Experimental Drug Boosts Ovarian Cancer Survival Rates

Hematologist and oncologist Kenneth D. Nahum, DO, practices at Regional Cancer Care Associates, LLC, in Howell, New Jersey. With more than three decades of medical experience, he has skillfully divided his time between clinical practice and medical research. Over the years, Dr. Kenneth D. Nahum has studied numerous conditions, including ovarian cancer.

A deadly form of cancer, ovarian cancer has nearly a 70 percent recurrence rate. The reason for this high rate of recurrence relates to the continued presence of stem-like cells in the body once ovarian cancer is treated. Upon diagnosis, patients usually go through a round of chemotherapy or other treatments. These kill 90 to 99 percent of ovarian cancer cells, thus effectively sending the condition into remission.

However, routine ovarian cancer treatment does not kill stem-like ovarian cancer cells. These cells behave similarly to a plant and can take root in the body after ovarian cancer is destroyed. Over time, the cells grow into a new tumor, a process that can be enabled when as few 11 stem-like cells are left behind.

To address this issue, researchers from the University of Pittsburgh, Magee-Womens Research Institute (MWRI), and UPMC Hillman Cancer Center examined the efficacy of a new drug that targets these stem-like cells. An experimental drug known as 673A was discovered by these researchers and tested in mice with ovarian cancer cells. When used in combination with chemotherapy, this drug significantly improves survival rates among mice with ovarian cancer.

673A works by targeting the ALDH pathway in the body. This pathway clears the toxins produced by stem-like cells, thus allowing them to multiply so quickly. While 673A only kills 3 to 5 percent of stem-like cells, the impact was significant and allowed roughly 60 percent of mice treated with chemotherapy and the drug to survive past the six-month point. Only 10 percent of mice treated with just chemotherapy survived to this point.

Researchers Discover and Block Activating Protein Related to Melanoma

For more than four decades, Kenneth D. Nahum, MD, has been working as a physician. A hematologist and oncologist practicing at Regional Cancer Care Associates (RCCA), he treats patients with cancer or blood disorders. Dr. Kenneth D. Nahum routinely conducts research on numerous conditions, including melanoma.

It’s predicted that roughly 96,000 new cases of melanoma will be diagnosed in the United States in 2019 and over 7,000 Americans will die of the disease. However, researchers recently discovered a possible way to manage melanomas and other cancers.

Researchers focused on NRAS, a gene responsible for instructing cells to produce an NRAS protein. Mutations in this gene have previously been linked to roughly 25 percent of skin cancers.

However, for NRAS to trigger the development of cancer, it must be activated by another protein. Researchers tested several proteins to determine how they affect NRAS activity and discovered that STK19 appears to be the primary activating protein.

While NRAS activity cannot be disabled, STK19 gene activity can be disabled with a new drug compound. When STK19 was blocked from activating NRAS in animal models and skin cells, it kept melanoma from developing. More research is needed, but researchers hope this discovery will pave the way for new treatments for difficult-to-cure cancer via the identification and blocking of activating proteins.

Iron Deficiency Anemia Higher among Adolescent Female Blood Donors

An oncologist and hematologist, Dr. Kenneth D. Nahum has been practicing medicine for upwards of 35 years. Through both his clinical and research experience, Dr. Kenneth D. Nahum has experience treating dozens of conditions, including iron deficiency anemia.

According to recent research from the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, adolescent females have an increased risk of iron deficiency anemia and other adverse effects, such as fainting, after they donate blood. This is believed to occur because adolescent girls typically have a lower blood volume and higher iron levels than their adult peers. Because of this, adolescent donors lose more iron than adult donors, despite giving the same amount of blood.

Rather than discouraging adolescent donors from giving blood, this information should encourage adolescent females to prepare for their blood donation by taking iron tablets and eating green vegetables and other iron-rich foods. Further, adolescent females should limit the number of times they donate. 

In the United States, this age group can donate blood every eight weeks as long as they meet weight requirements. However, additional policies to protect this group from adverse health reactions is advised by researchers.

