[{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"BlogPosting","@id":"https:\/\/www.regionalcancercare.org\/news\/as-breast-cancer-diagnoses-rise-in-new-jersey-rcca-oncologists-share-3-important-and-hopeful-facts\/#BlogPosting","mainEntityOfPage":"https:\/\/www.regionalcancercare.org\/news\/as-breast-cancer-diagnoses-rise-in-new-jersey-rcca-oncologists-share-3-important-and-hopeful-facts\/","headline":"As Breast Cancer Diagnoses Rise in New Jersey, RCCA Oncologists Share 3 Important and Hopeful Facts","name":"As Breast Cancer Diagnoses Rise in New Jersey, RCCA Oncologists Share 3 Important and Hopeful Facts","description":"An estimated 8,580 women across New Jersey will be diagnosed with breast cancer this year. That number reflects a significant increase from years past. For example, the average annual number of diagnoses from 2015 to 2019 was 7,906.","datePublished":"2023-07-12","dateModified":"2025-03-25","author":{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/www.regionalcancercare.org\/news\/author\/ceastway\/#Person","name":"ceastway","url":"https:\/\/www.regionalcancercare.org\/news\/author\/ceastway\/","identifier":5,"image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/007b7979610c70c3cd4b24ed960fb78ff62c0b68401d393e79cb483d56812050?s=96&d=mm&r=g","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/007b7979610c70c3cd4b24ed960fb78ff62c0b68401d393e79cb483d56812050?s=96&d=mm&r=g","height":96,"width":96}},"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Regional Cancer Care Associates","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/www.regionalcancercare.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/logo.svg","url":"https:\/\/www.regionalcancercare.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/logo.svg","width":506,"height":228}},"image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/www.regionalcancercare.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/GettyImages-1428458025-2.jpg","url":"https:\/\/www.regionalcancercare.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/GettyImages-1428458025-2.jpg","height":667,"width":1000},"url":"https:\/\/www.regionalcancercare.org\/news\/as-breast-cancer-diagnoses-rise-in-new-jersey-rcca-oncologists-share-3-important-and-hopeful-facts\/","about":["Breast Cancer"],"wordCount":1829,"keywords":["News & Events"],"articleBody":"\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tAs Breast Cancer Diagnoses Rise in New Jersey, RCCA Oncologists Share 3 Important and Hopeful Facts\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tJuly 12, 2023\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tAn estimated 8,580 women across New Jersey will be diagnosed with breast cancer this year.1 That number reflects a significant increase from years past. For example, the average annual number of diagnoses from 2015 to 2019 was 7,906.2While the increased number of cases is distressing, medical oncologists with Regional Cancer Care Associates (RCCA) say it\u2019s important to keep three facts in mind:1. The situation in New Jersey is part of a larger trend. \u201cUnfortunately, breast cancer diagnoses across the United States have been rising by about one-half of 1% a year for the past several years, and also are rising in many countries around the world,\u201d3,4 said Aileen L. Chen, MD, a board-certified medical oncologist and hematologist who practices at the Freehold and Holmdel offices of RCCA, one of the nation\u2019s largest networks of oncology specialists.\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tDr. Chen, board certified hematology, internal medicine, and medical oncology, practicing with RCCA in Freehold and Holmdel, NJ\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\u201cOf course, when a woman learns she has breast cancer, her focus is not on epidemiology or geographic trends, but I think this context is important for two reasons. First, New Jersey has a history of actual and possible \u2018cancer clusters,\u2019 so when people here learn they have cancer, their thoughts can run to some environmental factor or other problem specific to the state that may be the cause. In this instance, however, the increased diagnoses in New Jersey are in step with what\u2019s occurring nationwide. Second, a cancer diagnosis can be very isolating. As much as the people in your life love you and want to support you, they can\u2019t fully understand what you\u2019re facing, including the natural tendency to ask, \u2018Why me?\u2019 If you recently have been diagnosed with breast cancer, I think it\u2019s important to know that many, many women across America are exactly where you are right now in terms of having to face this diagnosis. And it\u2019s even more important to know that more than 4 million women in the U.S. have gone forward from the difficult place where you are now to live their lives as breast cancer survivors.\u201d5So why are breast cancer rates increasing nationally \u2014 and even globally?Dr. Chen explained that researchers have identified a number of causes, including a sedentary lifestyle, alcohol consumption, diet, being overweight or obese after menopause, and environmental conditions, as well as changes in childbearing patterns and average age at onset of puberty and start of menopause that can affect a woman\u2019s long-term exposure to the sex hormone estrogen.4,6,7 \u201cBreast cancer, like most cancers, is multi-factorial in nature, meaning that many factors come together and interact in complex ways to drive development of the disease. The good news, however, is that several of those factors are within a woman\u2019s power to modify and so reduce her risk,\u201d Dr. Chen noted.