Breakthrough Treatment Center Ushers in New Hope for Cancer Patients
With cancer ranking as the second leading cause of death in New Jersey, an innovative solution is gaining momentum at Morristown Medical Center and catching the attention of residents battling this disease. Atlantic Health System Cancer Care officially opened the Breakthrough Treatment Center (BTC) in a ribbon-cutting ceremony, held on September 25, marking the beginning of delivering novel cancer therapies, faster and at lower costs to patients than ever before.
The BTC – located at Morristown Medical Center’s Carol G. Simon Cancer Center – is part of the Breakthrough Oncology Accelerator, a partnership with Translational Genomics Research Institute (TGen) and Origin Commercial Ventures. Its collective mission brings new therapies to patients who haven’t responded to other treatments. Offering the latest immunotherapies, cell-based therapies and genetic medicine options along with Phase 1 cancer clinical trials (trials, which are the first to involve people), patients will receive treatments in a private unit, staffed by a team of medical oncologists, nurses and physician-researchers that focuses on patient-centric care.
Atlantic Health System is the first health system worldwide to participate in a collaboration of this magnitude. “The partnership allows us to offer our patients access to more clinical trials in earlier phases, potentially giving them a stronger chance at remission and survival,” says Trish O’Keefe, PhD, RN, president, Morristown Medical Center.
Opening up access to research, the Center will serve as a robust platform of shared knowledge for physicians across the country, providing more options and leading the way for other health systems to replicate similar models elsewhere.
To learn more, read recent coverage in NJ Biz and ROI-NJ.
Photo: L-R: Trish O’Keefe, PhD, RN, President, Morristown Medical Center; Angela Alistar, MD, Medical Director, GI Medical Oncology and Breakthrough Treatment Center, Morristown Medical Center; Eric Whitman, MD, Medical Director, Atlantic Health System Cancer Care and Director, Atlantic Melanoma Center; Lydia Nadeau, RN, Executive Director, Atlantic Health System Cancer Care; Brian Gragnolati, President & CEO, Atlantic Health System.
Photo Credit: Ron Wyatt