Jersey Shore University Medical Center Offers Collaborative Care

A hematologist and an oncologist at Regional Cancer Care Associates, LLC, in New Jersey, Kenneth D. Nahum, DO, has received New Jersey Monthly Magazine’s Top Doctors award four times. Frequently offering his support to health-related charities, Dr. Kenneth D. Nahum served for six years as a co-chair of the Sweetheart Ball fundraiser benefiting the cancer program at Jersey Shore University Medical Center.

Jersey Shore cancer treatment is built around a collaborative care model. Each patient is assigned a comprehensive care team that includes a radiation oncologist, medical oncologist, radiation therapist, diagnosing and treating surgeon, and primary care physician. For patients with aggressive cancers who may benefit from emerging treatments, Jersey Shore participates in clinical trials run by The Cancer Institute of New Jersey and the Radiation Therapy Oncology Group.

The Center also features a unique patient-centered program known as Nurse Navigation, where registered nurses provide patients with logistical and emotional support throughout the treatment process, including with social service and insurance paperwork. Aside from cancer treatments, Jersey Shore offers patients rehabilitation services, nutrition counseling, support groups, and genetic testing to support whole patient care from initial testing through recovery.

Possible Causes of Neuroblastoma

New Jersey-based physician Kenneth D. Nahum, DO, practices as a hematologist and an oncologist at Regional Cancer Care Associates, LLC, in Howell. With more than three decades of experience in the field, Dr. Kenneth D. Nahum has cared for thousands of patients with various cancers and blood disorders.

Although cancer is most often thought of as an adult condition, it can occur in infants and children, as is the case with neuroblastomas. The most common type of cancer affecting infants, this rare form of cancer is normally found in children aged 5 or younger. It occurs when a solid tumor grows from immature nerve cells, or neuroblasts, in the body.

As a fetus develops, its neuroblasts should turn into nerve cells, fibers, and other cells that make up the adrenal glands. In most cases, the neuroblasts mature by the time a fetus is born, but they can occasionally mature after birth, as well. These immature cells will continue to mature after birth; however, sometimes they start growing uncontrollably and form a tumor, or neuroblastoma, instead.

Scientists aren’t sure exactly what causes the neuroblasts to become cancerous in some patients, though they have linked the condition to genetics. DNA changes that turn on oncogenes, which help cells grow and divide, increase the risk of neuroblastomas. The same is true of changes that turn off tumor suppressor genes that are responsible for controlling cell death.

Specific chromosome changes, including mutations to the ALK oncogene and PHOX2B gene, the latter of which helps nerve cells mature, have also been linked to the development of neuroblastomas. These specific changes are inherited by parents. Oncogene and tumor suppressor gene changes may also be inherited by parents, but some patients do experience these changes naturally over time.

Despite the genetic link, and the fact that infants have a higher chance of developing neuroblastoma if there is a family history of the condition, most neuroblastomas form spontaneously.

Medical Journal Reports Possible New Treatment for Cold Agglutinin

Responsible for treating thousands of hematology and oncology patients over the past 30 years, Kenneth D. Nahum, DO, works at Regional Cancer Care Associates, LLC, in Howell, New Jersey. Active in his professional community, Dr. Kenneth D. Nahum maintains membership with the American Society of Hematology (ASH).

ASH’s medical journal, Blood, recently reported exciting news about the effort to develop a treatment for cold agglutinin disease, a rare blood disorder with no approved treatment at present. Affecting about 10,000 people in the United States and Europe, cold agglutinin is an immune system malfunction that mistakenly causes antibodies to target and destroy red blood cells faster than the bone marrow can replace them.

As reported in Blood, the first clinical trial with 10 humans showed the investigational drug sutimlimab may be an effective treatment for cold agglutinin disease. Sutimlimab, which is a specific C1s inhibitor, showed the ability to prevent red blood cell destruction and increase hemoglobin levels in seven of the 10 patients. The patients who responded well to the new drug therapy no longer had the need for transfusions.

