Summit Medical Group MD Anderson Cancer Center Opens Radiation Oncology Department; Provides Full Spectrum Of Cancer Care To Patients In Northern New Jersey

BERKELEY HEIGHTS, N.J., Nov. 29, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Marking a major milestone in its mission to provide world-class cancer care to patients in northern New Jersey, Summit Medical Group MD Anderson Cancer Center today announced the opening of its Radiation Oncology Department at 1 Diamond Hill Road, Lawrence Pavilion in Berkeley Heights.

Summit Medical Group MD Anderson's Radiation Oncology Department offers the full spectrum of radiation treatment modalities, including: PET/CT simulation; External beam radiation; Brachytherapy; Stereotactic radiosurgery and radiotherapy; and Intensity Modulated Radiation Therapy (IMRT). Specially trained board-certified radiation oncologists, led by Medical Director Dr. Molly Gabel, are skilled in a wide range of cutting-edge treatments.

"The opening of the Summit Medical Group MD Anderson Radiation Oncology Department is a major stride in our quest to provide cancer patients in northern New Jersey access to the most advanced treatments and to the finest level of coordinated care close to home," said Dr. Jeffrey Le Benger, Summit Medical Group Chairman of the Board and CEO.  

"By using the most current treatment planning technology available to 'map' tumors, Summit Medical Group MD Anderson radiation oncologists can design treatments with pinpoint accuracy, ensuring that tumors get the most effective dose while healthy tissues and organs are spared," says Dr. Gabel. "The partnership means our patients will receive the most advanced cancer treatment possible. But, we take that one step further. Consistent with Summit Medical Group's mission, each patient gets care in an environment that is designed to support their comfort and promote their healing."

Patients at Summit Medical Group MD Anderson will receive patient-focused, high-quality care based on MD Anderson Cancer Center's treatment guidelines. All radiation plans undergo additional quality assurance testing by the Summit Medical Group MD Anderson physicist prior to delivery of the radiation treatments, to ensure that all radiation plans are being delivered with the same precision as was planned. Each patient's plan is then reviewed in detail by a multidisciplinary team within Summit Medical Group. An added advantage of our partnership with MD Anderson is that a third level of expertise is offered to our patients. Each patient's plan will be reviewed by a Summit Medical Group MD Anderson physician and one or more MD Anderson radiation oncologist in Houston, prior to the delivery of any treatments. 

Our multidisciplinary Radiation Oncology team provides outstanding comprehensive care in a calming and supportive environment, while offering the most innovative treatments available based on findings from advanced diagnostic imaging studies.

A state-of-the-art PET/CT scanner delivers a highly sophisticated imaging technique that combines two scans during a single exam: a Positron Emission Tomography (PET) scan that shows the body's physiologic changes and a Computed Tomography (CT) scan that shows the structure of the anatomy where the changes are taking place. Combining these two images provides detailed information to physicians about the presence or spread of disease and accurately identifies its precise location so radiation treatment planning is better targeted.

PET/CT is commonly used to diagnose, stage, and/or restage a variety of types of cancer including breast, colorectal, esophageal, melanoma, lymphoma, lung, colorectal, head and neck, and cervical cancers. It can be used to monitor tumor response to treatment during the planned course of therapy, or in non-invasive cardiac diagnosis and stroke assessment.

With Intensity Modulated Radiation Therapy (IMRT), Summit Medical Group MD Anderson radiation oncologists can adjust the strength of different radiation beams to deliver higher doses to certain parts of a tumor while minimizing potential damage to nearby healthy tissues. Additionally, Summit Medical Group MD Anderson provides stereotactic radiation therapy, a technique for providing an extremely high dose of radiation therapy to a very small area of the brain or body. The wide variety of treatments means that physicians have more options to offer patients.

Patients will receive seamless care under one roof from diagnosis to treatment and throughout survivorship. At Summit Medical Group MD Anderson, patients can not only stay close to home, but have the benefit of all the primary care and specialist doctors who remain involved in all aspects of patient care. Our philosophy is to not just take care of cancer, but to take care of the entire patient.

For more information on Radiation Oncology services now available at Summit Medical Group MD Anderson Cancer Center in Berkeley Heights, please call 908-588-3651.

Summit Medical Group MD Anderson Cancer Center's Florham Park facility will open in summer 2018 and will provide the latest advances in cancer care including medical oncology, infusion, diagnostic imaging and radiation oncology.

About Summit Medical Group MD Anderson Cancer Center

Summit Medical Group is the first independent multispecialty physician group in the country and the only healthcare provider in Northern New Jersey to offer patients access to the world-renowned MD Anderson Cancer Network®.  The partnership, an extension of MD Anderson's relationship with South Jersey's Cooper University Health Care, guarantees Summit Medical Group patients access to advanced treatment options and emerging treatment alternatives. The Summit Medical Group MD Anderson Cancer Center, a new state-of-the-art,130,000 square foot outpatient facility is currently under construction in Florham Park and will open in 2018 implementing an integrated, multi-disciplinary approach to cancer care, ensuring a high-quality patient experience, close to home.

About MD Anderson Cancer Center

The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston ranks as one of the world's most respected centers focused on cancer patient care, research, education and prevention. The institution's sole mission is to end cancer for patients and their families around the world. MD Anderson is one of only 49 comprehensive cancer centers designated by the National Cancer Institute (NCI). MD Anderson is ranked No. 1 for cancer care in U.S. News & World Report's Best Hospitals survey. It has ranked as one of the nation's top two hospitals for cancer care since the survey began in 1990, and has ranked first 13 times in the last 16 years. MD Anderson receives a cancer center support grant from the NCI of the National Institutes of Health (P30 CA016672).

SOURCE Summit Medical Group MD Anderson Cancer Center