A drug given to reduce the side effects of post-surgery pain medications resulting in a reduced length of hospital stay for patients who have undergone major gastrointestinal or bladder cancer procedures is found to have similar benefit for some patients undergoing surgery for testicular cancer. Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey urologic oncologist Thomas Jang, MD, MPH, who is also an assistant professor of surgery at Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, explored the impact of alvimopan in those patients who underwent the procedure known as retroperitoneal lymph node dissection.

During cancer treatment, the main focus tends to be on the patient. However, a cancer diagnosis affects the entire family, including caregivers, whose needs often can be overlooked. During this Social Work Month, members of Rutgers Cancer Institute Social Work Department share some insight and tips on how caregivers can keep their bodies and minds healthy in order to provide the best support for the patient.