Study Finds Link between Persistent VMS and Breast Cancer Risk

New Jersey-based oncologist and hematologist Kenneth D. Nahum, MD, treats patients with blood disorders and cancers at Regional Cancer Care Associates (RCCA). With more than 30 years of medical and clinical research experience, Dr. Kenneth D. Nahum has treated many instances of breast cancer.

A recent study published in the journal of the North American Menopause Society (NAMS), revealed a link between breast cancer and vasomotor symptoms (VMS). Researchers looked at more than 25,000 women over the course of nearly 18 years. 

In this period, 1,399 cases of new breast cancer were diagnosed among participants. Many of the women with breast cancer had experienced persistent VMS symptoms, such as night sweats and hot flashes, that lasted for at least 10 years. Breast cancer rates were lower among women who had not experienced persistent VMS.

Researchers also looked at the survival rates of women with and without persistent VMS after they were diagnosed with breast cancer. While a small difference was seen, it was not statistically significant, which suggests that persistent VMS did not affect survival rates of women with breast cancer.

Common Types of Hemophilia

Dr. Kenneth D. Nahum, an experienced clinical researcher, has served as an investigator in more than 70 drug studies over the course of 20 years. In addition, Kenneth D. Nahum, MD, serves as an oncologist (a doctor who specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of cancer) and a hematologist (a doctor who specializes in diseases related to blood).

Hemophilia is an inherited condition in which the blood lacks the protein it needs to properly clot. Hemophilia is usually seen as one of two types: A or B.

Hemophilia A, which accounts for roughly 80 percent of all hemophilia cases, is caused by defective or missing Factor VIII, an essential blood-clotting protein. People with defective or missing Factor VIII develop mild, moderate, or severe hemophilia A. 

In most situations, hemophilia A is inherited on the X chromosome. However, the condition may develop because of a spontaneous genetic mutation, which accounts for roughly a third of all hemophilia A cases.

Meanwhile, hemophilia B is caused by a deficiency in Factor IX. In most ways, hemophilia B functions the same as hemophilia A. B is inherited on the X chromosome, but it can develop from a spontaneous mutation. Despite these similarities, the chance of developing hemophilia B is about four times lower than the chance of developing hemophilia A.

What Is a Solid Tumor and What Types Are There?

An award-winning oncologist and hematologist, Kenneth D. Nahum, DO, has been practicing medicine for more than three decades. Committed to helping patients receive the most efficient treatment, Dr. Kenneth D. Nahum regularly completes clinical research into a range of medical issues, including solid tumors.

Abnormal masses of cells that do not contain liquid or cysts, solid tumors are often found in the organs, muscles, and bones and may be either cancerous or benign. Along with cancers in the blood, or hematological cancers, solid tumor cancers are the second main type of cancer diagnosed by physicians.

There are two main types of solid tumors, both of which are frequently treated with surgery: carcinomas and sarcomas.

Carcinomas are solid tumors that develop in the epithelial cells within the body’s glands, skin, and lining of the organs. Many cancers found in the uterus, bladder, and kidneys are forms of carcinomas. For example, adrenocortical carcinoma, which grows in the adrenal glands, is one common form of these tumors.

Meanwhile, sarcomas primarily affect the lymph and blood vessels, tendons, muscles, fat tissue, and bones. Due to the variety of locations in which they can grow, sarcomas come in various forms, such as rhabdomyosarcoma and osteosarcoma. These two cancers affect the soft tissues around muscles and bones, respectively.

Robert Wood Johnson Medical School Features Four Research Centers

A hematologist and oncologist with a distinguished 30-year medical career, Kenneth D. Nahum was voted a Top Doctor four times by New Jersey Monthly magazine. Currently treating patients at Regional Cancer Care Associates (RCCA) in Howell, NJ, Kenneth D. Nahum also teaches at Robert Wood Johnson Medical School.

Encompassing 20 academic departments across two New Jersey campuses, the Robert Wood Johnson Medical School at Rutgers University features several well-known research centers that help pioneer advances in biotechnology, occupational health, children’s health, cardiovascular treatment, and more.

