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A N N U A L R E P O R T 2 0 1 0

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3 Message from the Medical Director

4 Cooper Cancer Institute Program Overview

6 Cancer Genetics Program: ?????

10 2010 Highlights

12 Palliative Care Program: The New Specialty in Cancer Care

16 Cooper Oncology Nurses: Professionals with a Passion for Innovative Cancer Care

18 New Physicians

20 2010 Pink Roses Teal Magnolias

22 Cancer Registry Report and Analytic Data

26 Colon Cancer Report

31 Giving to Cooper Cancer Institute

C O N T E N T S

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Dear Friend,

I am pleased to present the 2010 Cooper Cancer Institute Annual Report.

In this year’s Annual Report you’ll find an overview of our programs andservices, some of the highlights of the year, an introduction to our newphysicians, statistics from our Cancer Registry, and a special report on ourGastrointestinal Cancer Program. This report also spotlights threeessential components of our program – CCI Nurses, the Palliative CareProgram and the Cancer Genetics Program.

This certainly was an exciting year. Our programs and services havecontinued to grow; we opened or expanded outpatient offices; wewelcomed talented new physicians, nurses and clinical staff to our team;we were overwhelmed with community support; and we have made greatprogress in the planning for our new Cancer Center building. We have also built exemplary outreach,screening and prevention services to address disparities in cancer incidence and mortality. Through theseprograms we have collected data that drives population research helping us answer fundamental questionsabout improving the value and efficiency of care, especially to our underserved communities.

While we make progress…

• Over 40 percent of Americans will be diagnosed with cancer during their lifetimes. And 150,000 cancerpatients will succumb to their disease this year.

• At least 20 percent of Americans continue to smoke cigarettes. Too many people continue to be at risk forcancer because of their lifestyles and their environment.

• Many individuals are at increased risk for developing cancer simply because of hereditary factors that weare just beginning to understand and address.

• The aberrant genes and molecular pathways that lead to cancer are not fully defined or understood.

What this means is that while the cancer care community has made great advances in the prevention,diagnosis and treatment of cancer – there still is much work to be done. But we are well positioned to moveforward and tackle these issues head on.

At the end of each day, what really matters to all of us at Cooper is what we have accomplished to helpimprove and extend the lives of patients living with cancer. To do this, we know we must be innovative,compassionate and focused on excellence.

Sincerely,

Generosa Grana, MD, FACPDirector, Cooper Cancer InstituteHead, Division of Hematology/Medical OncologyCooper University HospitalAssociate Professor of MedicineUniversity of Medicine and Dentistry/Robert Wood Johnson Medical School

M E S S A G E F R O M T H E D I R E C T O R

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Clinical excellence, compassionate care and acollaborative, disease-site specific approachto fighting cancer is what distinguishes the

Cooper Cancer Institute (CCI) from other cancerprograms in South Jersey. Each CCI program fo-cuses on a specific type of cancer, each with its owndedicated team of cancer specialists. These diseasespecific programs include:

• The Janet Knowles Breast Cancer Center• The Gastrointestinal Cancer Center• The Genitourinary Cancer Center• The Gynecologic Cancer Center• The Lung Cancer Center• The Hematologic Malignancy Program• The Neurologic Oncology Program• The Head and Neck Cancer Program • The Skin Cancer Center

At CCI, treatment teams include medical andgynecologic oncologists, radiation oncologists,surgeons and nurses working in conjunction withtheir colleagues in pathology, radiology and otherclinical specialties to provide patients with themost advanced diagnostic and treatment technolo-

gies available, access to groundbreaking clinicaltrials and dynamic patient-clinician relationships.This comprehensive care is further enhanced by afull complement of support services including nu-trition counseling, genetic testing and counseling,palliative care, social work, physical rehabilitation,complementary medicine and behavioral health.

Advanced Detection and DiagnosisAccurate diagnosis is a crucial element in de-

veloping a treatment plan. That’s why CooperCancer Institute has made a significant investmentin state-of-the-art diagnostic testing, imaging andpathology technologies.

Cooper’s Breast Imaging Program has been rec-ognized as a Breast Imaging Center of Excellenceby the American College of Radiology for out-standing mammography, ultrasound and MRIservices. Our pathology program is among theleading centers capable of conducting highly spe-cialized molecular pathology and oncocytogenetictesting to determine biochemical attributes, hor-mone receptor status and genetic characteristics ofthe cancer cells that can help determine the mosteffective treatment plan.

Cooper Cancer InstituteClinical Excellence. Innovation. Compassionate Care.

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Personalized MedicineCancer is a complex disease and often requires a

multifaceted treatment approach that can includesurgery, chemotherapy, radiation or a combinationof therapies. At CCI, each patient has their ownmultidisciplinary team of cancer experts who workto develop a personalized treatment plan based oncancer type and stage, and tailored to meet the pa-tient’s personal needs and goals. Treatment plansare designed to not only fight disease but to controlsymptoms, manage pain and help cope with theemotional stress caused by cancer.

Advanced TechnologyPatients at Cooper Cancer Institute have access

to some of the most innovative and advanced di-agnostic imaging and treatment tools in the world,including high-resolution breast ultrasound; PET-CT; MRI imaging and guided biopsy; digitalstereotactic and vacuum-assisted biopsy systems;brachytherapy; IMRT; and the robotic daVinci®

Surgical System. Cooper University is one of onlya few hospitals nationwide and the only hospitalin the DelawareValley to offer patients both theLeksell Gamma Knife® Perfexion™ and the Cy-berKnife® System for non-invasive radiosurgerytreatments for both intracranial and body tumors.By offering patients the most accurately targetedand least invasive methods of diagnosis and treat-ment, CCI is able to help patients achieve the bestpossible outcomes.

CCI Nurses Our oncology nurses are an important compo-

nent of our program. They have a wealth of experi-ence and knowledge about cancer, cancer treatmentand side effects and are sensitive to the needs of ourpatients. At Cooper, our nurses work in our outpa-tient offices and inpatient units as direct careproviders, research nurses, advanced practicenurses, nurse navigators and in numerous otherroles. They also work in our community coordinat-ing education, outreach and screening programs.

Specialized SupportPatient care at Cooper Cancer Institute extends

beyond the most advanced treatment options forcancer. Each patient also gains access to extraordi-nary support and complementary services to helpmanage life during treatment and recovery.

The Dr. Diane Barton Complementary Medi-cine Program helps to reduce the pain and anxietyassociated with cancer by reducing stress, improv-ing mood and enhancing overall health. The pro-gram offers a variety of mind-body therapies per-

formed by certified therapists, including yoga,massage, meditation, creative expression andother programs, all of which are free and open toanyone touched by cancer including patients, fam-ily members and caregivers regardless of wherethey receive care.

Cooper Cancer Institute’s Palliative Care Pro-gram helps patients improve their overall quality oflife by managing pain and side effects related tocancer or its treatment. The Palliative Care Programis designed to be integrated as part of a patient’scare plan at anytime. This program helps patientsmanage side effects such as pain, fatigue, nausea,constipation/diarrhea, depression, anxiety, loss ofappetite, sleep problems as well as assist with endof life care. Palliative care also addresses patients’psychological, social and spiritual concerns.

