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Hackensack University Medical Center is designated by the National Cancer Institute as a Clinical Community Oncology Program, one of only 50 in the nation and the only one in New Jersey. Research is conducted through the Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group, the National Surgical Adjuvant Breast and Bowel Project, the Pediatric Oncology Group, the Southwest Oncology Group, and the University of Rochester Cancer Center and its Research Department. The following are just a few of the significant breast health studies taking place at Hackensack University Medical Center and The Betty Torricelli Institute for Breast Care. Please look into the launch site “Are You at High Risk for Breast Cancer?” for information about the New York Breast Cancer Study. The STAR Breast Cancer Prevention Trial STAR, a five-year study by the National Surgical Adjuvant Breast and Bowel Project, is seeking to learn whether the drug tamoxifen or the drug raloxifene offers women better prevention against developing breast cancer, with less side effects. Enrollment in the study is open to post-menopausal women age 35 and older, who are at increased risk for breast cancer. An assessment of your risk can be provided to you at no cost by completing, printing, and signing our risk form and mailing it to: Hackensack University Medical Center, The Betty Torricelli Institute for Breast Care, 20 Prospect Avenue, Suite 513, Hackensack, NJ 07601, Attn: Kate Esposito, R.N., BSN. For more information about the STAR trial, contact Kate Esposito, R.N., BSN at (201) 996-4275 or kesposito@humed.com. Trials at the Blood and Marrow Stem Cell Transplantation Program Clinical trials to determine the role of stem cell transplant in women with a high risk of breast cancer or metastatic disease are being done through the Blood and Marrow Stem Cell Transplantation Program. For more information, call Laura Murphy at (201) 996-5849. Basic Research into Breast Cancer Investigators at Hackensack University Medical Center are conducting basic research in the mechanism of action of estrogen in stimulating the development of breast cancer tumors. Other studies involve developing new markers for breast cancer risk, investigating the molecular genetics of breast cancer, and controlling the proliferation of cancerous breast epithelial cells. Breast Cancer Risk Assessment and Counseling Program This program is part of The Betty Torricelli Institute for Breast Care’s comprehensive breast center. It is designed to identify women who are at increased risk for breast cancer and to implement prevention and surveillance strategies. For more information, call Kate Esposito or Kathy Kirn at (201) 996-4275 or kesposito@humed.com. The Optimal Time for Breast Cancer Surgery A study is being conducted to determine the best time for a pre-menopausal woman to have breast cancer surgery based on her hormonal levels and the phase of her menstrual cycle. For more information, contact Kate Esposito, R.N., BSN, at (201) 996-4275 or kesposito@humed.com. The DOBI Device Hackensack University Medical Center is a clinical trial site for a new breast cancer detection device called Dynamic Optical Breast Imaging (DOBI™). The DOBI system does not use X-rays, but instead uses light to scan a breast. A camera connected to the DOBI computer records the images. The procedure is painless. The study is reviewed in conjunction with the results of a mammogram and the pathology report with the results of the DOBI test to determine its effectiveness. At the present time, if your mammogram indicates a need for a breast biopsy or if you are at risk for breast cancer, you may be eligible to participate in this study. For more information, contact Kate Esposito, R.N., BSN, at (201) 996-4275 or kesposito@humed.com. Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy Study Surgeons, radiologists, and pathologists are investigating the use of a surgical procedure – called sentinel lymph node biopsy – which may spare women who need breast cancer surgery from also undergoing extensive axillary lymph node removal surgery. During the procedure either a blue dye, radioactive material, or both is injected around a breast tumor to identify the first or “sentinel” lymph node. If no cancerous cells are detected, then cancer has not spread. The surgeon can simply remove the tumor and forego a complete lymph node removal. For more information about breast care research protocols, call (201) 996-4275. |
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