At the Center for Advanced Biotechnology and Medicine, faculty examine new approaches to treatment through research in developmental biology, molecular genetics, and structural biology. The Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences Institute studies the health impacts of chemical exposure in order to drive public health policy improvements.

The Child Health Institute of New Jersey, also part of the medical school, focuses on combating childhood illnesses through comprehensive biomedical and molecular genetics research. Lastly, Robert Wood Johnson’s Cardiovascular Institute drives developments in cardiovascular care through clinical trials, cardiovascular pharmacology, biomedical engineering, and other treatment and research strategies.

A Brief Overview of HER2

Award-winning physician Dr. Kenneth D. Nahum practices hematology and oncology at Regional Cancer Care Associates (RCCA) in New Jersey. Working in medicine for more than 30 years, Dr. Kenneth D. Nahum has treated, managed, and studied dozens of conditions, including HER2 breast cancer.

Human epidermal growth factor receptor 2, also known as HER2, is a growth-promoting protein created by the HER2 gene. Normally, HER2 proteins rest on breast cells and act as receptors. They help healthy breast cells divide, grow, and repair. 

However, the HER2 gene sometimes malfunctions and makes too many copies of itself. As a result, too many HER2 proteins are created, and the breast cells divide and grow uncontrollably. 

The presence of HER2 proteins promotes the rapid growth and spread of breast cancer. Because of this, HER2 protein levels are usually tested.

When the test comes up with a result of 0 to 1+, the cancer is said to be HER2-negative. These cancers will not respond to treatments that specifically target HER2 genes and proteins. A rating of 3+ means the cancer is HER2-positive and can be treated with drugs that target this particular protein.

Study Suggests Denosumab May Treat TDT-Induced Osteoporosis

Former medical instructor Dr. Kenneth D. Nahum is a hematologist and oncologist with Regional Cancer Care Associates in New Jersey. Active in the professional community, Dr. Kenneth D. Nahum has won numerous awards for his work and maintains membership in such organizations as the American Society of Hematology.

As part of its efforts to prevent and further the treatment of various blood disorders, the American Society of Hematology promotes education, training, and research into conditions that affect the blood, bone marrow, and immune and other systems. Recently, the organization announced the results of a study on osteoporosis and transfusion-dependent thalassemia, or TDT, an inherited blood disorder that causes the body to produce fewer red blood cells and less hemoglobin than usual. 

Forty percent of people with TDT develop osteoporosis, a bone disease characterized by weak and porous bones that cause pain and fracture more easily than healthy bones. To treat these comorbidities, most physicians use intravenous bisphosphonate agents, like zoledronic acid.

However, people with osteoporosis and thalassemia often have high levels of RANKL, an osteoporosis regulator. To reduce these high levels, researchers in the study, published in the journal of the American Society of Hematology, tried using twice-yearly injections of intravenous denosumab. Patients who received denosumab experienced a 5.92 percent increase in lumbar bone density, compared to a 2.92 percent increase among patients who received placebo injections. Further, denosumab resulted in less bone mineral density loss in the wrist, increased femoral neck density, and reduced pain.

Although denosumab is approved by the FDA for reducing RANKL amounts, it is not an approved therapy for people with TDT-induced osteoporosis. Researchers also acknowledge that more studies are necessary to compare denosumab to bisphosphonates to determine whether denosumab is a viable new treatment option.

Causes of Myelodysplastic Syndrome

Dr. Kenneth D. Nahum, a dedicated hematologist and oncologist, holds board certifications in medical oncology, internal medicine, and hematology. A physician at Regional Cancer Care Associates (RCCA), Dr. Kenneth D. Nahum has been involved in dozens of research studies, including one on myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS).

A rare group of disorders, MDS is also called bone marrow failure disorder. The bone marrow of patients with this condition does not produce healthy blood cells. 

In healthy people, the bone marrow changes stem cells into red and white blood cells. These blood cells start out immature and develop over time. 

In people with MDS, the process is disrupted and the cells die in the bone marrow. Eventually, the number of immature cells in the bone marrow outnumber the healthy cells.