Nutritional services throughout CCI are pro-vided by certified dietitians who have extensiveexperience counseling cancer patients. Our dieti-tians work closely with our physicians to identifyproblems and assist patients who may have spe-cial dietary needs and weight issues. Our dieti-tians are actively involved in community educa-tion initiatives throughout the year.

Social services, post-surgical rehabilitation, lym-phedema prevention and treatment, and pastoralcare are further examples of CCI resources designedto help patients cope with their disease and how it

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Dana Clark, MS, MS (left) and Mindy Brooks

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Cancer Genetics Program

For someone with a family history of breast and other cancers,Mindy Brooks was acutely aware of the disease that could oneday strike her next.

Breast cancer took Mindy’s mother as well as a cousin. Her sisterwas diagnosed with ovarian cancer at age 55.

“I always felt that there should be something that I could be doing,”says Mindy. “I wanted to be proactive with my health.”

When her mother was being treated at Cooper Cancer Institute forbreast cancer, Mindy was introduced to Cooper’s Cancer GeneticsProgram.

The Cancer Genetics Program offers genetic counseling, testing, riskeducation and prevention to people who are concerned about theirpersonal and family histories of cancer, and who might have geneticalterations that greatly increase their risk of getting the disease.

“Our program specializes in making cancer genetics understand-able,” says Dana Farengo Clark, MS, MS, a certified genetic counselorat Cooper. “We provide the information people need to make their owndecisions about testing and medical management. If a person hasgenetic testing and the results identify a mutation that predisposeshim or her to cancer, we work with that person to develop a personal-ized plan of care which includes prevention and screening, and thenpartner with the patient’s healthcare team to implement it.”

As Dana explains, all cancers are due to changes in genes, called mu-tations. If a person is born with a gene mutation that leads to cancer,it is called a hereditary cancer. It is important to identify families witha genetic predisposition to cancer because, in many cases, they maytake steps to reduce their risk or prevent cancer from occurring. Manygenes have been identified that may contribute to the development ofmultiple types of cancer including breast, ovarian, colorectal, uterus(endometrium), thyroid, pancreatic and melanoma.

Genetic counseling, however, involves much more than just taking atest to see whether a gene mutation is present, Dana adds. There aremany factors that contribute to a person’s risk for cancer, such asfamily history, lifestyle and age. Genetic counselors look at all of theseat once to determine who would benefit best from genetic counseling.

During Mindy’s first meeting with Dana, she learned about the bloodtests, possible risks such as the psychological implications, andwhat a positive or negative result means. At her next visit, Mindy hadblood taken for genetic testing.

Mindy tested positive for the BRCA1 gene mutation, whichsignificantly increases a person’s risk of developing breast or ovariancancer. Although Mindy had no physical signs of either cancer, thegene’s presence compounded by her family history increased her riskfor cancer.

With the results, Dana and Mindy discussed the options and doctorswho could help with the next steps.

Among the options for Mindy were a prophylactic mastectomy andoophorectomy to remove breast tissue and the ovaries before cancerdeveloped.

“Patients who opt for this choice can lower their risk of cancergreatly,” Dana says. “But many women struggle with weighing theloss of these body parts against the potential benefits. And there areother ways for us to manage a patient’s risk.”

For Mindy, preventive surgery felt like the right choice. She underwentan oophorectomy and is considering having a preventive mastectomywithin the next year. In the interim, she is diligent about havingyearly mammograms and breast MRIs.

“I want to be around longer for my children,” says Mindy, the motherof two teenage boys. “My only thought was, ‘How do I minimize mychance of getting cancer?’”

Mindy has also become a fierce proponent for genetic testing withboth friends and family.

Due to her encouragement, Mindy’s 30-year-old niece underwenttesting and found that she has the BRCA1 gene mutation. It tookMindy’s younger sister two years but she finally chose to be testedand now believes that the genetic counseling she received with Danacould very well have saved her life. Mindy also insisted that both hersons be tested when they reach adulthood, particularly her 15-year-old, who is currently in treatment for brain cancer. Mindy’s oldersister with ovarian cancer opted not to have the genetic testingbecause years earlier she had undergone a mastectomy andhysterectomy.

Family members of patients react to genetic testing in differentways, says Dana, and even though parents, children, brothers, andsisters of people with these mutations have up to a 50 percentchance of having the same mutation, deciding whether or not to betested is a personal choice.

“It was all done at Cooper,” says Mindy. “I wouldn’t have goneanywhere else.” The support and resources received from theprogram, she says, were personal, individualized and empowering.

“While no one can predict exactly who will develop cancer, knowingwhat your risk is allows us to help you reduce it,” adds Dana. Tostart, speak to your doctor about meeting with a cancer geneticsprofessional for a complete cancer risk assessment. This processmay help you better understand your true cancer risk. Knowing yourrisk level will help you make the healthcare choices that are best foryou and your family members.

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affects their life. Each of these areas serves as an in-tegral part of the comprehensive cancer care team.

Behavioral Health ProgramCancer may be one of the most difficult chal-

lenges a person can face. Along with the physicalillness, many individuals may feel overwhelmed bya range of emotions that without treatment can leadto social withdrawal, neglect of care, and in severecases, self-destructive behavior. At Cooper CancerInstitute we understand that “getting better” meansmore than treating the disease. It also means help-ing our patients learn the skills needed to cope withthe psychological stress they may experience be-fore, during and after their treatment. Through ourBehavioral Medicine Program, our licensed clinicalpsychologists, as well as clinical psychology doc-toral students, are experts in managing behavioralissues related to cancer. Together, these specialistspartner with patients, their family members andtheir treatment team to get the care needed to beginthe healing process and restore hope for the future.

Cancer Genetics ProgramSome families have a hereditary, or genetic, fac-

tor that can greatly increase their chances of devel-oping cancer. Identifying these families and educat-ing them about available cancer screening, riskreduction and prevention options can significantly

reduce their risk for some types of cancer. The Can-cer Genetics Program provides risk assessment, ge-netic testing and counseling, as well as long-termfollow up counseling for people at high risk for de-veloping cancer or for those who have been diag-nosed with cancer due to hereditary factors.

Inpatient CareCooper is the only hospital in South Jersey with

a dedicated 33-bed inpatient oncology unit staffedby oncology-certified nurses, a dedicated hematolo-gist/medical oncologist, around-the-clock coverageand a full complement of supportive care servicesincluding social work, behavioral health, palliativecare, nutrition counseling, complementary medi-cine therapies and pastoral support.

While most cancer care is provided in the outpa-tient setting, some patients may need to be admittedto Cooper’s inpatient oncology unit to start a com-plex chemotherapy treatment, for intensive symp-tom management, multiple blood product transfu-sions, IV antibiotic therapy and for patients goingthrough treatment for leukemia, which may requireextended stays. Through thoughtful design and con-tinuous quality improvement efforts, the inpatientoncology unit at Cooper University Hospital sup-ports our vision of truly comprehensive cancer careand gives cancer patients and their families a spacethat is supportive and healing.

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Cooper oncology inpatient nurses are part of animportant quality improvement initiative calledTransforming Care at the Bedside. Through this pro-gram inpatient nurses and other frontline staff re-design work processes to achieve better clinical out-comes, overall patient care, reduce staff turnover andimprove the reliability of evidence-based medicine.