\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t2. Physicians have a broad \u2014 and expanding \u2014 range of options for treating breast cancer. \u201cWe have never had a greater ability to individualize care to treat a woman\u2019s breast cancer in a way that offers the best possible outcomes while taking into consideration her overall health, her preferences for treatment and her quality of life,\u201d said Julianne W. Childs, DO, a board-certified medical oncologist and hematologist who practices at the Cape May Court House and Marmora offices of RCCA.\u201cThe last several years have seen a dramatic expansion of treatment options. This includes more surgical techniques, including several breast-sparing approaches. In terms of medical management, it means immunotherapies, targeted therapies, chemotherapy with fewer side effects than older regimens, and hormonal treatment strategies to reduce the risk of recurrence. Radiation therapy approaches also have evolved, and we\u2019ve learned much more about how to combine and sequence different surgical, medical and radiotherapy interventions in a way that is really tailored to each woman\u2019s specific situation,\u201d Dr. Childs said.The medical oncologist added, \u201cAs a result of the advances, the five-year relative survival rate for women diagnosed with localized disease \u2014 which represents the majority of newly identified cases \u2014 is now 99%.8 We also have made significant progress in treating women with more advanced disease, including extending life while maintaining a good quality of life for women with metastatic breast cancer.\u201dDr. Childs noted, \u201cThanks to these treatment advances, even though the rate of breast cancer diagnoses is rising in New Jersey, the breast cancer death rate is falling, with declines in 20 of New Jersey\u2019s 21 counties. The sole exception is Salem County, where the rate is stable. The toll that breast cancer takes remains far too high, as evidenced by the fact that an estimated 1,200 women in New Jersey will lose their lives to the disease this year, but we have been driving that number down, and we are determined to continue doing so by making the most effective use possible of the therapies available to us.\u201d\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tDr. Childs, board certified hematology, internal medicine, and medical oncology, practicing with RCCA in Cape May Court House and Marmora, NJ\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tBREAST CANCER DIAGNOSES AND DEATHS: RECENT TRENDS IN NEW JERSEY\u00a0DiagnosesDeathsLocationA\u00ad\u00ad\u00adverage Annual Count, 2015-20195-year TrendAverage Annual Count, 2016-20205-Year TrendUnited States253,845Rising42,101FallingNew Jersey7,906Rising1,264FallingAtlantic County241Stable41FallingBergen County904Rising127FallingBurlington County447Rising76FallingCamden County454Stable80FallingCape May County110Stable21FallingCumberland County112Stable22FallingEssex County656Rising110FallingGloucester County287Stable45FallingHudson County407Stable62FallingHunterdon County134Stable18FallingMercer County309Stable51FallingMiddlesex County646Stable104FallingMonmouth County643Stable96FallingMorris County496Stable69FallingOcean County608Stable109FallingPassaic County399Rising61FallingSalem County58Stable11StableSomerset County310Stable40FallingSussex County137Stable24FallingUnion County449Stable79FallingWarren County98Stable19Falling\u00a0Source: National Cancer Institute. State Cancer Profiles. Available at: https:\/\/statecancerprofiles.cancer.gov\/. Accessed May 3, 2023.\u00a0\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t \tThere is a great deal you can do to reduce your risk of breast cancer. As noted earlier, a woman\u2019s risk for developing breast cancer is determined both by factors within her control and others \u2014 such as family history and age \u2014 not within her control.\u201cIt\u2019s important that women do what they can to address their modifiable risk factors \u2014 such as by exercising regularly and eating a diet rich in vegetables and fruits with limited red meat, cured meats, and processed foods,\u201d said May Abdo-Matkiwsky, DO, a board-certified medical oncologist who practices at the Sparta office of RCCA. She noted that one analysis of 38 different studies found that women with high levels of physical activity had a lifetime risk for breast cancer that was 12% lower than that of the least physically active women.9Meanwhile, Dr. Abdo-Matkiwsky added, vigilance can go far toward dealing with the potential impact of non-modifiable risk factors. \u201cIt\u2019s important that women obtain mammograms at the intervals appropriate for their age and medical history, that they be alert to any lumps or other changes in their breasts, and that they talk with their primary care provider about whether their family history warrants genetic screening for mutations associated with breast cancer. \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tDr. Abdo-Matkiwsky, board certified internal medicine and medical oncology, practicing with RCCA in Sparta, NJ\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\u201cThe bottom line is that there are many steps available to you right here, right now to reduce your risk for breast cancer. And if, unfortunately, you should receive a diagnosis of breast cancer, know that there also is excellent care and abundant cause for hope available to you right here, right now. At RCCA, we pride ourselves in providing patients with access to the latest therapies and clinical trials in the community setting \u2014 in conveniently located offices where everyone from the physician to the receptionist knows you by name, and where our care plans are carefully tailored to your specific situation and needs. We hope that you will never require that care, but if you do, we\u2019re here for you,\u201d Dr. Abdo-Matkiwsky said.