Recent Stories
New Answers For Tough Cancers
A woman beats back lung cancer thanks to advanced, targeted therapy.
Attacking Advanced Cancer
A woman survives late-stage breast cancer thanks to leading-edge therapies.
Previous Patient Stories
Team Jimmy
No parent ever wants to hear their child has cancer. But when the Tanseys received this news about their toddler Jimmy, they knew they were in good hands with coordinated care between Monmouth Medical Center, Rutgers Cancer Institute and The Bristol-Myers Squibb Children’s Hospital at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital.
Fierce Competitor
A member of the U.S. Racquetball Team, Aimee Roehler wasn’t going to let breast cancer get in the way of her active lifestyle. Expert care from Rutgers Cancer Institute and Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital Somerset has this competitor back on the court.
An Orchestrated Effort
Margarete Ann Heber was used to being part of a lifesaving team for her work with natural disasters, but she never imagined one would be assembled for her at Rutgers Cancer Institute and Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital, when diagnosed with stomach cancer.
A Different Type of Recovery Effort
Involved in 9/11 recovery efforts, Marcus Rivera was concerned when a benign but potentially debilitating tumor was found at the base of his skull. Non-invasive gamma knife surgery done by experts at Rutgers Cancer Institute and Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital has him back on track.
Living Life to the Fullest
Active in her daily life, Adrienne Graubard wasn’t going to let multiple myeloma keep her down. Collaborative care at Rutgers Cancer Institute and Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital Somerset and a stem cell transplant has her in remission and feeling great.
Back in Control
Meeting Diego Castiblanco, you would never guess he’s been battling late-stage liver cancer. Thanks to oncology and pain management experts at Rutgers Cancer Institute and Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital, this 61-year-old has energy to spare.
Finding Her Way Back
Only in her 20’s, Kelly Moyer never imagined she would be sidelined by triple-negative breast cancer. But thanks to a clinical trial and collaborative care between Rutgers Cancer Institute and Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital Hamilton, she is back on track with life.
Victory Dance
Getting ready to celebrate high school milestones, Ariel Santos learned she had Hodgkin lymphoma. Thanks to care from Rutgers Cancer Institute and Newark Beth Israel Medical Center, she is once again ready to make her dreams come true.
Nothing Routine
When diagnosed with the serious illness of insulinoma, Patricia Drew knew she didn’t need to travel out of state for specialized care. She put her trust in Rutgers Cancer Institute, which has expertise in select non-cancerous disease as well.
More Than a Shark Bite
Never did 27-year-old Keosha Doyle think that a tiny bump on her arm would develop into a rare sarcoma. In treating the 'whole patient,' experts at Rutgers Cancer Institute managed her cancer and so much more.
Finding Hope amid Uncertainty
Already busy caring for a school-aged, special needs child this past year, Tennica Johnson-Campbell faced another challenge in battling multiple myeloma. She found hope in a CAR T-cell therapy clinical trial at Rutgers Cancer Institute and Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital.
Teamwork for the Win
When Paul Munier presented with kidney cancer and vascular system complications, the ‘thrombus team’ of surgeons and other specialists at Rutgers Cancer Institute, Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital, and Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School joined forces to help him get back on track.
Mission (no longer) Impossible
Tapping into the dynamic relationship between the immune system and cancer, work begins within the Cancer Immunology and Metabolism Center of Excellence with an aim of developing new immunotherapies and novel cell-based treatments. Dr. Steven Libutti, Director, Rutgers Cancer Institute, discusses the Center and its importance as one of Rutgers University's Big Ideas in this video.
Cancer Care in a COVID-19 World
Ling Jin’s bone marrow transplant was sidelined due to COVID-19. Despite that, she and her husband found a way to ‘give back’ to the health care team taking care of her at Rutgers Cancer Institute and Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital.
From a Distance
Given other health concerns, Jeffrey Zatta’s recurring chronic lymphocytic leukemia required an expert opinion. Doctors from Rutgers Cancer Institute and Community Medical Center came together via telemedicine to collaborate on his treatment.
Pumping the Positivity
Pregnant and just diagnosed with a second case of breast cancer, Liz Tague needed expert care. She found it at Rutgers Cancer Institute and Cooperman Barnabas Medical Center, where doctors determined that a proton therapy regimen was the best option for her.