Clinical ResearchAt Cooper Cancer Institute we are not content

with today’s treatments and procedures. Our re-searchers and clinicians are committed to findingand translating promising research into new andbetter options for the prevention, diagnosis andtreatment of cancer. Our ongoing clinical trials aredirected toward the evaluation of cancer risk,screening and prevention, new approaches andtreatment options, and quality-of-life issues. CCI in-vites eligible patients to participate in clinical trialsand contribute to the development of new medicalknowledge. Patients at CCI have access to NCI-sponsored, pharmaceutical-sponsored and investi-gator-initiated studies with the goal of improvingthe treatment of cancer.

Outreach, Screening and EducationEach year Cooper Cancer Institute hosts a wide

variety of patient, community and professional ed-ucation programs and participates in communitysponsored events throughout southern New Jersey.In addition, CCI physicians, nurses and outreach

staff conduct free or low-cost screenings and anynecessary follow-up care for breast, cervical,prostate and colorectal cancer for those who maynot have the resources or access to these services. Inmany cases these services provide a true lifeline ofcaring to the community we serve.

Recognized for Outstanding Cancer CareCooper Cancer Institute is respected both re-

gionally and nationally for our excellence. CooperCancer Institute is accredited by the American Col-lege of Surgeons’ Commission on Cancer as an Aca-demic Comprehensive Cancer Program – recogni-tion given only to the top five percent of cancerprograms in the nation.

We are also the only cancer program in SouthJersey to be included in the prestigious network ofinstitutions that make up The Cancer Institute ofNew Jersey (CINJ). CINJ is the first and only cancercenter in the state, and one of only 41 nationwide, tobe designated as a Comprehensive Cancer Centerby the National Cancer Institute. As a Major ClinicalResearch Affiliate of CINJ, Cooper patients have ac-cess to the latest clinical trials, therapies and technol-ogy available through CINJ.

Our physicians are respected educators at theprestigious Robert Wood Johnson School of Medi-cine at Cooper University Hospital. And in a regionthat boasts some of the nation’s finest medical cen-ters, our physicians have been recognized as “TopDoctors” by their peers and the regional press.

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The past year has been anexciting one for CooperCancer Institute. We haverecruited accomplishedphysicians, nurses andstaff to our team; investedin new technologies;expanded our supportservices; providedphysicians, patients andthe community withinnovative educationprograms; improved ourfacilities and workflowoperations; and positionedCCI for the next phase ofour growth – the creation ofa new, dedicated CooperCancer Institute facility inCamden on the CooperUniversity Hospital campus.

2010 Highlights

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FRANK BOWEN, MD, NAMED DIRECTOR OF COOPERCANCER INSTITUTE’S LUNG CANCER CENTERFrank Bowen, MD, Director ofThoracic Oncology and Tho-racic Surgery at Cooper Univer-sity Hospital, was appointed asthe Director of Cooper CancerInstitute’s Lung Cancer Center.

Dr. Bowen leads the multidis-ciplinary lung cancer team inadvancing the clinical excel-lence of this important pro-gram, increasing activity inour clinical research trials,and broadening our outreachand community education andawareness activities.

COOPER UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL BECOMES MAJORCLINICAL RESEARCH AFFILIATE OF THE CANCER INSTITUTE OF NEW JERSEYIn February 2010, Cooper University Hospital and TheCancer Institute of New Jersey (CINJ) announced thatCooper would be a Major Clinical Research Affiliate(MCRA) of CINJ. Through this affiliation, Cooper Uni-versity Hospital is able to provide its patients with ac-cess to clinical trials only available at NCI-designatedcancer centers and their Networks. As an MCRA,Cooper University Hospital also will receive profes-sional education, community education and outreach,and other services from CINJ that complement its owncancer programs.

To achieve MRCA status, affiliates commit themselvesto upholding stringent programmatic standards as out-lined by the designation mandates. One of these re-quirements is that an MCRA must house at least onenationally-funded cancer-related program in the areasof basic science, clinical care or research, prevention,screening or outreach and education. Another man-date is for the MCRA facility to actively participate inclinical research through the Cancer Institute of NewJersey Oncology Group (CINJOG).

TRANSFORMING CARE AT THE BEDSIDEIn 2010, Cooper oncology inpatient unit nurses con-tinued their efforts in Transforming Care at the Bed-side (TCAB) program by implementing several innova-tive education and patient care programs. TCAB is anational quality initiative from the Robert Wood John-

son Foundation and the Institute for Healthcare Im-provement. The goal of TCAB is to empower nursesand other front-line staff to redesign work processesin their units to achieve better clinical outcomes, im-prove the quality of patient care, to reduce staffturnover and improve reliability of evidence-basedcare. One of the many initiatives implemented on on-cology inpatient unit through TCAB is the daily “QuietHour.” From 11 a.m to noon, all lights on the unit aredimmed, patients are not disturbed for routine vitalsor medication dispensing, and all phone calls aretransferred to a medical assistant who takes messagesfor all non-urgent business. The Quiet Hour providesthe nursing staff with an opportunity to complete doc-umentation in an environment that allows for concen-tration and focus, and patients with a respite from thenormal sounds and activity found on a busy inpatientunit. Through TCAB, the inpatient oncology nursingstaff have also created the “Closet of HOPE“ (HelpingOncology Patients Endure), which offers toiletry itemsand diversion activities like playing cards, crafts,DVDs, CDs and a “Keep in Touch” binder that con-tains greeting cards to send to patients and familiesafter they have been discharged.

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Barbara Sproge, MSN, RN, OCN and Mark Angelo, MD

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Palliative Care: The New Specialty in Cancer Care

Following a cancer diagnosis and during treatment, it isnormal for patients to experience burdensome physicalsymptoms and emotional distress from the disease or the

treatment itself that may require specialized care. This is wherethe multidisciplinary team in the Palliative Care Program atCooper Cancer Institute (CCI) can help.

“Most people have heard of palliative care and understand itsunique role in addressing the needs of patients who areterminally ill,” says Barbara Sproge, MSN, RN, OCN, clinicaleducator, Palliative Care Program. “However many are stillunfamiliar with palliative care that can also be delivered at thesame time as life-prolonging and curative treatments for peopleliving with their disease.”

With the ultimate goal to enhance a patient’s quality of life,Cooper’s Palliative Care Program offers comprehensive care forpatients and families to alleviate suffering related to cancer orits treatment. The Program’s holistic approach consists ofestablishing the goals of care and helping patients and theclinical care team in making decisions; assessing andmanaging symptoms and pain; and meeting the physical,emotional, spiritual and practical needs of seriously ill patients.The Palliative Care Program is available to patients in both theoutpatient setting as well as at the bedside in the inpatientoncology unit.

“The idea is to give patients what they need when they need it,no matter what their ultimate prognosis,” says Mark Angelo,MD, FACP, Director, Palliative Care Program at CCI.

Patients often seek help from the palliative care team foruncontrolled pain, explains Dr. Angelo. But once a patient walksthrough the door, other physical symptoms or psychologicaleffects may be found, such as fatigue, nausea, depression andanxiety, which the patient may have wrongly assumed wereinevitable aspects of life with cancer.

Pain is what initially brought 42 year old Janice to Dr. Angelo.After a variety of treatments for colon cancer, her prognosis wasgood. And, after a consultation with Dr. Angelo, her life wasgood too. Dr. Angelo brought Janice’s unrelenting pain andfatigue from her disease under control. She went back to workon a part-time basis and enjoys every day with her husband andtwo children.