*******Drs. Chen, Childs, and Abdo-Matkiwsky are among the\u00a090+ cancer specialists\u00a0who treat patients at\u00a0more than 20 RCCA care centers\u00a0located throughout New Jersey, Connecticut, Massachusetts, and the Washington, D.C., area. RCCA oncologists and hematologists see more than 23,000 new patients each year and provide care to more than 225,000 established patients, collaborating closely with their patients\u2019 other physicians. They offer patients the latest in cutting-edge treatments, including\u00a0immunotherapies\u00a0and\u00a0targeted therapy, as well as access to a wide range of\u00a0clinical trials. In addition to serving patients who have solid tumors, blood-based cancers, and benign blood disorders such as anemia, RCCA care centers also provide\u00a0infusion services to people with a number of non-oncologic conditions\u2014including\u00a0multiple sclerosis,\u00a0Crohn\u2019s disease,\u00a0asthma, iron-deficiency anemia, and\u00a0rheumatoid arthritis\u2014who take intravenously-administered medications.To learn more about RCCA, call 1-844-346-7222 or visit RCCA.com.References:American Cancer Society. Cancer Facts & Figures 2023. Available at https:\/\/www.cancer.org\/research\/cancer-facts-statistics\/all-cancer-facts-figures\/2023-cancer-facts-figures.html. Accessed April 18, 2023.National Cancer Institute. State Cancer Profiles. Available at: https:\/\/statecancerprofiles.cancer.gov\/. Accessed May 3, 2023.American Cancer Society. Key statistics for breast cancer. Available at https:\/\/www.cancer.org\/cancer\/types\/breast-cancer\/about\/how-common-is-breast-cancer.html. Accessed May 9, 2023.Kashyap D, Pal D, Sharma R, et al. Global increase in breast cancer incidence: risk factors and preventive measures.BioMed Res Int. 2022. doi.org\/10.1155\/2022\/9605439.Breast Cancer Research Foundation. Breast cancer statistics and resources. Available at https:\/\/www.bcrf.org\/breast-cancer-statistics-and-resources\/. Accessed May 8, 2023.Ugai T, Sasamoto N, Lee H-W, et al. Is early-onset cancer an emerging global epidemic? Current evidence and future implications. Nat Rev clin Oncol. 2022;19:656-673.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). What are the risk factors for breast cancer? Available at https:\/\/www.cdc.gov\/cancer\/breast\/basic_info\/risk_factors.htm. Accessed May 9, 2023.American Cancer Society. Survival rates for breast cancer. March 1, 2023. Available at https:\/\/www.cancer.org\/cancer\/types\/breast-cancer\/understanding-a-breast-cancer-diagnosis\/breast-cancer-survival-rates.html. Accessed May 9, 2023.National Cancer Institute. Physical activity and breast cancer. Available at https:\/\/www.cancer.gov\/about-cancer\/causes-prevention\/risk\/obesity\/physical-activity-fact-sheet#. Accessed May 9, 2023.\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\twe are here for you\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tFor more information or to schedule an appointment, call 844-346-7222. You can also schedule an appointment by calling the\u00a0RCCA location\u00a0nearest you.\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\trequest an appointment\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tRELATED ARTICLES\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tCutting Your Cancer Risk: RCCA Oncologists Discuss 4 Lesser-Known Steps\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tYou don\u2019t smoke. You drink alcohol in moderation, if at all. You avoid processed meats and you dab on the sunscreen before you hit the\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tLearn More\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tGetting Your First Mammogram on Schedule Really Matters: 2 RCCA Oncologists Explain Why\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tThere are many reasons women don\u2019t obtain their first mammogram at the recommended age: work commitments and other demands on their time, uncertainty regarding when\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tLearn More\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tEarly Signs of Inflammatory Breast Cancer\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tRegional Cancer Care Associates (RCCA) provides comprehensive treatment of cancer and blood disorders to patients throughout New Jersey, Connecticut, and the Washington, DC, area. Here,\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tLearn More\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tRegional Cancer Care Associates is one of fewer than 200 medical practices in the country selected to participate in the Oncology Care Model (OCM); a recent Medicare initiative aimed at improving care coordination and access to and quality of care for Medicare beneficiaries undergoing chemotherapy treatment.\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t"},{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"News","item":"https:\/\/www.regionalcancercare.org\/news\/#breadcrumbitem"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"As Breast Cancer Diagnoses Rise in New Jersey, RCCA Oncologists Share 3 Important and Hopeful Facts","item":"https:\/\/www.regionalcancercare.org\/news\/as-breast-cancer-diagnoses-rise-in-new-jersey-rcca-oncologists-share-3-important-and-hopeful-facts\/#breadcrumbitem"}]}]