Scientists are unsure of the cause of MDS, but the disorder has been linked to chemotherapy, radiation therapy, and exposure to certain chemicals. The condition is more common among men than women and in people over age 60. Researchers believe this may be because men have a greater chance of being exposed to chemicals in the workplace.

Since the cause of MDS is unknown, preventing the condition is not possible. Still, people can reduce their risk by limiting their exposure to radiation and industrial chemicals such as benzene. Not smoking also reduces the risk of MDS.

ASH Awards over $1 Million in Grant Funding

A respected, New Jersey-based physician, Kenneth D. Nahum, DO, has spent the past six years treating patients as a hematologist and oncologist with Regional Cancer Care Associates, LLC. In an effort to remain apprised of developments in hematological medicine, Dr. Kenneth D. Nahum maintains active membership with the American Society of Hematology (ASH).

In October 2018, ASH rolled out the next round of funding through its Bridge Grant Program. The organization disbursed a total $1.2 million in funding by selecting eight researchers to receive $150,000 a piece to continue their work in vital areas such as bone marrow transplant research and leukemia treatment relapses.

The ASH Bridge Grant Program was first established in 2013 to serve as temporary funding for projects that are in-between grant funding cycles and need resources to continue while pursuing further research dollars. In total, the program has given upwards of $15 million to 115 different investigators over the past five-plus years, and a majority of those projects (over 70 percent) went on to receive further funding through the National Institutes of Health (NIH) R01 program.

To learn more about ASH Bridge Grants or to apply for the next round of funding, visit www.hematology.org/Awards.

Ashley Lauren Foundation Raises Money for Pediatric Cancer Support

Dr. Kenneth D. Nahum is a hematologist and oncologist whose career spans three decades. Currently serving patients at Regional Cancer Care Associates in Howell, New Jersey, Dr. Kenneth D. Nahum also supports nonprofit organizations including the Ashley Lauren Foundation for pediatric cancer.

Headquartered in Spring Lake, New Jersey, the Ashley Lauren Foundation aims to support families grappling with pediatric cancer through direct financial, material, and emotional assistance. In addition, the foundation organizes many programs focused on entertaining and delighting children during their hospital stay, such as seasonal parties and a “birthday brigade.” To make its work possible, it holds multiple fundraisers through the year, including an annual ball.

The 2018 ball was held on April 21. Themed “The Fabulous Forties,” the seventh annual event included an auction as well as entertainment by The Ed Conte Orchestra, Andrew Sisters, and Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin impersonators. A 1941 Cadillac Convertible was put on display. The night culminated in an awards ceremony to honor recipients of the annual Hope Award, Humanitarian Award, and Volunteer of the Year Award.

Penn Presbyterian Medical Center Features Pavilion for Advanced Care

Dr. Kenneth D. Nahum treats patients as a hematologist and oncologist at Regional Cancer Care Associates in New Jersey. A four-time New Jersey Monthly Top Doctor, Kenneth D. Nahum completed his residency at Penn Presbyterian Medical Center (PPMC). 

In 2012, PPMC opened the Pavilion for Advanced Care (PAC), a $144 million facility that blends new and renovated buildings. The six-story, 178,000-square-foot facility houses more than 20 medical and surgical specialists, including critical care, trauma/emergency services, and radiology. PAC patients benefit from having the most technologically advanced diagnostic machines on site, including CT and MRI technology, digital X-rays, ultrasound, and flouroscopy. 

The opening of PAC also increased the number of beds available in the medical center’s emergency department by 16. The ER offers round-the-clock eye injury treatment as well as a five-bay rapid assessment center for triage. In addition, PAC’s surgical suite added 30 beds specifically for outpatient “short procedure” surgeries. Each area of the facility was designed or renovated with the goal of enhancing patient and family comfort during their stay.

Wednesday and Saturday Seminars Offered by NJAOPS

As a hematologist and oncologist, Dr. Kenneth D. Nahum cares for patients with blood disorders and cancers. Based in New Jersey, Dr. Kenneth D. Nahum serves as a physician with Regional Cancer Care Associates (RCCA) and belongs to professional organizations that include the New Jersey Association of Osteopathic Physicians and Surgeons (NJAOPS).