When Mike was asked if he’d like to meet with the palliativecare team, he was a little taken back. He was being treated fora recurrence of non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma at Cooper and thoughtthis referral to the Palliative Care Program meant that he wasterminally ill. But once he understood the purpose of palliativecare, it made all the difference, not just in his physical comfortbut in his emotional and spiritual health as well.

Andrew was recently diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. Thetumor was too large to be removed by surgery, so he was startedon chemotherapy to try to shrink the mass. The diagnosis ofcancer was extremely upsetting to him and his family. Facedwith a life-threatening illness, he was depressed, had a hardtime sleeping and worried about his family. He also had severepain. Andrew came to see the palliative care team for paincontrol and to help him cope with the physical and emotionalstress of his illness. Dr. Angelo and the palliative care teamcontinue to help Andrew and his family clarify future goals of care.

“That people are living longer with cancer as a chronic diseaseis well known,” says Dr. Angelo. “Because of the growing field ofpalliative care, people, like Janice, Mike, and Andrew are alsoliving better.”

The intervention was recognized officially as a medicalsubspecialty in 2006 by the American Board of MedicalSpecialties and a growing number of studies have reportedbenefit in quality of life for patients. Cooper’s Palliative CareProgram was made possible in 2009 thanks to a generous grantby the Cooper Foundation.

Not every cancer patient will need to call in the palliative carecavalry; some cancers are easier to treat than others. Somepatients will only need palliative care during rigorous treatment;others will need ongoing assistance.

“Patients receiving palliative care don’t have to cope with theside effects of cancer or its treatment alone. Instead, thepalliative care team strives to help patients achieve the highestquality of life possible, both during and after cancer treatment,”adds Sproge.

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EXPANDING CANCER CARE IN SOUTH JERSEYIn early spring 2010 The Division of Hematology/Med-ical Oncology closed its office in Stratford, NJ and ex-panded patient and administrative space in the divi-sion’s Voorhees location to accommodate this change.This change was made to centralize services and pro-vide the best possible care for our patients.

The Hematology/Medical Oncology offices in Camdenwere expanded and renovated to accommodate thegrowing number of patients at our Camden location andfacilitate more efficient administrative space. Late inthe year, work began to expand the Department of Sur-gery clinical space at Cooper – Voorhees. Completion ofthis expansion project is expected in early 2011.

Cooper Cancer Institute physicians also set out to seepatients at new locations in the suburban tri-countyarea. This expansion represents Cooper’s commitmentto quality, patient and family-centered care by offeringacademic medical services at convenient, state-of-the-art facilities in Willingboro, Voorhees and WashingtonTownship.

In May, 2010 we celebrated the opening of a newCooper multi-specialty care facility in Willingboro (651John F. Kennedy Way). The new space is in the heart ofBurlington County adjacent to the existing Division ofHematology/Medical Oncology offices (1000 SalemRoad, Suite C) and offers patients an array of cancerand non-cancer related services, including:Oncologic/General Surgery, Medical Oncology, Podiatry,Vascular Surgery, Urology, Dermatology, Nephrology,Rheumatology and Primary Care.

CUSTOMER SERVICE INITIATIVESAs part of our continuing efforts to improve the patientexperience throughout the cancer continuum, CooperCancer Institute participates in ongoing patient satis-faction surveying. Hematology/Medical Oncology, Radi-ation Oncology and Gynecologic Oncology outpatient of-fices and the oncology inpatient unit all participate in

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the survey process. In 2010,CCI patient satisfactionscores continuously improveddue to innovative patientcare and process improve-ment initiatives created andimplemented by staff. Newpatient welcome packets, pa-tient exit escorts and follow-up phone calls to new pa-tients were just a few of thetactics that were developed.By the 4th quarter of 2010,the Hematology/Medical On-cology and Gynecologic On-cology outpatient offices ex-ceeded their patientsatisfaction goals.

GROUNDBREAKING FOR COOPER MEDICAL SCHOOL OF ROWAN UNIVERSITYThe sounds of a choir could be heard for blocks as Cooper Medical School of Rowan University marked its officialgroundbreaking of the first four-year allopathic medical school in South Jersey. Honored guests including New Jer-sey Governor Chris Christie, U.S. Senator Robert Menendez, U.S. Congressman Rob Andrews, N.J. State SenatePresident Steve Sweeney, and Camden City Mayor Dana Redd helped mark the occasion with more than 200 civic,business and community leaders from throughout the state.

The Cooper Medical School groundbreaking marks the nextmilestone in the development of South Jersey’s first four-year allopathic medical school. Construction is now under-way on South Broadway between Benson and WashingtonStreets in downtown Camden.

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Erin Davis, MSN, APN-C (left), Jaime Austino, RN, BSN, ONC (seated) and Wendy Topeka, MSN, RN, OCN (right)

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Oncology Nurses: Professionals with a Passion for Innovative Cancer Care

Direct caregivers, educators, advocates, consultants,administrators, and researchers…whatever their role, theoncology nurse is an integral component of the

multidisciplinary cancer care team at Cooper Cancer Institute andhave earned the respect of our physicians, other healthcareprofessionals, and, most importantly, our patients and their families.

Caring for patients with cancer is not easy and requires a greatamount of devotion, patience, and knowledge. Throughout the patientcare experience, from diagnosis to treatment and beyond, Cooper’soncology nurses offer their expertise to help patients heal—physically, emotionally and spiritually.

For Erin Davis, MSN, APN-C, a certified nurse practitioner in thoracicsurgery, telling someone they have cancer, and seeing them and theirfamilies in distress never becomes easy. “But I am so grateful when Ican support patients, giving them time to absorb their diagnosis andask questions at a vulnerable time in their lives,” she says.

Erin began her career as a registered nurse and went on to pursue aMaster’s Degree in Nursing. As a nurse practitioner, she meets withpatients both pre- and post-operatively, which allows her to developa trusting relationship with the patients and their families.

Wendy Topeka, MSN, RN, OCN, found her passion working as a nursein the oncology field, where she has spent the last 20 years of hercareer. “Oncology offers me the opportunity to get to know and bondwith my patients and their families at a level that often isn’t possiblein other areas of nursing,” she says. “Being able to help them duringa difficult time in their lives is one of the main reasons why I enjoythis field of nursing.”

Wendy started at Cooper as a staff nurse administeringchemotherapy to patients in the hospital. But as cancer becamemore specialized, so did oncology nursing. Today, at Cooper, oncologynurses are assigned to specific cancer diagnosis, making themexperts in managing the symptoms and treatments commonlyassociated with each condition. Wendy, for example, served as anurse navigator for the gynecologic oncology program and now playsa large role in the management of the outpatient chemotherapyinfusion units.

Wendy explains that providing patients with personalized education,care and guidance is integral to her nursing role. “It’s helpful for ourpatients to have someone they are familiar with and someone theycan turn to during a challenging time,” she says.

At Cooper, each patient has access to an oncology nurse navigator aspart of their treatment team who makes the transition from diagnosisto treatment smoother and simpler. This may include helping patient

schedule and keep appointments, arranging follow-up care,coordinating the insurance process, obtaining transportation, andidentifying local resources and making referrals where appropriate tocancer team members. The nurse navigator also collaborates withmembers of the interdisciplinary treatment team to ensureinformation is current and understood by all of the physicians, nursesand other team members, and with family members to make sure theyunderstand the diagnosis and plan of care.

