, therapeutic massage, nutritional counseling, stress management, among others, that can offer relaxation and whole-body care.
- Hepatocellular (liver) carcinoma
- Pancreatic adenocarcinoma
- Cholangiocarcinoma (bile duct cancer)
Lung and Thoracic Cancers
Our specialists have the expertise to treat all stages and types of lung and thoracic (chest) cancer, such as thymic cancer, pleural mesothelioma, and mediastinal lymphoma. We use advanced diagnostics, the latest surgical techniques, targeted anticancer drugs, and precision radiation therapy to provide total lung and thoracic cancer care from diagnostics to survivorship. Our early detection and prevention efforts include a lung cancer screening and smoking cessation program.
As part of our commitment to early detection of lung disease, we offer a lung cancer screening program. Using advanced imaging and cutting-edge technology, we can accurately detect and locate tumors. Studies have proven the value of computed tomography (CT) scanning as a screening tool to find small lung cancers during their earlier, more curable stages. If you are at high risk of lung cancer due to a history of smoking and you’re between the ages of 55 and 70, you may want to be screened. Our in-house pathology team analyzes the tissue samples to determine the precise type and stage of the cancer, many times providing physicians with results within a few hours.
Depending on your type and stage of lung or thoracic cancer, different medical approaches may be necessary to remove the tumor. Your treatment plan may include infusion therapy, radiation therapy, surgery, or other medical therapies. We perform your operation with minimally invasive techniques whenever possible, using laparoscopy or robotic surgery. To treat cancers of the lung and chest, we use video-assisted thoracic surgery (VATS) in which a surgeon inserts a tiny camera and instruments into the chest through several small incisions. This minimally invasive procedure allows surgeons to view the inside of the chest via images transmitted onto a video monitor while performing surgery, adding another level of safety, accuracy, and precision. VATS may also result in a shorter recovery time and less pain.
We offer support services that promote whole-body wellness, including a smoking cessation program. Smoking is associated with a higher risk of lung cancer. Quitting smoking is one of the best ways to improve your health and reduces your risk of heart and noncancerous respiratory diseases, as well. This program provides strategies for long-term success. We also offer support groups, a patient navigator who can help with appointments and follow-up care, as well as integrative medicine, offering evidence-based therapies such as acupuncture, therapeutic massage, nutritional counseling, stress management, and more.
- Mesothelioma
- Mediastinal lymphoma
- Small-cell lung cancer
- Non-small cell lung cancer
- Lung metastases
Urologic Cancer
Our multidisciplinary team of specialists treat cancers of the kidney, prostate, bladder, and testicles. Using advanced diagnostics, cutting-edge surgical techniques, targeted anticancer drugs, and precision radiation therapy, our specialists provide total urologic cancer care from diagnostics to survivorship. Our early detection and prevention efforts include a prostate cancer screening.
To determine if urologic cancer is present, we rely on a variety of diagnostic tools, which may include computerized tomography (CT) scans, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) or an intravenous pyelogram (IVP), a procedure that involves the injection of dye into the blood, as well as position emission tomography (PET) scan and ultrasound examinations. Our in-house pathology team analyzes the tissue samples to determine the precise type and stage of the cancer, allowing physicians and patients to get results quickly. Outpatient procedures to take small samples may be necessary to diagnose abnormal areas as either benign or cancerous. In addition, blood tests or other physical exams may also be used to determine the presence of cancer.
Your personalized care plan may include surgery, infusion therapy, radiation therapy, or other medical treatments. For patients who undergo radiation therapy as part of their care plan, we offer advanced treatments that finely target radiation to tumor tissue while sparing as much nearby healthy tissue as possible. Patients with prostate cancer now have access to prostate stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT). This new form of radiation therapy significantly reduces the number of treatment visits and may eliminate uncomfortable side effects associated with traditional methods. SBRT relies on beacons the size of rice seeds that are placed in the prostate to define the target area using 3D imaging technology. Using the TrueBeam system, radiation targets only the prostate tumor without harming surrounding healthy tissues. What typically used to take 45 treatments over the course of up to nine weeks can now be done in just five treatments in one to two weeks using SBRT. Previously, patients faced a range of life-altering side effects that included frequent or painful urination and abdominal pain, and impotence.
If surgery is part of your care plan, we perform your operation with minimally invasive techniques whenever possible, using laparoscopy or robotic surgery. Depending on your type and stage of urologic cancer, different surgical approaches may be necessary to remove the cancerous tumor.
For patients with testicular cancer, removal of the testicle may be the only treatment necessary, if the cancer is small and localized to the testicle.
To treat kidney cancer, we use partial nephrectomy whenever possible. This procedures removes only the cancerous tumor and some surrounding healthy tissue and is the standard of care for treatment of smaller cancers. If the cancer has advanced, a radical nephrectomy to remove the entire affected kidney, local lymph nodes, and the attached adrenal gland, may be needed. We also remove cancerous tumors that have spread from other locations, also known as secondary cancer.
