Medical Oncology / Hematology

Expertise and Comprehensive Care

Our expert team of medical oncologists are board-certified specialists known for their clinical care, research and education. Our team will provide you with the most advanced treatments for cancers and blood-related disorders.

Our medical oncologists offer the latest diagnostic and therapeutic options to develop a treatment plan for the full spectrum of cancers and provide personalized care based on the latest advancements in oncology. Our experts work with surgical oncologists, radiation oncologists, pathologists, radiologists, nurses and others to address all aspects of patient care.

Our experts know the most effective drugs, drug combinations, and doses for your specific cancer.

Chemotherapy

Chemotherapy works by slowing down or stopping the growth of cancer cells. It circulates throughout your body, so it can be used to treat cancer almost anywhere. Chemotherapy drugs work to kill cancer cells that spread to other parts of the body, shrink tumors, ease cancer symptoms, or make other treatments, like radiation therapy, work better.

Chemotherapy is given in different ways and can be delivered to specific parts of the body using catheters (flexible tubes) or surgical techniques. These include:

• Oral chemotherapy swallowed in pill, capsule or liquid form.
• Intravenous (IV) chemotherapy delivered directly into a vein.
• Injected chemotherapy as a shot in your arm, thigh, or hip muscle, or directly under your skin in the fatty part of your arm, leg or belly.
• Intrathecal chemotherapy delivered to the space between the layers of tissue that cover the brain and spinal cord.
• Intraperitoneal (IP) chemotherapy applied to the peritoneal cavity, the part of your body that contains your intestines, stomach and liver.
• Intra-arterial (IA) chemotherapy injected into the artery that leads to your cancer.
• Intravesical chemotherapy applied to the bladder.
• Topical chemotherapy given in a cream applied to your skin.

Hormone Therapy

Hormone therapy blocks the production or effects of hormones — including estrogen, progesterone and testosterone — that can stimulate cancer and help it grow. Hormone therapy changes how hormones work using medicines in a pill or injection, or surgery to remove the organs that produce hormones (testicles or ovaries).

Hormone therapy is not an appropriate treatment for all cancers. It’s most commonly used to treat prostate cancer, gynecological cancer or breast cancer. Hormone therapy is often paired with other cancer treatments to improve its effectiveness. Used this way, hormone therapy can:

• Reduce the size of your tumor before surgery or radiation therapy.
• Lower the risk that your cancer will return.
• Destroy cancer cells that have returned or spread to another part of your body.

Immunotherapy

Immunotherapy is a form of biological therapy. It uses natural or lab-made substances from living organisms to help your immune system fight cancer. Immunotherapy can boost your immune system or train it to attack specific cancer cells.

Immunotherapy is given intravenously (IV) directly into your vein, as a pill or capsule, or a cream rubbed into your skin. It’s used to treat blood and bone marrow cancers, breast cancer, lung cancer, gynecological cancer, head and neck cancer and others.

There are several types of immunotherapy, including:

• Monoclonal antibodies which are lab-made substances designed to attack a specific part of a cancer cell.
• CAR T-cell therapy is a highly-promising, personalized gene therapy that genetically modifies T-cells, a type of white blood cell, to target and kill certain cancer cells. CAR T-cell therapy is available at John Theurer Cancer Center at Hackensack University Medical Center.
• Checkpoint inhibitors which help the immune system recognize and attack cancer cells instead of healthy cells.
• Cytokines, or proteins made by white blood cells to improve your immune system’s ability to respond to cancer.
• Vaccines which use substances associated with cancer, like antigens, to increase your immune system’s response to cancer cells.

Targeted Therapy

Targeted therapy, sometimes called targeted molecular therapy, focuses on the changes in cancer cells that enable them to grow, divide and spread. It’s personalized to your specific type of cancer and how it develops in your body.

Targeted therapy works best in combination with other cancer treatments, such as chemotherapy or radiation therapy. We use targeted therapy to treat breast cancer, head and neck cancer, lung cancer, thyroid cancer and others.

Targeted molecular therapy is given in a pill or capsule, or an injection. It treats cancer in several ways, such as:

• Helps your immune system fight cancer by destroying cancer cells.
• Prevents the growth of cancer cells.
• Stops tumors from forming new blood vessels, affecting their ability to grow.
• Delivers cell-killing substances to cancer cells, causing them to die.
• Prevents your cancer from using hormones to fuel its growth.

What to Expect

Cancer Medicine Side Effects

You may experience side effects from cancer medicines. Some treatments, like chemotherapy, kill healthy cells along with cancer cells. The type of therapy, dosage, the type and location of your cancer, and your overall health play a part in how your body is affected by cancer treatment.

Common side effects from chemotherapy and other anticancer medicines may include:

• Hair loss
• Chills
• Body aches and pains
• Nausea and vomiting
• Fatigue
• Fever
• Loss of appetite
• Diarrhea
• Rash or dry skin
• Mood changes
• Weakness

Length of Treatment

Your medical oncologist will develop a treatment plan based on the type of cancer you have, how advanced it is, other types of treatments you may need and your general health.

The schedule for receiving cancer medicines varies widely and depends on whether the treatment is being used to cure, control or ease symptoms of your illness. You may receive care in cycles that alternate a week of therapy followed by several weeks without treatments. This helps your body rest and get stronger between treatments.

It’s best not to miss any scheduled treatments. Your medical oncologist may change the schedule based on your response to treatment and side effects.

Recovery from Cancer Treatment

Effective cancer treatment requires the support of families and friends working with experienced, skilled, and caring physicians and other medical specialists. We collaborate as a team for the best care possible.

It can take some time to get back to normal daily activities after cancer treatment. Your medical oncology team will discuss treatment and recovery with you, so you understand what to expect every step of the way.