As a nurse navigator in the genitourinary cancer specialty, JaimeAustino, RN, BSN, OCN, is there at the time diagnosis is made. Astheir go-to person, Jamie role as nurse navigator ranges fromeducator to advocate and everything in between, she says.

“What now? Is the most natural question asked following a cancerdiagnosis,” says Jaime. “And it’s that question that we want to makeeasier to answer when dealing with the emotions and thoughts thatinevitably overwhelm someone. “

At Cooper, oncology nurses like Erin, Wendy and Jaime are committedto maximizing quality of life and making sure each patient feel caredfor and cared about. They work together to provide continuity of care,facilitate seamless transition from one treatment area to another,and establish ongoing resources for patients and their families.

“As nurses, we are helping patients manage and understand themany complexities in a cancer diagnosis,” says Erin. “This helpseveryone involved to have a realistic expectation of events, and alsohelps them take an active role in their care.”

Erin, Wendy and Jaime are proud of their roles and grateful for theopportunity to develop close connections with the patients and familiesthey help. “These patients give me so much more than I can ever givethem and remind me how to appreciate life every day,” says Wendy.

For the most part, oncology nurses are registered nurses with special-ized experience in caring for cancer patients. Depending on their educa-tion and experience levels, they may hold one of several certificationsthrough the Oncology Nursing Certification Corporation, non-profit or-ganization, which is affiliated with the Oncology Nursing Society.

Oncology nursing will continue to develop as a dynamic elementwithin Cooper Cancer Institute as their levels of knowledge,experience, and expertise advance and evolve in response toadvances in cancer treatments, information, and technology.

"The field is ever-changing because the treatments for cancerchange frequently," says Jaime. "There is a lot of information thatoncology nurses must master in order to provide the type of care thatour patients deserve and that we are passionate about delivering."

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Kristin Lynne Brill, MD, FACS,was ap-pointed as Program Director of The Janet KnowlesBreast Cancer Center at Cooper Cancer Institute

and Director, Section of BreastSurgery within Cooper’s De-partment of Surgery. Highlyregarded as one of the leadingbreast surgeons in the region,Dr. Brill specializes in the careand treatment of benign andmalignant breast disease. Dr.Brill completed her fellowship

training in breast surgery at Columbia-PresbyterianMedical Center, New York, NY, and her surgicalresidency at New York Methodist Hospital, Brook-lyn, NY, where she also served as Chief SurgicalResident. She earned her medical degree from Hah-nemann University School of Medicine. Prior tocoming to Cooper University Hospital, Dr. Brillserved as an Attending Surgeon and Clinical In-structor at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital,Philadelphia, PA. Dr. Brill is an active member ofthe American College of Surgeons, Association ofAcademic Surgeons, Breast Specific Gamma Imag-ing Clinical Users Group, American Society ofBreast Surgeons, American Society of Breast Diseaseand the Mammographic Society of Philadelphia.She is board certified in surgery.

Beth R. Duncan, MD, MBA-HC, joined theDepartment of Surgery as Interim Head, Division ofOtolaryngology. Dr. Duncan comes to Cooper after

serving as President and ChiefExecutive Officer of a privatemedical practice in Marylandthat specializes in adult andpediatric ENT medicine andsurgery. She is skilled in theuse of transoral robotic sur-gery (TORS) for benign andmalignant head and neck tu-

mors. Dr. Duncan is a graduate of Temple Univer-

sity School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, and com-pleted her residency in otolaryngology and headand neck surgery at McGill University Hospitals,Montreal, Canada. She completed a preceptorshipin reconstructive surgery and laser medicine inBethesda, MD, a preceptorship in pediatric airwaysurgery in Montreal, Canada, a post-graduate fel-lowship on "The Physician Executive" at the Col-lege of William and Mary, Williamsburg, VA, and amaster’s degree in business administration-health-care at George Washington University, Washington,DC. She is board certified in otolaryngology.

Nabet Kasabian, MD, FACS, joined the De-partment of Surgery, Division of Urology in 2010.Dr. Kasabian brings a wealth of knowledge and ex-

perience in adult urologic is-sues to CCI including expert-ise in prostate disease andincontinence followingprostate cancer treatment. Hecomes to Cooper from Merid-ian Health Systems, Neptune,NJ where he served as an at-tending surgeon at Jersey

Shore Medical Center and at Ocean Medical Center.Dr. Kasabian has held numerous positions in aca-demic medicine during his career including fiveyears at the Mount Sinai Medical Center in NewYork, NY where he served as Clinical Assistant Pro-fessor of Urology. Dr. Kasabian received his medicaldegree from Autonomous University of Guadala-jara, Mexico. He completed his general surgery resi-dency at Nassau County Medical Center of theState University of New York – Stony Brook andresidencies in urology at Lenox Hill Hospital, NewYork, NY and Boston University School of Medicinewhere he served as Chief Resident. He completed aresearch fellowship at Harvard Medical School anda fellowship in neuro-urology and female urology atBoston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA.

New Physicians

19

Marjan Koch, MD, joined Cooper’s Division ofHematology/Medical Oncology after completingher fellowship in Hematology/Medical Oncology

and her Internal Medicine resi-dency at Cooper UniversityHospital – University of Medi-cine and Dentistry of New Jer-sey at Camden. She receivedher medical degree from Tem-ple University School of Medi-cine, Philadelphia, PA. Dr.Koch is board-certified in in-

ternal medicine and is a member of the AmericanSociety of Clinical Oncology and the American So-ciety of Hematology. She is an active participant inthe division’s medical student and resident educa-tion efforts. Dr. Koch has a special interest in caringfor patients with breast and urologic malignancies.

Michitaka Kawata, MD, joined the Depart-ment of Surgery, Division of Colorectal Surgery asan Attending Surgeon and as Director of Cooper’s

Anorectal Physiology Labora-tory. Dr. Kawata comes toCooper after completing fel-lowship training in colon andrectal surgery at The WarrenAlpert Medical School ofBrown University, Providence,RI. Dr. Kawata completed hisundergraduate and pre-med

training at Columbia University, New York, NY,where he graduated Phi Beta Kappa and summacum laude, respectively. He obtained his medicaldegree at Temple University School of Medicine,Philadelphia, PA, and completed his general sur-gery and research residencies at Cooper UniversityHospital. Dr. Kawata specializes in the surgicaltreatment of colorectal and anorectal tumors, aswell as pelvic floor disorder, ulcerative colitis andCrohn’s disease.

Robin Wilson-Smith, DO, joined Cooper’s Di-vision of Gynecologic Oncology after completingher fellowship in Gynecologic Oncology and her

residency in Obstetrics andGynecology at Cooper Univer-sity Hospital. She received hermedical degree from the Uni-versity of Medicine and Den-tistry of New Jersey School ofOsteopathic Medicine, Strat-ford, NJ. Dr. Wilson-Smith isboard-certified in obstetrics

and gynecology. She has authored multiple paperspublished in the peer-review literature and has pre-sented her findings regionally. She also enjoys lec-turing medical students and residents as well asparticipating in continuing medical education andvarious community education programs.

