Screenings to mark prostate cancer awareness month

    In an effort to reach and educate more men about one of the more common types of cancer that affects them, The Cancer Institute of New Jersey (CINJ) and its network of hospitals are teaming up to provide screenings and information across the state during the month of September, which is National Prostate Cancer Awareness Month. Additional screening opportunities will extend into October. CINJ is a Center of Excellence at UMDNJ-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School.
    One in six men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer, according to the American Cancer Society. It is the most frequently diagnosed cancer in men, other than skin cancer, and the second leading cause of cancer death in men. It is estimated that approximately 192,000 new cases of prostate cancer will occur in the United States this year, with the illness affecting more African-American men than those of Asian or Caucasian descent. In New Jersey alone, 6,000 new cases of prostate cancer will be diagnosed, while 660 men will die from the disease this year. That is why CINJ and its partner and affiliate hospitals are joining forces to educate men and their families about this disease.
    Dr. Molly Gabel, deputy director of extramural affairs at CINJ and associate professor of radiation oncology at UMNDJ-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, says the CINJ Network has a unique opportunity to educate the greater community.
    “Through the collaborative efforts being undertaken in September, we know that more men will be better armed with information about their prostate health, and that the CINJ Network hospitals will have played a key role in helping to save many ýPage=008 Column=004 OK,0001.07þ lives. This is just one example of how the CINJ Network is offering the most comprehensive cancer education and care to New Jerseyans,” she said.
    CINJ and its flagship hospital Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital in New Brunswick will be hosting their annual prostate- screening event Sept. 21, 22, and 23 from 5 to 8 p.m. each evening at CINJ , 195 Little Albany St., New Brunswick. ýPage=008 Column=005 OK,0001.07þ The joint event is in its 11th year and has long attracted the support of local clergy and community leaders. A team of experts from the Dean and Betty Gallo Prostate Cancer Center at CINJ will be conducting the screenings, which will include a digital rectal exam and the prostate specific antigen (PSA) blood test. The screening is open to all men 40 and older. Limited free parking will be available. While the screenings are free, an appointment is necessary and can be made by calling (732) 247-2050.
    On Wednesday, Sept. 23, from noon to 1:30 p.m. at the Princeton Healthcare System Community Education & Outreach, 731 Alexander Road, Princeton there will be a meeting of the Prostate Cancer Support Group, featuring a lecture by Connie Pfeiffer, clinical pharmacist of oncology and internal medicine at University Medical Center at Princeton and clinical associate professor at the Ernesto Mario School of Pharmacy, Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey.
    Dr. Pfeiffer will discuss “An Update on Conventional and Alternative Therapies for Prevention and Treatment of Prostate Cancer.” The support group, which has been in existence since 1991, welcomes those with prostate cancer, their loved ones and family members. Meetings take place the fourth Wednesday of each month alternating between lectures by PHCS physicians and open discussion. No registration is required.
    On Thursday, Sept. 24, from 6 to 8 p.m. at the University Medical Center at Princeton’s Clinic Medical Arts Building: Suite B, 253 Witherspoon St., Princeton, the University Medical Center at Princeton will offer free prostate cancer screenings, regardless of insurance or ability to pay, for men age 50 and older and men 40 and over who are African American or have a family history of prostate cancer. The screening process includes a digital rectal exam by a board-certified urologist, as well as the PSA blood test. Educational materials will be made available as well as light refreshments. Appointments are required and can be made by calling (888) 897-8979.
    The Cancer Institute of New Jersey (www.cinj.org) is the state’s first and only National Cancer Institute- designated Comprehensive Cancer Center, and is dedicated to improving the prevention, detection, treatment and care of patients with cancer. CINJ’s physician- scientists engage in translational research, transforming their laboratory discoveries into clinical practice, quite literally bringing research to life. The Cancer Institute of New Jersey is a center of excellence of UMDNJ-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School. To support CINJ, please call the Cancer Institute of New Jersey Foundation at 1-888-333-CINJ.