Dedicated to improving public health, encouraging scientific research, and supporting Doctors of Osteopathic Medicine, NJAOPS provides members with a wide range of educational opportunities, including its Wednesday and Saturday Seminars. 

The Wednesday Seminars cover topics relevant to the organization’s members. Structured around physicians’ busy schedules, these seminars feature luncheons that coincide with most doctors’ professional development time.

Saturday Seminars provide medical staff members and clinicians with full- and half-day programs that cover a wide range of medical and clinical topics, such as end-of-life care, FMCSA Certified Medical Examiner training, HIPAA Privacy and Security Rules, and Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration guidelines.

Autologous Stem Cell-Transplantation - Treatment for Blood Cancers

Serving patients in the Howell, New Jersey, area, Kenneth D. Nahum, DO, has extensive experience in the treatment of oncology conditions. Dr. Kenneth D. Nahum’s areas of focus encompass hematology, and he has researched various surgical pathways, including autologous stem-cell transplantation.

Used in the treatment of a variety of blood cancers, autologous transplants involves a complex process that begins with collecting stem cells during a period when the disease is stable or in remission. This begins with collecting stem cells from the bone marrow, where they live, and encouraging them to move into the bloodstream.

Called mobilization, this process is usually undertaken with high-dose chemotherapy, followed by G-CSF growth factor injections that stimulate colony expansion among those stem cells that leak into the veins and general blood circulation. These injections last for several days as blood counts gradually rise.

Following autologous stem-cell transplantation, it often takes patients several months until their immune systems fully recover. In certain cases, relapse may occur, which can necessitate additional transplantation and chemotherapy.

Ashley Lauren Foundation Brings Joy to Pediatric Cancer Patients

Serving as a hematologist and an oncologist at Regional Cancer Care Associates, LLC, Dr. Kenneth D. Nahum’s medical career spans 30 years. Committed to supporting many non-profit organizations, Kenneth D. Nahum, DO, and his family were honored by the Ashley Lauren Foundation for their longstanding support.

Based in Spring Lake, New Jersey, the Ashley Lauren Foundation aims to make living with cancer somewhat more bearable by bringing joy into the lives of children with cancer. Hospitals whose pediatric patients are serviced by the Foundation include Newark Beth Israel Hospital, Monmouth Medical Center, and Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia/Voorhees Specialty Care Center.

One of the Foundation’s programs is called Making Dreams Come True, which works to grant the dream-fulfilling wishes of children with cancer. Another patient-centered program is the Birthday Brigade, which delivers balloons, cake, and a gift to children who spend their birthday in the pediatric cancer ward. Additionally, the Foundation organizes fun outings for patients and their families to enjoy together to give them a chance to enjoy normal life outside of the hospital.

Blood in Stool Linked to General Inflammation, as Well as Colon Cancer

Based in Howell, New Jersey, Kenneth D. Nahum, DO, treats cancer and blood disease patients as a member of Regional Cancer Care Associates, LLC. Having served as principal investigator in a variety of clinical trials, Dr. Kenneth D. Nahum has undertaken research on the health behaviors of patients diagnosed with colorectal cancer.

Encompassing the full range of cancers involving the rectum and colon, colorectal cancer impacts more than 4 percent of men and women nationwide. Recent research undertaken at Ninewells Hospital in Dundee, Scotland, focuses on fecal occult blood tests and the medical records of approximately 130,000 patients over a 16-year period.

As expected, the 2,700 tests that came back positive for minute traces of blood in the stool correlated strongly with colon cancer with a related risk of mortality seven times higher than those without positive results. A surprise finding was that a significant non-colorectal cancer mortality correlation also existed. Overall, those who tested positive had a 58 percent greater likelihood to die over the 16 years covered by the test.

A hypothesis is that blood in the stool may be associated with generalized inflammation associated with diverse conditions such as diabetes, heart disease, and Alzheimer’s disease, as well as colorectal cancer.