Yan Chen, PhD, comes to Cooper’s Departmentof Radiation Oncology as Director of MedicalPhysics. Prior to joining Cooper Dr. Chen served as

Associate Member of the De-partment of Radiation Oncol-ogy at Fox Chase Cancer Cen-ter, Philadelphia, PA. Dr. Chenreceived his PhD in Physicsfrom Temple University,Philadelphia, PA. He com-pleted postdoctoral fellow-ships at Stanford University

School of Medicine, Stanford, CT, and Cooper Uni-versity Hospital. Dr. Chen also served as an Assis-tant Professor at Thomas Jefferson University,Philadelphia, PA. He is a certified medical physicistby the American Board of Radiology. Dr. Chen willexpand upon the extensive quality assurance pro-gram within Cooper’s Department of Radiation On-cology to maximize the accuracy of radiation treat-ment delivery.

20

Pink Roses Teal Magnolias

Tears of sadness and joy flowedfrom many of the 700 attendees atthe 2010 Pink Roses Teal Magno-lias brunch, as local women sharedinspiring stories of cancer diag-noses, brave battles against thedisease, and their outcomes – bothhappy and sad.

The 2010 Pink Roses Teal Magno-lias event, which raised approxi-mately $350,000 for Cooper Can-cer Institute, honored survivors ofbreast and gynecological cancersand recognized those who havebeen lost to these difficult dis-eases. Two renowned Cooper physi-cians were honored at the event:Breast Surgeon Kristin L. Brill,MD, and Gynecologic OncologistThomas Rocereto, MD.

Pink Roses Teal Magnolias was co-chaired by Joan Davis, JanetKnowles, Dara Marcozzi, andSandee Vogelson. In addition,more than 90 women, many ofthem cancer survivors, served onthe Pink Roses Teal Magnoliassteering committee.

Attendees of the event had the op-portunity to win prizes and morethan 50 donated gift baskets, asilent auction and a 50/50 raffle.The day also included healthscreenings where Cooper expertsprovided important health informa-tion targeted for women.

Proceeds from Pink Roses TealMagnolias fund Cooper Cancer In-stitute research initiatives and pa-tient support programs.

21

SAVE THE DATE: 2011 Pink Roses–Teal Magnolias BrunchSunday, October 23, 2011 • Crowne Plaza Hotel

C ooper University Hospital’s Cancer RegistryDepartment supports the activities the of the Cancer Committee and Cooper Cancer

Institute.The Registry staff oversees the collection, quality

assurance, lifetime follow-up and analysis of datafrom patients diagnosed with cancer who receive allor part of their care at Cooper and those othersdeemed reportable.The Registry provides vital statistics and infor-

mation to clinicians and researchers as well as local,state and national cancer databases and cancer-re-lated organizations. This contribution of informationadvances the body of knowledge in the field of can-cer and ultimately has a positive impact on cancerpatient care.Cooper Cancer Institute received three-year ac-

creditation with commendation by the AmericanCollege of Surgeons’ Commission on Cancer in 2009(CoC). Cooper is the only ACOS accredited TeachingHospital in South Jersey. The world of a Cancer Registrar is ever changing,

and so are the guidelines that registrars use to con-duct accurate data abstracting. Cancer centers reportspecifics of diagnosis, stage of disease, medical his-tory, patient demographics, laboratory data, tissuediagnosis and medical, radiation and surgical meth-ods of treatment for each cancer diagnosed at theirfacility. The data is used to observe cancer trendsand provide a research base for studies into the pos-sible causes of cancer with the goal of reducing can-cer death and illness. Registry data also serves as an ongoing resource

to the Cancer Committee in determining the mosteffective allocation of resources, in determiningcommunity education and outreach initiatives andin monitoring program quality.For Cooper’s data to be comparable to those col-

lected at other programs around the country, theregistrars adhere to data rules established by the col-lecting and credentialing organizations. Keeping upwith these changes can be challenging, but CooperCancer Registrars understand the significance oftheir work and are experts in their field.

22

Generosa Grana, MDChair, Cancer CommitteeHead, Division of Hematology/Medical Oncology, Director,Cooper Cancer Institute

Umar Atabek, MDHead, Division of SurgicalOncology, Cancer Liaison

Raymond Baraldi, MDChief, Department of Radiology

Diane Bush, CTRManager, Cancer RegistryDepartment

Susan Coakley, MHA, CCRPManager, Division ofHematology/Medical OncologyClinical Research Office

Francis DelRossi, CSWSocial Worker, CCI

Tamara LaCouture, MDChief, Department of RadiationOncology

Rachelle, Munic, MBA, PAAssistant Vice President, CCI

Cooper University Hospital Committee on Cancer*

Evelyn Robles-Rodriguez, RNOncology Advanced PracticeNurse, Director, OncologyOutreach Programs

Roland Schwarting, MDChief, Department of Pathologyand Laboratory Medicine

Barbara Sproge, RNClinical Educator, Palliative Care Program

Other Attendees

Jaime Austino, RNGenitourinary Cancer NurseNavigator, CCI

Marianne Balay, MS, RN Representative, The CancerInstitute of New Jersey

Kristen Brill, MDHead, Division of BreastSurgery, Director, The JanetKnowles Breast Cancer Center

Linda Goldsmith, RDOutpatient Cancer NutritionistFood and Nutrition Services

Helen Haupt, MDPathologist, Department ofPathology and LaboratoryMedicine

Christina Hunter, RNOncology Nurse Educator

Dianne Hyman, RNCamden Nurse Navigator, CCI

Alex KharitonAdministrative Director,Department of RadiationOncology

Frank Koniges, MDAttending Physician,Department of Surgery

Robert LumpeChaplain, Pastoral Care

Susan Maltman, RNClinical Manager, Division ofGynecologic Oncology

Lisa McLaughlin, MSW, LSWSocial Worker, CCI

Alicia Michaux, MSRDOutpatient CancerNutritionist, Food andNutrition Services

Alice O’Brien, RNLeukemia/Lymphoma NurseNavigator, CCI

Cori McMahon, PhDDirector of BehavioralMedicine, Division ofHematology/MedicalOncology

Ann Steffney, RNBreast Cancer NurseNavigator, CCI

Carol Stratton, MSPT, ATC, CLTDirector, PhysicalRehabilitation Services

Leslie Tarr, CSWSocial Worker, CCI

Jackie Tubens, RNGI Nurse Navigator, CCI

Charu Vora, RNLung Cancer NurseNavigator, CCI

David Warshal, MDHead, Division ofGynecologic Oncology

*Committee members at time of publication.