For prostate cancer, a radical prostatectomy to removes the entire prostate gland with the cancer and a rim of normal tissue around it may be required. This type of procedure is most effective if the cancer has not spread outside the prostate. Open, minimally invasive, and robotic-assisted techniques are used for radical prostatectomy. Other treatment options include freezing the cancer cells, called cryosurgery, and transurethral resection (TUR) of the prostate in which the cancer is cut out of the prostate gland through the urethra, using small tools. In late-stage prostate cancer, an orchiectomy may be needed in which the testicles, containing the male hormones prostate cancer cells need to grow, are removed.
TUR is also used to diagnose and manage bladder cancer. This technique allows urologists to remove samples of tissue or cancer in the bladder and use electrical or laser thermal destruction to treat early stage, superficial bladder cancers like non-invasive papillary carcinoma and carcinoma in situ. Other surgical procedures include a radical cystectomy to remove the bladder, tissue and some of the organs as well as a segmental or partial cystectomy in which a portion of the bladder is removed and the ends are sewn back together. If the entire bladder needs to be removed, our surgeons also have the expertise to create artificial bladders.
To provide whole-body care, we offer a range of supportive services from a patient navigator who can help you with appointments and access to support groups to integrative medicine, offering a variety of evidence-based therapies, including acupuncture, therapeutic massage, nutritional counseling, stress management and more.
- Kidney cancer
- Prostate cancer
- Bladder cancer
- Testicular cancer
Cancer Risk Assessment & Genetic Counseling Program
Our program for people at increased risk of cancer due to genetics is led by one of only a handful of trained advanced nurse practitioners, and is a model for the teaching of staff in other genetic programs throughout the nation. Our genetic counselors are board certified through the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), which is the national certifying agency for all specialties. The certifying process is so rigorous for advanced practice nurses that there are only 56 advanced genetics nurses in the country–Englewood Hospital has three of the five in New Jersey. We’re available to advise individuals and families with a medical history of cancer about their increased risk and options to manage that risk. Genetic testing is available should you wish to receive it.
Based on guidelines from the National Comprehensive Cancer Network, a cancer risk assessment is recommended for individuals with the following personal and/or family history of cancer: a personal diagnosis of cancer younger than age 50; multiple close family members diagnosed with cancer younger than age 50; more than one cancer diagnosed in the same person; or three or more close family members with different types of cancer.
In addition to these inherited risk factors, certain environmental and lifestyle factors may increase your risk of developing cancer. If, for any reason, you are concerned that you might be at an increased cancer risk, please call to see if you should schedule a risk assessment consultation.
Before your risk assessment consultation, you will be asked to complete a detailed questionnaire about your family history and your personal medical history. During your visit, you will review your questionnaire with a nurse practitioner who has specialized training and certification in cancer genetic counseling (APNG). Based on your answers and our team’s expertise, you will receive recommendations for genetic testing, surveillance, and risk-reduction strategies.
If your individual risk assessment indicates that genetic testing is appropriate for you, we will provide you with more information about various testing options, including how to interpret results, their limitations, and what your specific insurance will cover. As the field of cancer genetics continues to evolve, multiple genetic tests are available for cancer risk assessment. Based on the current guidelines from the National Comprehensive Cancer Network, we offer multigene panel testing, which means that multiple genes are tested at the same time. Testing is available for breast, colorectal, endometrial/uterine, gastric (stomach), ovarian, lung, melanoma, and pancreatic cancers, as well as polyposis syndromes.
Whether or not genetic testing is appropriate for you, we will discuss ways you can reduce your risk of cancer and recommendations about routine screening tests. For example, we may recommend more frequent mammograms or enrollment in a smoking cessation or exercise class. The Cancer Risk Assessment and Genetics Program team will assist you in making decisions regarding these recommendations, and you are encouraged to discuss them further with your other healthcare providers.
To make an appointment or for more information about the Cancer Risk Assessment and Genetics Program, call us at 201-608-2608.
Cancer Center Leadership
Medical Director, Cancer Treatment and Wellness Center
Chief, Radiation Oncology
Chief, Breast Imaging
Thoracic surgery
Chief, Medical Oncology
Section Chief, Breast Surgery
Director, Robotic Surgery
Gynecologic Oncology
Medical Director, Leslie Simon Breast Care and Cytodiagnosis Center
Chief, Pathology
Chief, Radiology
Director, Cancer Risk Assessment and Genetic Program
Neurosurgery
David Dubin, MD
Mindy Goldfischer, MD
Lyall Gorenstein, MD
Minaxi Jhawer, MD
V. Merle McIntosh, MD
Nimesh Nagarsheth, MD
Miguel Sanchez, MD
Mark Shapiro, MD
Rosalyn Stahl, MD