A Trans-Atlantic Match
After being diagnosed with a high-risk form of acute myeloid leukemia, doctors at the Rutgers Cancer Institute quickly realized that Lael McGrath would need a stem cell transplant. Since none of Lael's family members were a match, she was registered with Be The Match. Through that National Marrow Donor Program, her ideal match was located in Germany.
Improving the Odds for Pancreatic Cancer
When Patricia Brown needed surgery for her pancreatic cancer, she turned to experts at both Rutgers Cancer Institute and Cooperman Barnabas Medical Center, enabling her to receive precision care while remaining close to her Orange, New Jersey home.
Finding Solutions
When Andrea Marcus learned she had stage 2 breast cancer, this busy, working mother wanted to get it behind her quickly. Experts at Rutgers Cancer Institute and RWJBarnabas Health worked together to find an individualized treatment approach for Marcus, which included a clinical trial.
Telemedicine: Putting Patients First
Just as easy as video chatting with his grandchildren, Lance Mallinson underwent care for lung cancer at Robert Wood Johnson University Hamilton and Rutgers Cancer Institute using Telemedicine.
Getting it 'Just Right'
A drastic, unexplained change in health had Ruth Hansen seeking answers. When diagnosed with a condition known as Cushing's syndrome, she found expertise in this rare tumor type at Rutgers Cancer Institute and RWJBarnabas Health.
Saving Grace
When Grace Eline was diagnosed with a brain tumor, teams at Rutgers Cancer Institute and Newark Beth Israel Medical Center joined forces on her unique care to get this fourth grader back to being just a kid again.
An Ironman’s New Lease on Life
At 85 Kelly Marx stared down liver cancer compounded by some complex cardiac issues that required surgical finesse. He found his medical ‘dreamteam’ at Rutgers Cancer Institute and Cooperman Barnabas Medical Center.
'Out of the Box' Care Close to Home
When diagnosed with advanced stage endometrial cancer, Irma Lopez came to the Gynecologic Oncology Program at Rutgers Cancer Institute. What she wasn’t expecting was an ‘out of the box’ approach by members of the Phase 1/Investigational Therapeutics Program who found a clinical trial just right for her.
'Super-Cells' to the Rescue
When Dave Rodney's B-cell lymphoma didn't respond to standard treatments, it seemed he was out of options. But doctors at Rutgers Cancer Institute and RWJBarnabas Health joined forces to offer the recently approved CAR T-cell therapy, re-engineering the patient's own cells in a laboratory to attack his cancer.
A Full Measure of Life
A rare form of appendix cancer left Allan Schwer wondering about next steps. Some research about a complex surgical procedure offered only at a handful of centers around the country led him to Rutgers Cancer Institute and a new chapter in life.
An Eye on the Future
A retired firefighter, Jim Gritschke is used to tough battles. When faced with stage 4 kidney cancer, he found an arsenal of resources at Rutgers Cancer Institute to meet this challenge head on.
Healing a Healer
What happens when the doctor becomes the patient? Facing a rare, aggressive blood cancer, Dr. Douglas Krohn turned to an experienced bone marrow transplant team at Rutgers Cancer Institute to get him back on track.
A Deeper Understanding
A diagnosis involving a second adrenal tumor for Hemabahen Parikh initially led to some confusion, but after consulting with Rutgers Cancer Institute's Endocrine/Neuroendocrine Tumor Program, things became very clear.
Hiding from Cancer No More
An unusual presentation with a breast lump had Tina Baines seeking expert opinion as to whether she had cancer. This busy mother of five found answers at Rutgers Cancer Institute.
Inside A New Melanoma Immunotherapy Trial
A virus associated with the common cold might not be what one thinks of when treating melanoma. At Rutgers Cancer Institute, an immunotherapy clinical trial using this approach is helping Nick Vojnyk enjoy life once again.
Combatting Cancer on Many Fronts
Treating stage 4 cancer is challenging, often requiring multiple modalities. For Christine Hearn, it meant finding a care team with expertise in all of them. She found that care at Rutgers Cancer Institute.
Munson's Story
More than 20 years ago Munson McLeod underwent a successful stem cell transplant to conquer his non-Hodgkin lymphoma by a caring, dedicated team at Rutgers Cancer Institute and Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital. He and his family reflect on their journey.