Cancer Registry Department Staff

• Diane Bush, CTR, Manager• Jacqueline Ellis, CTR, Cancer Registrar

• Brian Palidar, RHIT, CTR, Cancer Registrar• Annette Harley, CTR, Cancer Registrar

Cancer Registry Report

23

Top Five Cancer Sites (M/F Combined) PERCENT OF TOTAL ANALYTIC CASES 2001-2009

Patient’s County of Residence at Diagnosis PERCENT OF TOTAL ANALYTIC CASES 2009

2009 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 Totals

Breast 19.8 20.7 26.8 25.6 22.0 21.7 22.0 23.8 21.3 351

Lung 10.6 10.2 9.9 10.4 11.7 10.9 11.9 9.9 10.9 180

Corpus Uterus 10.3 10.8 11.8 11.9 9.5 10.4 10.7 8.0 9.3 154

Colon/Rectum 8.9 8.9 10.1 8.5 8.3 8.0 9.0 7.1 8.6 141

Prostate 9.3 10.2 8.8 11.8 9.8 10.4 9.2 7.0 4.8 4.8

TOTAL 58.9 60.8 67.4 68.2 61.3 61.4 62.8 55.8 54.9 906

Atlantic . . . . . . . .6.5%

Cumberland . . . .4.6%

Out Of State . . . .3.3%

Salem . . . . . . . . .3.3%

Cape May . . . . . .2.4%

Mercer . . . . . . . .2.8%

Ocean . . . . . . . .1.6%

Other In NJ . . . . .0.9%

2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008

0

17.5

35.0

52.5

70.0

2009

Prostate

COUNTY AT % DIAGNOSIS of CASES

Camden 45.21%

Burlington 18.06%

Gloucester 12.55%

Atlantic 5.03%

Cumberland 4.97%

Mercer 3.33%

Salem 3.33%

Cape May 2.36%

Out of State 2.12%

Ocean 1.82%

Other in NJ 0.80%

Hunterdon 0.30%

County unknown 0.12%

TOTAL 100%

{OTHER26.1%

CAMDEN43.5%

BURLINGTON18.9%

GLOUCESTER12.3%

C A N C E R R E G I S T R Y R E P O R T

Breast

Lung

Corpus Uterus

Colon/Rectum

24

Cancer Site Distribution TableANALYTIC CASES 2009

C A N C E R R E G I S T R Y R E P O R T

25

Cancer Site Distribution TableANALYTIC CASES 2009 (continued)

C A N C E R R E G I S T R Y R E P O R T

26

Epidemiology Cancers of the colon and rectum are the third most commonlydiagnosed cancers in the United States.

The 5-year relative survival rate for colon cancer in U.S. men andwomen is 64%. An estimated 106,100 new cases of colon and40,870 cases of rectal cancer are expected to occur in 2009 in theU.S., with 4,590 in New Jersey alone. The data provided in this sitespecific report is for colon cancer only; rectal cancer data is notincluded.

Demographics

Data from the Cooper Cancer Registry regarding colon cancerstreated at Cooper for the period from 2000 to 2007 and 2009 isuseful in evaluating our gastrointestinal cancer program.

• From 2000 to 2007, a total of 612 cases were treated at CooperUniversity Hospital for colon cancer.

• In 2009, 92 cases of colon cancer received care at Cooper in2009 – a slight increase compared to the average annual numberof cases reported over the past 7 years.

Table 1 shows the distribution of colon cancers treated at Cooperby patient’s county of residence. The annual average number ofcases from Camden County is 49, in 2009 the percentagedecreased by 6.5% or to 42 cases. The number of cases coming toCooper from other New Jersey counties has increased over theintervening years reflecting outreach and referrals from primarycare practices in surrounding counties.

Colorectal cancer incidence rates have been decreasing over thepast two decades (from 66.3 cases per 100,000 population in 1985to 46.4 in 2005). A possible explanation for this decrease is the

C O O P E R C A N C E R I N S T I T U T E

Colon Cancer Report

A N N U A L R E P O R T 2 0 1 0

Alexandre Hageboutros, MDDirector,

Gastrointestinal Malignancy Program

Associate Head,

Division of Hematology/Medical Oncology

Cooper University Hospital

Associate Professor of Medicine,

University of Medicine and Dentistry/Robert

Wood Johnson Medical School

NJ County at Diagnosis

CamdenBurlingtonGloucesterAtlanticCumberlandSalemCape MayOceanOther

2000-2007Percent (%)

56.05%17.81%7.84%5.07%5.56%2.94%0.49%0.98%3.26%

2009Percent (%)

45.65%22.83%11.96%5.43%4.35%1.09%2.17%3.26%3.26%

27

increase in colon cancer screening practice andremoval of colorectal polyps before they progress tocancer. CCI has seen an increase in the earlieststages of colon cancer compared to the nationalaverage. This increase may be due to theeducational programs conducted by Cooper CancerInstitute for patients and physicians with thepurpose of raising awareness of the benefits ofscreening in the appropriate population.

Colorectal cancer is still the third leading cause ofdeath from cancer, claiming an estimated 49,920deaths (expected to occur) in 2009, and accountingfor almost 9% of all cancer deaths. Mortality rates

for colorectal cancer have declined over the pasttwo decades likely as a result of several newtherapies for advanced disease, an increase in therate of early detection, and the introduction ofnovel agents.

The disease does not manifest any signs orsymptoms in some patients, therefore earlyscreening starting at age 50, or earlier if other riskfactors are present (inflammatory bowel disease or a family history of cancer) is necessary to detectcolorectal cancer in its earliest stages. In otherpatients a change in bowel habit, rectal bleeding orfrank abdominal pain may direct the physician’s

0

0.05

0.1

0.15

0.2

0.25

0.3

Stage 0 Stage 1 Stage 2 Stage 3 Stage 4

2000-2007 CUH

2000-2007 NCDB

2009 CUH

2007 NCDB

AJCC STAGE AT DIAGNOSIS FOR COLON CANCER Cooper University Hospital vs. National Cancer Data Base (NCDB)

2007 NCDB – most current data available

FIGURE 1

0

0.05

0.1

0.15

0.2

0.25

0.3

0.35

2000-2007 CUH 2009 CUH 2007 NCDB

AGE AT DIAGNOSIS FOR COLON CANCER Cooper University Hospital vs National Cancer Data Base (NCDB)

2007 NCDB - most current data availableUnder 20

20 - 29

30 - 39

40 - 49

50 - 59

60 - 69

70 - 79

80 - 89

90+

2000-2007 NCDB

FIGURE 2

28

attention to the gastrointestinal tract. Weight loss,fatigue or unexplained anemia should not beoverlooked.

The risk of colon cancer increases with age; 91% ofcases are diagnosed in individuals aged 50 andolder. A small but significant group of individualsare diagnosed before the age of 50.

Colon cancer risk is also increased in certainfamilies due to inherited genetic mutations such asfamilial adenomatous polyposis (FAP) andhereditary non-polyposis colorectal cancer(HNPCC). Genetic counseling and testing isavailable for patients with strong family histories inan attempt to detect or prevent disease that canoccur at a much younger age. A dedicated team ofgenetic counselors are available at Cooper to assistpatients and their physicians in making the medicaldecision to undergo genetic testing andsubsequently to start screening at a much youngerage than the general population.

We have seen an increase in the number of patientsdiagnosed under the age of 50: 12.5% (2009 data)from the Cooper Cancer Registry compared to 8.5%from the National Cancer Data Base. This may bedue to the increase in referrals to our CancerGenetic Program. The Cancer Genetics Programworks in collaboration with the GastrointestinalCancer Program in integrating the latest scientificinformation to improve patient outcomes.

Surgery is the most common treatment for coloncancer: 85.8% patients treated in 2009 at Cooper hadsurgery as part of their treatment Figure 3 and

Figure 4. For early stage cancers surgical removalmay be curative. Different types of surgeries areutilized for the treatment of colon cancer and eachindividual patient requires a personalizedtreatment plan delivered by a surgical oncologistwhose expertise is in colorectal surgery.

Collaborative Approach to Care

Cooper Cancer Institute’s Gastrointestinal CancerCenter is one of the region’s leading providers ofinnovative prevention, detection and treatmentprograms for men and women with cancers of thedigestive system. The program provides allavailable treatment options including surgery,chemotherapy, radiation therapy and access tocurrent clinical research trials. Behavioralcounseling, genetic counseling and testing,palliative care, complementary medicine therapiesand other support services are available to assistpatients and their families in coping with theircancer.

Our reputation for excellence can be attributed toour multidisciplinary approach to care. Each of ourpatients is under the care of a multidisciplinaryteam of specialists that meets regularly todetermine and implement an optimal treatmentregimen. This specialized team consists of:

• Surgical oncologists

• Medical oncologists

• Radiation oncologists

• Gastroenterologists

2000-2007 Analytic Colon Treatments

10113

366162

21138

54612

0 200 400 600 800

Number of Cases 612

Total

No Treatment

Surgery Radiation,Chemo

Surgery, Radiation

Surgery, PalliativeRadiation

Surgery, Other

Surgery, Chemo, PalliativeRadiation

Surgery, Chemo

2009 Analytic Colon Treatments

2

1

1

50

23

2

4

9

92

0 20 40 60 80 100

Number of Cases 92

Total

No Treatment

Surgery Radiation, Chemo

Surgery, Chemo, PalliativeRadiation

Surgery, Chemo

Surgery

Palliative Radiation

Chemo, Palliative Radiation

Chemo

FIGURE 3 FIGURE 4

29

• Pathologists

• Radiologists

• Interventional radiologists

• Nurse practitioners

• Nurse coordinators

By working together and pooling their expertise,the multidisciplinary team provides patients with acomprehensive evaluation of their cancer and anindividualized treatment plan. This collaborationcontinues throughout the patient’s treatmentprocess with on-going monitoring and re-evaluation. This unique approach leads to highlycoordinated, quality patient care and superiorpatient satisfaction.

The Cooper Cancer Institute gastrointestinalmultidisciplinary team meets regularly to discussdifferent approaches for each patient andrecommends a treatment plan that is customized tothe need of each patient following national NCCNand/or ASCO guidelines.

Oncology Nursing Staff

Our nurses are an important component of ourprogram. Their years of experience have madethem extremely knowledgeable aboutgastrointestinal cancer and sensitive to the needs ofour patients.

The Gastrointestinal Cancer Nurse Navigator is aspecial member of our care team. The Nurse

Navigator serves as an expert guide, advocate andeducator for all newly diagnosed patients and theirfamilies, by helping them make contact with thevarious departments for clinical appointments andtesting, answering questions and helpingcoordinate support services.

Extraordinary Support Services

Patient care at Cooper’s Gastrointestinal CancerCenter extends beyond our outstanding clinicalservices. We recognize the emotional and spiritualtoll that cancer can take on the lives of patients andtheir families, and that managing only the physicalaspects of the disease is not enough. To addressthese needs, Cooper Cancer Institute providespatients with a wide variety of support services,such as behavioral medicine, genetic counselingand testing, complementary medicine, nutritionalcounseling and social worker services to helpmanage life during treatment and recovery.

Research

There is a role for adjuvant chemotherapy to reducethe risk of colon cancer recurrence in patients withmore advanced disease involving the lymph nodes.Working in collaboration with the oncology cancergroup NSABP and ECOG, we at Cooper are activeparticipants in studies that have defined theoptimal regimen for this group of patients.

In patients with advanced disease (metastatic), wetry to integrate all treatment modalities to improve

Five Year Survival Rate 1998-2002 Analytic Colon Cancer Cases by AJCC Staging

CUH

NCDB

CUH 0.77 0.73 0.67 0.68 0.17

NCDB 0.807 0.774 0.67 0.53 0.08

Perc

enta

ge

0

0.1

0.2

0.3

0.4

0.5

0.6

0.7

0.8

0.9

Stage 0 Stage 1 Stage 2 Stage 3 Stage 4

FIGURE 5

30

the chances of survival and life extension. We haveactive clinical research ongoing with a number ofcooperative groups as well as industry sponsoredresearch. The goal is to identify new drugs orcombinations of drugs to ultimately improveoutcomes for each patient.

Convenient, Accessible CareCooper’s Gastrointestinal Cancer Center offersmultiple access locations in South Jersey includingVoorhees, Cherry Hill, Willingboro and Camden.The Voorhees center serves as Cooper CancerInstitute’s hub for cancer services. This singlelocation offers patients access to multispecialtyoncology physician/surgeon clinical offices, theCooper Surgical Center, radiation oncologyservices, a full-service laboratory and advancedimaging capabilities.

Accreditation/Performance StudiesCooper University Hospital is accredited by

The American College of Surgeons Commission onCancer, which mandates participation inperformance and quality initiatives. The purpose ofthe initiatives is to improve system-wide practicesin colon (and other cancers) and measureparameters such as timelines of chemotherapy andnodal staging. For the years 2004-2008 (mostcurrent data) CCI has achieved 100% in theadjuvant chemotherapy parameter and showedexcellent performance for the accurate nodalpathologic staging parameter.

SurvivalFive year survival for colon cancer patients

diagnosed from 1998-2002 is presented in Figure 5.Compared to national results: Stage 3 Colon cancerpatients treated at Cooper Cancer Institute have agreater survival rate than the national average forpatients with the same stage (68% vs. 53%), thesame for Stage 4 Colon cancer patients (17% vs. 8 %), early state (0, Ia, II) colon cancer patients atCooper have similar survival similar to the nationalaverage. These trends reflects the major advantageof the multidisciplinary approach to the treatmentof colon cancer and the availability of clinicalresearch conducted by the dedicated team ofphysicians, nurses and healthcare professionals ofthe CCI Gastrointestinal Cancer Program.

References:• Cancer Facts and Figures 2009 www.cancer.org/research/CancerFactsFigures

• American College of Surgeons, Commission onCancer www.facs.org/cancer

• National treatment guidelines found at:www.NCCN.org www.Asco.org

31

If you or a loved one has been touched by cancer, you may be interested in supporting the efforts ofCooper Cancer Institute (CCI). Your support will help advance patient care by:

• Discovering new ways to prevent, diagnose and treat cancer

• Building and equipping the most advanced facilities for patient care and research

• Delivering care and education in the community

• Providing supportive services to cancer patients and their families

When you support CCI, you are making a significant contribution to advancing cancer care throughoutsouthern New Jersey for those who we care for today and those we will care for in the future.

You can support the CCI with a tax-deductible charitable gift in a number of ways including:

• Memorial and tribute gifts

• Donations to the Dr. Diane Barton Complementary Medicine Program Healing Garden

• Donations to our special funds

• Supporting CCI fundraising events and activities

• Creating your own special event in support of CCI

• Planned gifts

Giving to Cooper Cancer Institute

For more information about giving to Cooper Cancer Institute or to make a donation, contact:

The Cooper FoundationThree Cooper Plaza • Camden, NJ 08103

856.342.2222

or visit us on the web: CooperCancer.org

World Class Care. Right Here. Right Now.

Cooper Cancer Institute900 Centennial Boulevard, Suite A

Voorhees, NJ 08043

1.800.8.COOPER1.800.826.6737

cooperhealth.org/cancer

George E. Norcross, IIIChairman

Joan S. DavisVice Chairman

John P. Sheridan, Jr.President and CEO